Have you made your plans?  Ordered flowers?  Bought that card with the perfect saying? Arrange for a babysitter?  There may still be two weeks left, but Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it. Even though there is some time left, it may not be wise to leave planning for the last minute.  It is better that nothing is left to chance.  

Going out to eat can be romantic, especially with so many fabulous restaurants in the area.  But, why wade through crowds and the wait times, not knowing if service will be sufficient. Making dinner at home, whether for or with a significant other, and creating a romantic and intimate ambiance can leave a lasting impression that will be the talk at the water cooler.

When planning a romantic dinner at home, it is important to cover all your bases when planning your big night in because the devil is in the details.  For instance:

• Take the time to send an invitation.  Don’t call. Don’t send an Evite.  Send a handwritten invite in a card or elegant piece of stationary. It is not necessary to give all the details, but be sure to include the pertinent information like what the invitation is for (lunch, dinner, appetizers, etc), the date, time, location and expectation of dress code.
• Create your own a romantic ambiance.  Make sure the entire house is  clean.  Utilize white holiday lighting around a door, window, banister, or indoor tree/topiary. Present fresh flowers, unscented candles and softly play pre-programmed music to warm the mood. Most importantly, turn off all cellphones. Don’t let the chimes and notifications of email, Twitter, and Facebook take away from the evening.
• Use the “special occasion” dinnerware and linens.  Instead of an impersonal napkin ring on the fabric napkins, wrap it with a personalized ribbon or flower.  Provide a lovely preprinted menu with insightful details, like references to past dates, special occasions, or personal conversations that are special for the two of you, intertwined throughout the courses. 
• As far as the meal?  There are foods that are known as natural aphrodisiacs.  Including one or more aphrodisiac in your dish(es) might spice up your evening. There are a few commonly used aphrodisiacs below.  Need some more options?  Feel free to send an email with your questions/thoughts.

Oysters on the Half Shell with Apple Horseradish Slaw
Adapted from William Sonoma

12 Atlantic oysters, such as Malapeque or Bluepoint
1 Granny Smith apple
1 celery stalk
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons sour cream
1 tsp. lemon juice
Coarse salt for serving

Scrub the shell of each oyster with a stiff-bristled brush. Rinse completely under cold running water. Throw out any oysters that do not close when touched.

Shuck each oyster and discard the top shells. Without spilling the juice, run the knife underneath the oyster to free it from the bottom shell. Transfer the oysters plate and refrigerate the oysters until ready to serve.

To make slaw: Peel, quarter and core the apple. Using a mandolin or a large, sharp chef's knife, slice the apple quarters paper-thin. Toss in a bowl mandoline with the lemon juice. Julienne celery in less than 1-inch slices and add to apples.  Toss to coat, the drain out any extra lemon juice. Stir in horseradish and sour cream, gently mixing to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, pour a thin layer of coarse salt onto a platter. Arrange the oysters on top of the salt, taking care not to spill the juice. Divide the apple-horseradish slaw among the oysters and serve immediately.  Provide small shellfish forks, if needed.

A little skittish about oysters because of the tragedy in the gulf? Since the spill, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been conducting chemical analyses of the waters.  "Consumers need to know that Louisiana still has significantly large areas along our coast that are still open to harvest because the oil is not in those habitats," says Melancon, the shellfish biologist and professor from Nicholls State University. And, as it was explained during  panel in Birmingham, Southern Seafood After the Gulf Oil Disaster, with Erin Shaw Street, Ashley Hall, Stacey Little, & John Bowler (Southern region seafood buyer for Whole Foods Market), bacteria in the gulf are processing the oil remaining in the gulf and turning it into natural waste.  And, the majority of sea creatures do not bioaccumulate, or harbor, the chemical dispersant or oil within their bodies.

In short, gulf coast seafood is okay to eat. It is important we resume support for the Fishing Industry in the Gulf.  If your local market doesn’t carry gulf coast seafood, ask for it. * The oysters in the pictures included in this article were purchased at Whole Foods.

Need an additional resource? Restore the Gulf is a wealth of information.

Next week?  Valentine’s Day Dessert ideas.