The Sensual Cook

There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful 
woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves. - Tom Wolfe

The opposite is also true! Women love watching their men preparing delicious breakfasts or dinners.

There is always that secret ingredient lovers add to their concoctions and many meals created with love are only a prelude to something even more sensual and exciting. The very fact that your lover prepared his or hers favorite dish for you is exciting in itself.

Throughout the ages lovers in many cultures used certain foods and spices to enhance their dishes and reach the heart of a lover literally through his or her stomach. Such foods were known as aphrodisiacs. They were believed to have the potential to increase libido, lust and potency, and to improve fertility. They would excite the eater and make him or her more available for romance.

Some of the aphrodisiacs, like oysters, bananas, or avocados, were used because they resembled human sexual organs. Others, like black pepper or hot chili peppers, helped increase the blood circulation.

Modern research shows that some foods contain nutrients and substances such as essential fatty acids, magnesium, zinc, vitamins A, C, B complex, and E, or citrulline, L-arginine, that can indeed improve libido and balance sexual hormones.

Foods that are regarded as aphrodisiacs:

• oysters
• caviar
• eggs
• asparagus
• avocado
• arugula
• Perigord truffles
• dark chocolate
• almonds and nuts
• ginger
• nutmeg
• cloves
• maca 
• chili peppers
• real vanilla bean
• watermelon
• pomegranate
• figs
• bananas
• raspberries
• strawberries 

There is much to choose from. You can easily create a five course menu to celebrate love. Remember that texture, color, scent, presentation, are the important elements of any dish, but even more so if the dish is supposed to be sensual.

Also remember that ambience is just as important as the meal you are serving. Candlelight, music, and red roses are perfect to create romantic mood. A little wine or champagne can help break the ice, but keep in mind that too much alcohol may have an opposite effect and numb your senses.

~ Wishing everyone a spectacular and incredibly sensual St. Valentine's Day! ~

Dominique Teng

Dominique Teng©2018

*Information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or cure a disease.