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[1] Love Potion No. 31 is delicious, even if you’re not after love (photos #1 and #2 © Baskin-Robbins).
[2] Get the fancy red waffle cone with the heart-shaped sprinkles.
[3] You can mix up your own potion, with hibiscus tea, cranberry juice and pomegranate juice, plus mulling spices (photo © Anete Lusina | Pexels).
[4] A very easy love potion: the Cranberry Mimosa, cranberry juice and sparkling wine (photo © Ocean Spray).
[5] Our personal favorite love potion: a bottle of good Champagne. The roses are optional (photo © G. H. Mumm).
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Those who are fond of golden oldies may remember the song Love Potion No. 9 by The Clovers (written by Leiber and Stoller, released in 1959). Here it is.
Alas, it didn’t provide the ingredients. We have some listed below.
But first, while not a real potion
so it doesn’t describe real ingredients. However, in folklore and pop culture, “love potions” often contained herbs, aphrodisiacs, and mystical ingredients.
Baskin-Robbins’ Love Potion No. 31, which debuted 30 years ago (1995) as a monthly special is making an appearance for the month of February.
WHAT’S IN LOVE POTION NO. 31?
White chocolate and tangy raspberry ice creams are swirled into wedded bliss, with chocolate chips and ribbons of raspberry purée.
To take it over the top, Love Potion No. 31 is speckled with tiny raspberry-filled chocolate-flavored hearts.
But wait, there’s more: a fresh-baked pink waffle cone that’s been dipped in chocolate and coated with heart sprinkles.
Named for Baskin-Robbins’ 31 flavors, in this flavor of the month,
> Head to your nearest Baskin-Robbins.
If you fall under the spell of Love Potion No. 31, take home some pints for the freezer…or wait until next February.
Here are two cocktails to serve with it:
Love Potion No. 299 with Champagne and pomegranate.
Love Potion No.1 with Absolut Raspberri and cranberry juice.
WHAT’S IN A “REGULAR” POTION?
A potion is a liquid mixture, often with [purported] magical or medicinal properties, that is typically consumed to achieve a specific effect.
Potions appear in folklore, mythology, fantasy literature, and historical medicine. There are different types of potions, starting with:
Healing potions.
Love potions.
Poisonous potions.
Elixirs and tonics (the basis of homeopathy).
While the song Love Potion No. 9 doesn’t list any ingredients, in folklore “love potions” typically contain herbs, [purported] aphrodisiacs, and mystical ingredients. Some historical love potions:
In Ancient Greece & Rome, love potions (called philtra in Greek) were made with mandrake root, saffron, and honey.
Aphrodisiacs like wine infused with herbs were believed to enhance desire.
The Romans used Spanish fly (dangerous and toxic) in some love elixirs.
In Medieval & Renaissance Europe:
Herbalists created love potions with belladonna, henbane, and vervain.
The Church often banned love potions, associating them with witchcraft.
Some believed that adding a few drops of one’s blood into a lover’s drink would bind their affection.
Note that many so-called “witches” of the past were actually herbalists, healers, and midwives who practiced traditional medicine. In many cultures, they had deep knowledge of plants, natural remedies, and folk magic, which made them both respected and feared.*.
In The Middle East & North Africa, the famed book of folk tales, One Thousand and One Nights, mention magical brews for love and attraction.
Arabic and Persian traditions used saffron, myrrh, and rose water in love tonics.
In China & East Asia, some legends mention love potions made from rare herbs to ensure devotion.
Traditional Chinese medicine included ginseng, cinnamon, and deer antler as aphrodisiacs.
In Africa, various cultures use roots, barks, and animal parts in love charms and potions.
In some regions, shamans or traditional healers create love-binding drinks.
In India, the Kama Sutra mentions herbal preparations to increase attraction.
Ayurveda prescribes ashwagandha, shatavari, and saffron for love and passion.
In the Americas:
Aztecs and Mayas used chocolate, vanilla, and damiana (an herbal that grows on a shrub from Texas down to South America) as love-enhancing ingredients.
Some Native American tribes had rituals involving herbal teas to attract lovers.
As for contemporary America, we’d be happy to start with a bottle of Krug Champagne.
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