Someone once said that if a little pill can affect your body, imagine what an entire meal does to it. There are others who claim certain foods have certain effects that might be desirable on say, Valentine’s Day, for instance. I felt compelled (a duty, if you will) to investigate this matter fully. My significant other felt very strongly that this topic should be explored for all the inquiring minds out there who wonder about aphrodisiacs. In fact, he’s mentioned it several times since… 😉
Aphrodisiacs, in ancient times were divided into a few categories. (I will try to put this delicately.) There were the ones that made men more fertile. There were remedies designed to ensure women were more productive, as well. Of course, there were the foods to put one in the mood to take advantage of all this fertility. (And we wonder how there could be 300 million of us in this country.) We’ll take the “mood” without a side of “fertility”, thanks.
Probably the most famous mood food is the oyster; raw, of course. I like the small Kumamoto with a little mignonette, myself. A mignonette is normally finely chopped shallot, red wine vinegar and a little crushed black peppercorn.
Chocolate is considered by many to be the ultimate aphrodisiac. With it’s silky texture on the tongue and mild caffeine kick, it seems to contain all the elements for love. For a romantic ending to a meal, chocolate fondue can’t be beat. Just measure out some chocolate and scald an equal amount of cream. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until combined, keeping it warm in a fondue pot. One can dip squares of pound cake, sliced banana, cherries, marshmallows and more.
