#Iced shortbread cookie recipe series

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote in 1382 in his Parliamant of Foules, a poem for the engagement of King Richard II of England (for whom a cookbook was written too!): Although…14 martyrs named Valentine are known.īut when did it move towards the Valentine’s Day as we know it, with all its paper cards and sweets? It wasn’t until writers like Chaucer and Shakespeare wrote romantically about Valentine’s Day that paper cards became a token of love. The day was probably named after a martyr named Valentine, bishop of Terni (Italy). In Late Antiquity, when the Roman church wanted to baptize all the Pagans into Christianity, they duped Lupercalia into Valentine’s Day. Couples were put together by the men drafting a woman’s name, which made her his for the whole of Lupercalia. It was a fertility feast where people, quite literally, hit on each other. Back in roman times, the Lupercalia festival was held from 13 until 15 February.

It has not always been as rose-coloured as today. We are expected to smother them in red roses, gifts and sweet treats. Valentine’s Day is the day on which we express our love for our loved ones, especially our significant others.

Lorin is writing a blog series about the food history of England. She also took the pictures for this blog. This article was written by Lorin Posthumus, volunteer at eet!verleden. Only this time, we are going to add decoration so you can surprise your loved ones or treat yourself and have fun baking in these strange times. Since today’s modern Valentine’s Day’s romantic appeal started with writers like Shakespeare, who was born in the 16th century, we once again highlight the cookie in our blog. In an earlier blog we wrote about the history of Scottish shortbread: a delicious cookie, favoured by Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, in the 16th century.

#Iced shortbread cookie recipe series