After all, caviar, oysters, and chocolate -- which are typically thought to be aphrodisiacs -- won't do you or your Valentine any good if they're paired with the wrong beverage and the two clash horribly!

Instead, you'll want to create magical combinations of food and drink where -- as we write in WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT -- "1+1=3," and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Want the best possible chance of inspiring a peak experience in a loved one tonight?  Consider tickling their tongues with one of the following pairings, which are based on traditional aphrodisiacs:

- Almond:  This historical symbol of fertility that has been thought to enhance female arousal can be even more potent when paired with a dry sherry, such as a fino or manzanilla.

- Asparagus:  Asparagus can be a wine killer -- and there's nothing sexy about that!  You'll want to avoid tannic wines (e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon) and oaked wines (e.g. Chardonnay).  But with a dry Sauvignon Blanc, especially from New Zealand, the pairing can be ethereal.

- Avocados:  As aphrodisiacs, avocados are prized for their shape as well as their creamy texture.  They're taken to a whole new level when matched with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, or even a Chablis.

- Bananas:  Bananas can be even more magical when paired with a beverage such as Malmsey Madeira, tawny port, or rum.

- Chocolate:  It's likely to kill the mood for even die-hard chocoholics if they're served a mismatched pairing such as chocolate with Sauvignon Blanc.  But match chocolate with the French sweet red wine Banyuls, tawny port, or PX sherry for a virtually foolproof peak experience.

- Figs:  There are few things more sensual than a fresh, ripe fig  -- with the exception of the pairing of a fresh, ripe fig with a glass of tawny port!

- Ginger:  If you're spicing things up for your Valentine with ginger, prolong their pleasure by pairing a savory ginger dish with Gewurztraminer or Riesling, or a sweet ginger dessert with Muscat Beaumes-de-Venise.

- Oysters:  Eating fresh, raw oysters right from the shell -- which are historically said to enhance men's "endurance" -- can be a very sensual experience.  So why kill the mood with a glass of red wine?  The perfect match for oysters is a glass of dry French Chablis or Muscadet.

- Pineapple:  Juicy pineapple -- which tradition prizes as an "invigorating" fruit -- is even juicier when accompanied by a glass of sweet Muscat or Late Harvest Riesling.

- Strawberries:  The pairing of strawberries with Champagne is a Valentine's Day classic for a reason -- but you can enhance your pleasure by ensuring that the Champagne that accompanies the berries you're feeding your date is slightly sweet and/or rose in color.

OUR FEBRUARY BLOG: Tonight, we're hoping to create our own pairing magic with a chilled bottle of ice cider (which is ice wine made from apples) and a selection of artisanal cheeses. Want to know which pairings rate best? Check out our Blog tomorrow and find out!

Or, you can check out our Blog right now to read more about:

- Our encounter with the stars of "Red Hot Ballroom" last night at the University Club in Manhattan;

- Our dinner Saturday night at four-star Le Bernardin;

- Which book Google.com's executive chef Scott Giambastiani cites as "the best reference book I've used" in the March 2007 issue of Prevention magazine in an article on "kitchen must-haves";

- Vegetable carving, and a beautiful new cookbook, at Shun Lee Palace;

- Our new favorite fast food restaurant (and no, that's not an oxymoron!);

- Our lunch at chef Jose Andres' extraordinary Washington, DC, restaurant Zaytinya;

- Our night at DC's historic Willard Hotel, and how the term "lobbyist" was coined there;

- and more! Just click through to www.becomingachef.com/blog.dwt.php.

JOIN US IN CONNECTICUT ON FEB. 22nd: If you're in or around Connecticut, and interested in tasting some fabulous food and drink pairings with us a week from tomorrow -- Thursday, February 22nd -- we hope you'll join us for dinner at Metro Bis in Simsbury, Connecticut. Chef-owner Christopher Prosperi -- who's been described as having "enough energy and talent to light up the sky" by Connecticut magazine -- has something very special planned; check out details at www.metrobis.com.

PASSING THROUGH THE GOLDEN ARCHES: Last week, America Online featured a list and photo gallery of 10 of "McDonald's Most Famous Former Employees" -- and we thought you'd get a kick out of seeing who was included:

"McDonald's Most Famous Former Employees...The first McDonald's franchise opened in Des Plaines, Ill. in April 1955. Over 50 years later, there are more than 30,000 restaurants in 119 countries serving 47 million people daily. By some estimates, up to 10 percent of the American work force first worked at McDonald's. Check out Mickey D's most famous alumni in the following photo gallery: Shania Twain, Sharon Stone, former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Jay Leno, Pink, Amazon.com's Jeff Bezos, Olympic athlete Carl Lewis, Macy Gray, Rachel McAdams, and Andrew Dornenburg.

"Chef and James Beard Award-winning author of culinary books, including THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF, worked at McDonald's in the mid-1970's. He notes: 'Having my first job at McDonald's definitely taught me how to get organized in the kitchen, and to work fast and as part of a team. It taught me the importance of a clean kitchen and good work habits.'"