Currently being spontaneous is 1 of the least difficult ways to spice up you intercourse life. It is one of the sex suggestions with which you can by no means go mistaken, particularly as significantly as postpartum sexual intercourse is involved. You will uncover that following providing start, bedtime will not often be the ideal time for sexual intercourse. This is so particularly presented the truth that at the conclude of the day, you could be way too exhausted to be in the temper for intercourse. With the infant about, it might also be awkward to have sex in your bedroom at night. Currently being spontaneous will not only make certain that you have sex when you are at your very best, but it will also assist to make your intercourse lifestyle far more thrilling.

Conversing about your fears is yet another way to boost postpartum intercourse. This is so since most females are generally anxious about the influence that intercourse will have on their stitches, the fix of an episiotomy or whether or not the impression of one’s spouse has transformed about them having noticed them give birth. Speaking about what concerns you might have will provide not only to make your spouse comprehend you much better, but it will also provide to allay some of your fears as most of them could be unfounded.

Pain in the course of sexually intercourse is one particular of the major problems that couples who attempt to have intercourse after pregnancy usually encounter. To steer clear of this, partners are usually recommended to have extended foreplay. This is so as to make certain that the woman’s vagina is moist enough to avert a good deal of friction. The place a female is just incapable of receiving “wet” adequate, it is generally a good idea for the couple to use artificial lubricants.

Parenthood is generally demanding. It is hence typically highly recommended for partners to deliberately strategy for some time on your own: absent from the youngsters. Even if it is just to cuddle with your husband or wife, some time alone will aid to enhance the sexual knowledge in your marriage or connection.

Unique fruit like the pomegranate, guava, and pineapple can truly get the party began. But let’s not neglect the grape! Grapes and cheese have been the adamandeve centerpiece of several passionate scenes and women merely adore to be wined and dined. So split out the pink wine, the cheese, grapes, and unique fruit simply because there is a stability that is achieved on a chemical level that can only reward the two functions.

Of course we can’t leave out sea food – Oysters are one adamandeve coupon code of the most nutritionally properly well balanced of foods as nicely as currently being the variety one recommended aphrodisiac

The avocado is most definitely quite essential due to the fact of the antioxidant homes it has, not to point out its high mineral articles. Here’s some meals for thought, the avocado has a quite interesting title in certain countries and was at first named the testicle.

The avocado trees are in flip referred to as testicle trees! And considering that we are currently on the matter of edible aphrodisiacs, why not mention very good old chocolate.

And who doesn’t like chocolate? aphrodisiac for men Many adult merchants promote edible chocolate in the form of a content comparable to latex. They also market chocolate candies for a passionate night, gels and a lot of other edible lubricants. Perfect as it is, dark chocolate is not as sweet but is significantly considerably less fattening than milk chocolate so view that 6 pack! Serotonin becoming unveiled in the brain when a single enjoys chocolate results in a moment of bliss so really don’t allow her waste a drop! Following all, it is all all-natural, and naturally good!

King Henry IV of France, famous for romance, has been consuming every morning shot of brandy with the diluted egg aphrodisiac for women yolk in it. The alkaloids derived from plants of horny goat weed and tongkat ali have also actual aphrodisiacal influence simply because they immediate affect on erection and ejaculation nerve centers. As Kamasutra claims: “The actions to initiate sexual enhancement need to be soft, natural, effectively-coordinated and utilised with caution in buy to obtain the said aim.” That’s why one particular of the options may well be nicely well balanced all-natural organic improvement nutritional supplements.

Allies of Enthusiasm

“Foodstuff has two important senses of sexuality – feeling of odor and flavor. It presents a sense of fulfillment. But the only accurate aphrodisiac – the creativity,” – suggests the College of Italian literature professor Falko Portinari. At times it might be accompanied by only all-natural herbal improvement health supplements. A intimate evening meal can be an ally of enthusiasm, but… Much more ladies than guys sees the url in between meals and sexual intercourse. A single girl in adamandeve coupon code four thinks that a guy can be sexually seduced not only by sexy dress but also by a passionate supper. As a result an aphrodisiac could be anything at all that is able of stimulating the human creativity. Greatest sexual enthusiasm impact may be arrived at while combining romantic meal and natural improvement dietary supplements at the identical time.

There are foodstuff to preserve a single energetic, to continue to be healthier and to get nutrients. But have you at any time wondered what increase libido foods help you get pregnant? There are food items that provide that purpose. Such meals are acknowledged as ‘aphrodisiacs’.

