The unmentionable “V” word… scary to many people, but for those in this exclusive club something to be celebrated and enjoyed. No I’m not talking about virginity, but something even more frightening to single women and guys in relationships…Valentine’s Day. This holiday really shouldn’t be feared because regardless of your relationship status it gives you the perfect excuse to treat yourself and your loved ones to a fabulous home cooked meal. If you choose to share this meal with friends they will love you for it- and guys, this is sure to win you major points with your girl. Trust me, cooking dinner is a much better option than giving your significant other a box of those chalky conversation hearts, I know they say “You’re the one” and other tacky things along those lines but cooking will do a much better job of expressing that sentiment. And if you don’t have a significant other to cook for, making a delicious dinner to share with friends is a much more positive use of your time than eating an entire box of Whitman’s chocolate in an attempt to fight off the Valentine’s Day depression.

So, I did some research and found the Top 10 Most Romantic foods according to Gayot.com. This site provides readers with an honest review on dinning and travel experiences. I especially enjoyed the sites Savings link, which gives you valuable info such as “Best Cheap Eats” and “Best Happy Hours” in your area.  Here are the foods listed…
    -asparagus: boosts histamine production in both sexes to reach orgasm
    -almonds: aroma supposedly arouses female passion
    -avocado: Aztecs associated them with male sexuality, boosts immune system
    -bananas: enhances male libido
    -basil: fragrant herb has a warming effect on the body, promoting circulation
    -chocolate: helps the brain produce the feel-good serotonin hormone
    -eggs: high in B5 and B6, which help balance hormone levels and fight stress
    -figs: sexy in appearance and texture, many cultures associate with fertility
    -foi gras(duck): buttery texture and mythical status puts one in a sexy mood
    -oysters: high in zinc which raises sperm and testosterone production, thereby increasing libido, also a source of dopamine

Now, while I trust Gayot.com had the best of intentions when selecting these as the top 10 most romantic foods, clearly their audience doesn’t consist of mainly college students, so I made some revisions.

Here are the Most Romantic Foods: the college years (think “Boy Meets World” but more realistic- seriously what are the chances Shaun, Topanga, Corey, Eric, that hot Lawrence brother, and Mr. Feeney would all go to college together?)

-wings: a trademark food of the Hangar, licking the sauce off your fingers is sure to arouse male libido
-chicken fingers: who doesn’t feel excited when they see this rare delicacy in the DC?
-Belgian waffles: the smell of the waffles instantly reminds you of lazy Sunday mornings and perhaps the whip cream and strawberries reminds you of last night’s escapades
-Bacon: every meat-eating man and most women LOVE bacon, some would go as far to say they have a close personal bond with it
-burritos: regardless of where you go to get your burrito- blue wall, hatch, hampshire, or if you’re splurging bueno y sano- all those delicious ingredients snuggled inside a warm tortilla has romance written all over it

Okay, we have now established the stark contrast between real life romantic foods and college romantic foods. While this might be perfect for some, there’s always the option of home-co0king a meal, which would best be made up of multiple ingredients from the above lists!

Kelsey Schachter can be reached at [email protected].