Pizza: The Modern Day Cupid?

(CNW) What's the best way to get in the mood for love on Valentine's Day? Candlelight dinners and soft music might be the answer for some, but don't underestimate the power of pizza in stirring the passions within.

Many of the toppings and sauces on a pizza are known to have aphrodisiac properties that stimulate the senses and kindle amorous sparks. Mushrooms, red peppers, green chilies, onions and tomatoes are among the more common aphrodisiacal ingredients found on a pizza, and even cheese is reputed to be among the foods that provide a romantic rush.

In a 2007 survey conducted by the communications company Telecom Italia, 21% of Italian women participating in the poll listed cheese as their favourite aphrodisiac, ranking it second to salami. And the famous lover, Casanova, once remarked cheese and red wine had aphrodisiacal properties that "can restore an old love and ripen a new one."

Ginger, a free topping at Pizza Pizza, is known for its ability to increase blood circulation, as is basil, which for centuries has been linked to love and attraction and is a base ingredient in the new classic tomato sauce. The honey found in honey garlic and honey mustard sauce has a similar reputation - it is known as the nectar of the Greek goddess Aphrodite and many consider honey - the root of the word honeymoon - to be one of the most seductive foods available worldwide.

Chili peppers, meanwhile, are a love potion in their own right, since heat from the peppers releases endorphins, the primary pleasure enzyme. And tomatoes, an ingredient found in sauces, toppings and nearly all pizzas, have long been regarded as the "pomme d'amour," "Pomo d'Oro" and other terms of endearment signifying their status as the "fruit of love".

While the notion of the humble pizza being a modern-day cupid may not have struck many people, pizza's Valentine's Day popularity appears to be growing.

"Our in-store sales and deliveries are very brisk on Valentine's Day," said Pat Finelli, Chief Marketing Officer for Pizza Pizza, the industry leader in Canada for slices sold and pizza deliveries. "People are more interested in sharing a bottle of wine over a dinner of gourmet pizza, salad and shrimp, delivered to their home for a more intimate setting than a crowded restaurant with a fixed menu."