Valentines food hamper

Oooh i like this idea!!

How about a greek buffet style thing. Feta salad, houmous, halloumi (yum!), cous cous, nice bread - that sort of thing??

I'm doing a carpet picnic in my room for valentines too because I currently have six housemates so far too many to be able to get rid of them for the evening and it is too cold for a picnic in the park. I like the idea of dips and have a couple of cans of homous and baba ganoush which I know my boyfriend likes because we got together over chips and dips at a houseparty in October. On a Greek theme I have a recipe somewhere for rolls stuffed with ratatouille and feta cheese. You are suposed to prepare them in advance and wrap tightly in clinfilm and leave in the fridge for at least a couple of hours so the bread absorbs the flavours and it was suggested because of that they would be good for a picnic. You could also skewer chunks of vegetables and halloumi to make kebabs. You would need to grill tham when you were going to eat but you could do the assembly in advance. If you have a camping stove you could grill tham over that while you are having your picnic.

I'm trying to think of foods that are traditionally aphrodisiac because I like the symbolism and I cook for us a lot so I want to make this meal different and special. There's a good fish market in Manchester so I think I'm going to do something sea-foody but not oysters because you have to open them with a sharp knife and I gather it is a tricky job. I don't want the evening to end with a trip to casualty. I think I will do lots of little dishes to make it more picnicy and also because I'm horribly indecisive and this way I don't have to pick between making chocolate mouse with strawberry sauce and dried figs stewed in spiced syrup for pudding!

Love smoked salmon and oatcakes for this - so simple....then of course rasberries and cream for afters - don't forget to get squirty cream - it can be very versatile;)