The phrase ‘aphrodisiac’ has been derived from the name of the Greek god of sensuality and adore, Aphrodite. What just do these aphrodisiacs do? They induce the Aphrodite within us!! Seems unusual? Nicely I intended to say that aphrodisiacs are foodstuff that induce eroticism between men and women. The position of aphrodisiacs is phenomenal in youngster start and the sexual intercourse lifestyle of a man or woman. And reading through this report would for confident support you get an notion about what meals support you get pregnant.

Getting in detail about this subject matter, we can see that there is a huge variety of aphrodisiacs in the entire world. They vary from nuts to fruits to vegetables and herbs. The impact of aphrodisiacs in the sexual functionality of folks has not been confirmed with concrete proof as much as Western medication is anxious. But standard medicinal techniques like the Chinese medication and Ayurveda feel that certain fruits and greens have the potential to make men and women erotic.

One of the theories that explain the operating of aphrodisiacs suggests that it is the form of the veggies that allows this. Examine it out for by yourself and you would find that most of the aphrodisiac meals have a powerful resemblance to possibly of the sexual intercourse organs of the human human body. Bananas, asparagus, radish and Moringa oleifera, which is generally identified as drumstick are regarded to be aphrodisiacs (Do you get the link?).

Mr. Metrosexual (Photo credit: leezie5)

I for one met a lady in her 60′s and she is wearing Fierce by Abercrombie. It smelled great on her. The reason why she is wearing it? Really, there is no need for justification, but during her trip to Paris, she followed this scent and found out it was A & F’s men’s fragrance. And because we live in a more accepting world now, she wears the fragrance with nonchalance. I have a recent penchant for Jo Malone’s male scent Oud and Bergamot. It has a very subtle, woody yet distinct smell and I love it. I always get compliments every time I wear it and people ask me what perfume it is. “Some examples of scent cross-dressers are Gucci Guilty Intense Pour Homme (orange flower), RL Polo Double black (bright mango), Paco Rabanne’s 1 Million (rose), Burberry Brit and Le Labo’s Rose 31.” (www.elle.com)

I think it is amazing that people are more open minded now to try new things and are not afraid to experiment or care what other people say. Would u dare to cross-dress?

Related articles

• Something for Him & for Her (beckybirdsblog.wordpress.com)
• What do men smell like? Niche fragrances, actually (theglobeandmail.com)

            With romantic notions of Valentine’s Day filling the air, this seems a pertinent topic.  Although, rarely discussed sexual health is as important and integral to your well-being as diet and exercise. Many herbs can support virility by easing stress, balancing hormones, and increasing circulation, and stamina. Legend says Aphrodite, the Goddess of Seduction, arose from the sea carrying with her herbs and plants. It’s not a stretch of the imagination to conclude that myth and folklore combined here to offer people the lasting knowledge of Aphrodisiac herbal medicines. In our culture, it is assumed that our romantic life will unavoidable wane until it becomes non-existent. For all of our supposed ‘openness,’ the topic of sexual health is left unaddressed and taboo.  This fosters confusion and a gapping lack of knowledge.  You and your partner’s sexual and reproductive well-being can be an indicator of other major health effecting factors.  Traditions far more conservative than our own have observed and addressed this topic.   Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches the connection between Qi, or life force energy, and reproductivity.  Qi promoting tonics, such as Ginseng Root, are revered for their ability to aid with virility.  Ayurveda recognizes the value of ‘rejuvenation’ and it’s approach is to revitalize the whole body, restoring energy and ‘juiciness’ to all organs, tissues, skin, hair, and joints.  Ayurveda perceives reproductive health and virility as not only the ability to produce new life and bare children, but also the body’s basic capacity to renew and restore one’s own life force.

APHRODISIAC HERBS

            As you examine these herbs you may notice that they each fall into or overlap in their active properties and actions.   These can loosely be noted as 1. Sweet- We all love sweet and the sweet flavor not only gives us pleasure, it indicates building, moistening, potent sources of energy like honey. 2. Tonics- tonics restore and revitalize energy & stamina. 3. Relaxants- Relaxation of body and mind are essential for better health.  4. Hormone Balancers- Bringing hormones back into balance can have a profound effect on all aspects of life. 5. Cardio Tonics- Good cardio health and proper circulation are key for sexual and reproductive performance.

