At Le Grand Restaurant
14 February 2008
Menu
L is for Lover
Coconut Crumbed Pink Duck Breast and Goose Liver Cake On Lemongrass Skewers served with Red Papaya Vinaigrette
O is for Offer
Juliette Apple, Rose Petals and Red Cabbage Velouté Served with Black Truffle and Gold Leaf
Crystal Carved Ice for a Romantic Saint-Amour Wine Sherbet
V is for Venture
A Fragrant Coated Spices Grilled Veal Chops Served with Marquise Potato, Asparagus and Darjeeling Infused Jus
or
North Atlantic Fresh King Salmon Confit and Seared Fresh Water Prawn Served with Porcini Mashed Potatoes, Lemon Balm and Herb Butter
E is maybe for Ever
Heart Shape Chocolate Cake with Grand Marnier For Two
History of Valentine Day
The origins of Valentine's Day trace back to the ancient Roman celebration of Lupercalia. Held on February 15, Lupercalia honored the gods Lupercus and Faunus, as well as the legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.
In addition to a bountiful feast, Lupercalia festivities are purported to have included the pairing of young women and men. Men would draw women's names from a box, and each couple would be paired until next year's celebration.
While this pairing of couples set the tone for today's holiday, it wasn't called "Valentine's Day" until a priest named Valentine came along. Valentine, a romantic at heart, disobeyed Emperor Claudius II's decree that soldiers remain bachelors. Claudius handed down this decree believing that soldiers would be distracted and unable to concentrate on fighting if they were married or engaged. Valentine defied the emperor and secretly performed marriage ceremonies. As a result of his defiance, Valentine was put to death on February 14.
After Valentine's death, he was named a saint. As Christianity spread through Rome, the priests moved Lupercalia from February 15 to February 14 and renamed it St. Valentine's Day to honor Saint Valentine.
