We love 'taste'Valentine's Day is fast approaching and as we all know, St Valentine is the patron saint of florists and restaurateurs who profit enormously next week.
No, not really though the real origins are no less brutal. It is said that from 13th to 14th February, the Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia.
This was a very ancient annual pastoral festival observed in the city of Rome to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility amongst its inhabitants.
As with many such celebrations, Emperor Claudius II took things too far by executing two men who had each been named Valentine. Their martyrdom was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine's Day.
Start as you mean to go on
The tricky bit is choosing the right sauce. Stokes Brown Sauce or our Award-Winning Tomato Ketchup? Hedge your bets and serve them both.
An affair of the heart
Tomatoes not only taste good, look good and add so much to all types of cooking - but they are good for you too.
They have good amounts of vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), thiamin, niacin, Vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper are other resources. In daily value, tomatoes provide 38% of what is needed in vitamin C, 30% in vitamin A, and 18% in vitamin K. Best of all: no fat and no cholesterol.
It is because of the Vitamin B and potassium in tomatoes that they are so good for your heart.
Cooked tomatoes particularly are an excellent anti-carcinogenic. They are effective in reducing cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure. So by including tomatoes in your regular balanced diet you can help improve your general health.
Is it any wonder then that we put a full 200gms of sweet plump tomatoes from the sun drenched hillsides of southern Italy into every 100gms of Stokes Award-Winning Tomato Ketchup , simmered gently to retain their maximum natural flavour.
A double celebration
With Valentine's Day on 14th February and Chinese New Year on 16th February why not make it a double celebration. For some tasty twists on Chinese New Year feasting - just click the image below:
A hearty meal
Beef hearts cooked properly are full of flavour and are so so tender. For this very simple recipe, use 2 kg of beef heart.
First wash the meat, removing any fat and arteries (your butcher should do this for you). Cut them in half and then into 1cm slices. Toss the meat in seasoned flour and brown quickly for a minute in foaming butter.
Put the browned meat in a casserole with a sliced onion, chopped carrot, swede, celery and a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme. Pour in 250 ml of beef stock, 125 ml of red wine with 2 tbsp of Stokes Brown Sauce and 1 tbsp of Cider & Horseradish Mustard. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
It's fantastic with buttered kale and mashed potatoes with Stokes Creamed Horseradish Sauce.
More foodie thoughts for the week:
Celebrate Chinese New Year with some of these simple recipes here.
Learn how Rick encouraged his children to eat more vegetables here.
Tasty uses for Stokes sauces. Discover more than just a dollop on the side of a plate here.
If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)
FOOD MADE BETTER
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