The Way to Someone's Heart this Valentine's Day?

The cliché of the Latin lover is firmly fixed in popular culture – but did you know that there really is a very strong connection between Italy and Valentine’s Day, and that its origins are all lead back to Rome? The eponymous Valentine was a Christian in the second century who was put to death for defying Emperor Claudius’ edict and marrying soldiers. There’s a second Christian Valentine (though there is some debate that they might be one and the same person) who allegedly used his outlawed Christian faith to restore a blind girl to sight and was martyred for it. And even centuries before that Romans celebrated Lupercalia on 15 February, one of their oldest festivals – which all revolved around fertility and food, again linking in with the festival nowadays.

So it does seem appropriate to enjoy Italian food this Valentine’s, don’t you think? And if you’d like to make sure your cooking hits the spot, come back tomorrow to find out our list of some really seductive foods of love – all reputed to have certain ‘effects’. But whatever you do, don’t take that aspect of the food too seriously or you’ll be too focused on the result rather than enjoying the moment!
If you happen to be single at the moment, may we remind you that our Flavours cooking breaks are great for Singles Holidays in Italy because we have no single supplement! And who knows – with over 60% of our clients being single you might go to Italy single and come back as a couple as one of our recent travelers did!

Biography: Virginia Webb
Virginia Webb recently founded The Good Fork after a varied career which has involved studying and working in Italy, France and Portugal, before becoming a director into the public relations sector. She has had a lifelong interest in good food, starting as a child at her mother’s side baking biscuits and intensified by eating and cooking her way round most of Italy as a student, teacher and translator, working in Paris as a waitress and latterly hosting a local supper club. With The Good Fork she aims to bring the fine foods of the Mediterranean within easy reach of keen cooks across the UK and to encourage them to taste some of the delicious flavours she has enjoyed on her travels.

If you are feeling inspired by the idea of cooking something for someone you love, then visit The Good Fork which currently features a delicious deli-box packed with ingredients on the theme of love, The Lovin’ Forkful. For further information about this deli-box or their monthly deli-boxes, visit www.thegoodfork.co.uk or call 020 8166 1900.