Happy Valentine’s Day!
(Angelic statuary suspended in the Lenkin Gardens.)
Even though Valentine’s Day today may be thought of as a Hallmark holiday associated with red roses, heart-shaped chocolates, and winged-cherubs, it has actually been celebrated as a lovers’ holiday since before 492 A.D. From February 13th to February 14th, the Romans celebrated a festival called Lupercalia where lovers would gather and celebrate fertility and the return of spring.
The first recorded association of Valentine’s Day with romantic love was in a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer called Parlement of Foules in 1382. It states:
For this on seynt Volantynys day
When euery bryd comyth there to chese his make
[For this was on Saint Valentines Day,
when every bird cometh there to choose his mate]
In the spirit of St. Valentine, behold our grand table display!
And what Valentine’s day wouldn’t be complete without chocolate! Here’s our Chocolate Turtle cake from MyRecipes.com. Some of the ingredients were difficult to find but the richness of this cake was well worth it!
Happy Valentines Day – i really love those cherubs in your garden! Such a romantic Valentine cutie! xoxo
That cake looks delicious, I will have to try it! Your table looked beautiful as well. Gave me some good ideas…
Wow. What a lovely presentation and that Turtle Cake looks tasty. Thanks for the link to the recipe.