Chocolate  Theobroma cacao             It is important to steer away from the processed, refined stuff and use raw Cacao nibs when possible. Cacao contains high levels of magnesium, which aids the heart, and supports brain function.  It also relaxes smooth muscles, which helps with cramping of all kinds, including menstrual cramps.  We have all heard that Cacao is a Super Food, high in antioxidants, but did you know that it contains almost 2 times the antioxidants found in red wine, and 3 times that of green tea! Cacao also contains the ‘love chemical’ phenylethylamine or PEA.  PEA stimulates feeling of attraction and euphoria.

 Aphrodite’s Cacao Bars

2/3 cup cacao nibs ground into powder

¼ cup agave, honey or maple syrup

2 Tablespoons cocoa butter or coconut oil

2 Tablespoons Lycii berry chopped

3 Teaspoons herb powder blend of choice- For our Aphrodisiac purposes I added Cinnamon, Cardamom, Ashwaganda Root, Passionflower, and Licorice Root

½ tsp vanilla extract

Melt Cacao, sweetener of choice & Coconut Oil in double boiler.  Add powdered herbs and vanilla. Spread onto a lined pan. Sprinkle Rose Petals on top.  Refrigerate and cut.  (This recipe was inspired by All Things Herbal)

Passionflower    Passiflora incarnate             Passionflower is a relaxing nervine that can be employed to ease tension, aid in insomnia, and combat stress.  Stress is not just a mood killer; it’s detrimental to your immune system and may aggravate sleep patterns, digestion, fatigue, and irritability.  A Passionflower tea may just be the remedy to these barriers.

Shatavari Root  Asparagus racemosus  “Hundred Husbands”       Shatavari is the main sexual rejuvenating tonic for woman in Ayurveda.  It is purported to build and balance the reproductive hormones and organs.  It has been used in a wide variety of menstrual issues, pms, cramps, and to increase fertility, and milk flow. It has phytoestrogenic effects that support hormone levels after hysterectomies and during menopause, hot flashes, and mood swings.  Shatavari Root is believed to substantially lower the effects of stress on the mind and body, while nourishing and cleansing the Blood. It moistens dry, inflamed membranes of the Kidney, Lung, and sexual organs. To aid in relaxing joint pain and spasms, steep the powdered herb in sesame oil and massage into sore, stiff joints and muscles.   This panacea for woman’s health is supposed to foster feelings of deep inspiration, spiritual compassion, love and devotion.

Rose  Rosa spp.            As woman, we may hope our secret admirer adorns us with affection and the classic dozen roses.  Did you know that roses are indeed an aromatic aphrodisiac?  We are talking about the rose petals for this purpose instead of the rosehips.  Rose positively affects the blood, nerves, reproductive system, while enhancing moods.  It is added to woman’s formulas for its astringent, cooling, anti-inflammatory properties to tone tissues, squelch irritation, and aid with prolapses. This combines well with Shatavari Root. The scent of love and devotion, Rose essential oil and Rose hydrosol are also alluring and affective in cosmetics, diffusers, and incense.  Be sure to use wild roses and not the hybrid ornamentals from the flower shops or garden centers.  An afternoon wild crafting roses is a romantic outdoor adventure in and of itself.

Licorice Root  Glycyrrhiza glabra              This sweet tonic is a great rejuvenating, harmonizing herb that promotes libido for both men and women. It is said to increase estrogen availability in woman, but is not a phytoestrogen.  Licorice contains constituents the closely resemble adrenal hormones.  This may account for its adrenal supportive actions, making it valuable for those experiencing burn out, fatigue, and adrenal insufficiency.  Licorice Root is soothing and anti-inflammatory and has positive affects on immunity.

Garlic Bulb     Alluim sativa            This everyday herb is considered a generalized stamina enhancer and is believed in Ayurveda to significantly increase libido. Garlic is a go-to for immune building, but also for strengthening the cardiovascular health.  Studies show Garlic helps lower blood pressure and rebuild and repair cardio damage.

Cinnamon Bark    C. zeylanicum  ‘True Cinnamon’           Cinnamon is a warming, stimulating spice that increases circulation all over.  It is said to relax muscle spasms and most recently has shown promising effects on high blood sugar and diabetes.  Cinnamon essential oil is especially effective in stimulating the interest of men.

