Romancing The Glass: Five Valentine’s Day Drinking Traditions
The season of love, friendship and romance is upon us, and come Valentine’s Day, there are a ton of practices and little rituals we follow to mark the day that celebrates these beautiful feelings. Every year, Valentine’s Day arrives complete with red and pink hues symbolising all things amorous and couples give each other small presents and trinkets to either reiterate or reveal their feelings for the other. Among several of these traditions like handing out heart-shaped chocolates and delivering handwritten notes are also other rituals like sharing a delicious drink or toasting to lasting love or friendship on an inviting Valentine’s evening.
And while these traditions are hardly prescribed or codified, over time, they have come to be associated with this special day. One such ritual is that of presenting Valentine’s Day greeting cards to your loved ones, that are done up in vibrant colours, florals and hearts. Traditions also abound around curating menus consisting of sensuous foods like oysters, couscous and chocolate covered strawberries which act as brilliant aphrodisiacs. So goes the way with drinks too such that numerous rituals have sprung up over the years that you can follow to celebrate this special day with your special someone.
Read on below to know more about such drinking rituals that would make your Valentine’s Day stand out:
Romantic Cocktails
The ritual of crafting Valentine’s Day-themed cocktails might appear to be a new one but it has quickly become a sought after tradition. Tons of ingredients like rose syrup, elderflower liqueur, cranberry juice and raspberry have been incorporated into cocktails which have rum or vodka as their base spirits to make inspired concoctions that seduce and please your taste buds. Crafting cocktails at your bar for an intimate meal is the perfect way to mark a romantic Valentine’s dinner in the comfort of your home.
Galentine’s Day
Celebrating Valentine’s Day with a romantic date can just be too much pressure! Instead, a lovely way to mark the occasion is to go out with your girlfriends and enjoy an indulgent dinner full of delicious foods and lots of fruity cocktails. Galentine’s Day is an up and coming tradition with all the fun of delectable wines and conversation which is enough to put a big smile on your face, date or no date. So, in a culture of conscious celebrations, many are choosing to embrace the tradition of going out with friends and enjoying a spirited time with an intimate group.
Champagne Toast
Toasting to celebrate any momentous occasion is a tradition as old as time and Valentine’s Day is no different. Many couples celebrating in a conventional way choose to throw a bash on this day and mark the romantic evening with a champagne toast. The sparkling, bubbly drink is perhaps the most traditional route to go when it comes to setting the mood for a celebration. You can start your evening with a champagne toast before moving to signature cocktails to mark a Valentine’s Day affair.
Chocolate And Wine
One of the most traditional and favourite pairings, chocolate and wine is a combination that never ceases to be appealing. At an intimate dinner, having a spread of delectable wines for a private tasting coupled with an array of chocolates that would pair well with the grapes would indeed be the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. You can also come up with chocolatey desserts like eclairs, ganache and an old fashioned chocolate cream pie accompanied by luxe dessert wines which would make your Valentine’s experience incredibly indulgent.
Warm Drinks
In regions which experience lasting, frosty winters, the tradition of having comfy warm drinks as soothers on this romantic day is rather ideal. Couples can curl up on sofas, covered in blankets and sip on hot toddies, mulled wine and rum infused chocolate milk to revel in the love and joy this day brings. Warm drinks are indeed the most pleasing way to beat winters and cosy up with your loved ones.
