Hungry For Love Aphrodisiacs Will Help You Create Right Valentine’s Mood

Whoever said the quickest way to a person’s heart was through their stomach was surely talking about aphrodisiacs.

The ancient practice of using food as a means of seduction dates back to nearly the beginning of time. (Who can forget Eve tempting Adam with an apple?)

Most people would agree that food is a sensual experience, especially when it’s served in a romantic setting. After all, what do most couples do to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Go out to dinner.

But aphrodisiacs have special powers to stir desire and to increase virility. Or, at least that’s what people have long believed.

There isn’t a huge body of evidence to support the physiological changes that are supposed to take place after eating aphrodisiacs. (Research money is no doubt being better spent on finding cures for cancer and the common cold.)

Martha Hopkins, one of the authors of a beautiful new cookbook on aphrodisiacs, said the potency of foods such as oysters and artichokes has a lot to do with the power of suggestion.

“It doesn’t really have to do with science. It has to do with your mind. If lovers believe it works, then it obviously works,” Hopkins said in a phone interview from San Francisco. She and co-author Randall Lockridge were on a national tour to promote their new book, “InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook” (Terrace Publishing).

With seductive shots of models covered in all sorts of aphrodisiacs - from an asparagus skirt to a corset fashioned from pine nuts - “InterCourses” will certainly stand out on the bookshelves next to typically staid collections of recipes.

Many of the aphrodisiacs included in “InterCourses” are lifted right out of the history books. For instance, ancient Greeks and Romans thought that foods resembling certain body parts would generate some heat in the corresponding regions.

That’s how phallic foods such as asparagus, celery, leeks and bananas came to be considered aphrodisiacs.

During the salad days of the Roman Empire, it was common for those looking to improve their love life to dine on the sex organs of animals. (If that sounds positively barbaric, consider Rocky Mountain oysters; the deep-fried calf testicles are considered delicacies by many.)

All of the aphrodisiacs explored in “InterCourses” are much more palatable, though, starting with chocolate and ending with honey.

Honey, it has been said, was prescribed for sexual vigor by Hippocrates back in the fifth century B.C. Other sticky-sweet lore has it that Attila the Hun drank himself to death with honey on his honeymoon.

And chocolate, many will be delighted to learn, has scientific backing for its status as an aphrodisiac.

“In addition to the jolt of caffeine served up in a piece of chocolate, this savory candy also contains phenylethylamine, the very same molecule that courses through the veins of someone who is in love,” Hopkins wrote.

Other foods believed to ignite the flames of passion include avocados, pine nuts, grapes, figs, pears, chili peppers and coffee.

Coffee? Doesn’t that mean most people wouldn’t be able to concentrate on work while they’re sitting at their desk sipping a cup of joe?

“You have to put it in the right context,” Hopkins said. “If you drink it with a luscious dessert and your favorite liqueur in front of the fire, it’s going to make you feel warm and cuddly.”

Of course, these days, meeting for coffee has become the quintessential first date.

“It’s a safe and inviting way to set up social intercourse, but it can also be very exciting, very racy,” Hopkins said.

Little-known aphrodisiacs include grits - the authors are from Texas - as well as strawberries, walnuts, pistachios, pomegranate seeds, anchovies and edible flowers.

On Johan’s Guide to Aphrodisiacs, an Internet site dedicated to the foods of desire (www.santesson.com), there’s a list of herbs and seasonings designed to spice up your love life.

Among the herbs believed to generate heat are basil, rosemary and fenugreek. Spices that pack some sizzle include cardamom, ginger, nutmeg and pepper.

More important than picking sexually charged foods to tantalize your partner, though, is simply the effort involved in making that special romantic meal.

“When you take that time to make something for someone, that says so much, even if it’s something simple like dessert,” Hopkins said. “It shows that you care.”

All the recipes in “InterCourses” were home-tested by couples around the country, and many of their amusing comments are included in the book.

An asparagus frittata prompted one participant to report: “The meal seemed to energize my lower chakras, stirring their depths to rise up with impelling, creative force.”

What you won’t find in “InterCourses” is any reference to Spanish fly, a preparation of powdered blister beetles long considered the ultimate turn-on.

“It works by causing a burning sensation. You feel like you’re having a bladder infection,” Hopkins said. “Nobody needs to do that and, besides, it’s illegal.”

So, you’ve prepared the perfect feast for your love fest. But somehow, it seems unlikely that the two of you will want fall into bed on a full stomach.

“A lot of these dishes are light and full of things that are good for you,” Hopkins said. “And, besides, what better way to work off those calories?”

The following recipes from “InterCourses” promise to excite all the senses. Needless to say, most of them serve just two.

Black Bean Salsa

These plump, velvety legumes are said to stimulate fertility.

1 ripe mango, peeled and diced

1/4 red bell pepper, diced

1/4 green bell pepper, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

1/2 cup canned black beans

1/3 cup pineapple juice

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 tablespoon minced green chili pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients, except salt and pepper, in a bowl and season to taste. Chill, covered, for up to 5 days. Serve as a snack with tortilla chips, or better yet, fried plantain rounds.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Avocado Fettuccine

In Aztec culture, avocados were considered such a powerful aphrodisiac that young maidens had to stay inside while the fruit was being harvested.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped basil

2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon chopped green onions

2 tablespoons diced green pepper

1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons minced cilantro

1 small avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

3/4 pound fettuccine

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

Combine the olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, vinegar, lime juice, green onions, green pepper, walnuts, cilantro and half the avocado in a large bowl. Toss well.

Cook the fettuccine according to package directions. Toss with the avocado mixture while still hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the mixture on a serving platter. Top with crumbled bacon and remaining avocado.

Honey-Drenched Figs

The book warns that these are so potent, only experienced lovers should try them.

8 figs

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

Grill the figs over a low heat until heated through, turning occasionally. Warm the honey. Place the figs on individual serving plates, drizzle with enough honey to lightly coat figs, and top with pecans.

Black Russian Cake

This is a fairly basic cake that tastes even better the second day, after the liqueur has soaked in.

Cake:

1 package dark chocolate cake mix

1 cup vegetable oil

1 (3-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding

4 eggs

3/4 cup strong coffee

1/2 cup creme de cacao

1/4 cup Kahlua

Topping:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons strong coffee

2 tablespoons Kahlua

2 tablespoons creme de cacao

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake ingredients in a large bowl; beat for 4 minutes until quite smooth. Pour into a greased 10-inch tube pan until three-fourths full (save any remaining batter for cupcakes).

Bake 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the pan and invert onto serving plate. Punch holes throughout the cake with a skewer or ice pick.

Combine topping ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and spoon over the warm cake.

Yield: 12 servings.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo Staff illustration by Molly Quinn