RPCV Marilyn Bruner says after her Peace Corps days in Paraguay, South America, Valentine's Day seems a bit silly
Vanilla Valentine
By Marilyn Bruner, mbruner@nashvillecitypaper.com
February 09, 2004
Caption: The vanilla plant is native to Latin America and is thought to awaken love vibes.
Before Marylin Bruner joined The City Paper as a news reporter, she served in the Peace Corps in Paraguay. Every Monday she'll share herbal and medicinal tips she gathered from her experience.
Saturday is a day of love, right? You've got your Valentine Day chocolates and your night planned for a romantic dinner with candles and maybe a movie.
After my Peace Corps days in Paraguay, South America, Valentine's Day seems a bit silly.
In my rural community, every girl is expected to marry and have children to help with the family farm. The love connection is thought about every day for poor families with marriageable offspring.
Throughout Latin America, a heavy importance is placed on the traditional family. Finding a mate and pleasing your mate is a must in these mostly male dominated cultures.
It's a competitive race in Paraguay due to a war in the 1930s that destroyed most of the male population. After this males were revered. They were encouraged to impregnate many women to bring back the population.
The tradition continues: It's acceptable for a young male to date several females, and not for her to do likewise. She must compete with her female counterparts and friends to secure relationships.
To win the boy battle girls pray to Saint Anthony and try other aphrodisiac secret weapons. One of the most common and easiest methods is the use of vanilla.
Vanilla, not only sweetens liquor and coffee, but also is thought to awaken love vibes. Generally four to six stems of the vanilla plant, which is native to Latin America, are added to two cups of tequila or liquor in a glass bottle. The glass bottle is than let to rest for 10 days before drinking.
This does make sense, since our smelling senses are 10,000 more times sensitive than any other sensory organ in our body. Therefore a key to a man's heart may not be through his stomach, but through his nose smelling cups of vanilla liquor or coffee.
An easy tip for a late-night pick-me-up is to add drops of vanilla extract into a regular cup of coffee. Add sugar and nutmeg to give extra kicks. You can also try the vanilla extract drops in liquor or tequila.
If you are more into teas, jasmine and lavender are toted as having aphrodisiac properties.
This Valentine's Day, instead of chocolate, go for a love remedy.
