… is through his stomach, or so they say. Anatomically, that seems rather suspect; but I would have to agree that food – especially when cooked by one lover for the other – has vast potential to create a romantic ambiance.

But it has to be the right food. You need a food that is sensual to eat and that doesn’t sit heavily in the stomach. Of course we know the common aphrodisiacs – chocolate, caviar, wine, champagne, strawberries, truffles, oysters – but did you know that scientists have found that banana and vanilla get you in the mood? So a banana split may be the ideal dessert for a romantic meal.

Often, I think the best recipe for romantic food is just that – food cooked from a recipe. Not only does your partner enjoy the food itself, but he appreciates the effort that you have gone to in lovingly creating the meal.

I love recipes. I love to read them through and imagine how I’ll enjoy the food. There’s a sense of mystery and anticipation: The instructions are there, ready to follow, but you never quite know what you’ll end up with. There’s hard work, there’s creative input and in my kitchen there’s usually adventure and rule-breaking – and then there’s a final, delicious dish to taste and savour.

Did you know that the oldest recipe book dates back 600 years? Written by chefs if King Richard II, the book contains recipes for such delights as chicken blancmange and porpoise porridge (perhaps these were the ancestors of Heston Blumenthal?). I prefer a more modern approach to cookery myself. Though I do rather like the idea of Blumenthal’s Exploding  Chocolate Gateau recipe – a delicious chocolate pud that quite literally explodes in the mouth. If you’d like to give the recipe a try, head to the Channel 4 Food website. But don’t tell your partner in advance the secret of the gateau – just watch his face as he takes his first bite! That’s one dessert that’s bound to create fireworks between you both.