Recipes › Soups & Salads

Giani Respinto’s oyster soup is made for lovers.

By Jan Walsh

Photography by Beau Gustafson

According to mythology Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, sprang from an oyster shell. And aphrodisiacs are named for her. So if you are cooking for your Valentine, it can’t hurt to include some oysters as an aphrodisiac. Oysters also have a lot of zinc and iron. Zinc deficiencies affect male fertility, and iron deficiency makes one tired. GianMarco’s Giani Respinto does not skimp on the oysters in this sexy dish.

Baby Greens

George Reis tosses homegrown, local organics of Michael Dean Farms.

By Jan Walsh

Photography by Beau Gustafson

Ocean's chef George Reis is an experienced chef with accolades abound. Yet Reis realizes that no amount of culinary knowledge or learned technique can improve the quality of the product being prepared. "I love to buy locally grown produce, not only for the freshness but for the flavor that it adds to all of our salads and entrees," he says.