Ashwaganda Root  Withania somnifera  “Horse Sweat” “ Winter Cherry”

It is argued that this Ayurvedic herb was also referred to as ‘horse herb’ because it lent one to be virile like a stud!  Ashwaganda boost sexual stamina for both men and woman.  As a tonifying adaptogen, it has been shown to reduce the effects of stress on the brain by 80%, increase memory, balance sleep cycles, and aid mood disorders.  It supports the cardiovascular system, enhances immunity and is used in arthritic complaints.  Specific to those who are cold natured, have Kidney/Adrenal weakness, fatigue and lower back pain and leg weakness.

Men’s Rejuvenating Tonics –  Research has concluded that 1 in 4 men in the US will experience some form of impotence or erectile dysfunction by the age of 50yrs.  There are a many factors that can affect male virility. A healthy lifestyle is the greatest male tonic.  Poor diet, lack of exercise, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and circulation disorders, thyroid conditions, nerve damage, alcoholism, and smoking will all have a negative impact.

Ginseng    Panax ginseng-            Ginseng is revered as a tonic for older men.  It even looks like a little man!  Ginseng is not for everyone and although invaluable when used properly it must be chosen with caution.  Siberian Ginseng is better tolerated to a wider spectrum of people.  It included some expanded info on Ginseng from our Herbal Tonics to give you a better feel for this remedy.   This is true Ginseng (ren shen) and is considered a panacea or healing, thus panax.  It’s a Qi tonic, demulcent, stimulant, and can assist with lung deficiency, weakness & convalescence.  Many people erroneously consume ‘energy drinks’ loaded with Ginseng extract, caffeine, amino acids, and sugars.  Just like any herbal medicine there are appropriate indicators for when Ginseng is the right remedy, such as deficiency diseases.  Conditions of excess with Heat, tendencies for nervousness, insomnia, or feelings of being overwhelmed and depleted  are clues that Panax are not the herb for you. Contradictions- insomnia, hypertension, headaches, migraines, inflammation, nervousness, spasms.  Indications- true deficiencies: low energy, tiredness, pale complexion shortness of breath, profuse sweating, weak pulse, lack of appetite, frequent clear urine, pale tongue w/ white coat, weak digestion.  Use caution, as overdose carries risk of tightness of chest, spasms, headaches, palpitation, increased blood pressure, and insomnia.

Ginkgo biloba            Much has been shared about the promises of Ginkgo for dementia and senility. It increases blood flow to the brain, thus improving memory and concentration.   The same qualities and cause Ginkgo to be stimulating and promote circulation also account for its positive effects on male potency.

Saw Palmetto    Serenoa repens             Saw Palmetto has an infinity for the male reproductive system and urinary tract.  It is a choice herb for enlarged prostate, urinary issues, and low testosterone levels.

Damiana   Turnera diffusa        Damiana is a spicy, warm, stimulating nervine.  As a Yang tonic,  it has been used for frigidity in woman and impotence in men.

It’s here–The one-day when Hallmark and Russell Stover make their year-end quotas and couples everywhere splurge over floral arrangements and romantic Groupon getaways. Whether you are rekindling the old or discovering the new, Valentines Day is the one day when we’re all searching for a little something…

Searching for a little passion and desire, perhaps? If you find yourself in the grocery store stocking up on the infamously acclaimed “aphrodisiacs”, you may want to reconsider your sources.

Aphrodisiac (noun): an agent (as in food or drug) that arouses or is held to arouse sexual desire.  Even Mirriam Webster isn’t too sure about the definition’s credibility. Regardless, every year these self-proclaimed foods appear on the front spread of every “Sex and Love” section out there.

Naturally, we wanted to see the evidence. Not to our surprise, there wasn’t much. So, we did some digging and decided to put the top 4 acclaimed aphrodisiacs to the test. Here’s what we found:

Oysters:

• Good news if the raw bar isn’t your idea of a romantic dinner for two. This slimy crustacean has been historically recognized as a powerful aphrodisiac because of its relatively high Zinc content. Zinc is known for its ability to minimize the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. However, in an average healthy individual, this mineral is found at pretty low levels within our tissues. Once your body’s stores are sufficient, the rest is excreted out through the gut. So, whether slurping down just 6 oysters (33 mg of Zinc) significantly enhances your mojo has yet to be determined. Unless the act of “slurping” gets you going, we suggest saving your money.

Suggestive foods:

• Yep, you know what we’re referring to. Just the shape alone has coined some foods as aphrodisiacs.  The top three most suggestive: bananas, asparagus, and avocados.  Beyond the great source of potassium, vitamin E, and heart-healthy fats, there’s no evidence supporting they are going to elicit the hot and steamy desire between you and your significant other. Sorry, but imagination seems to be the only thing these foods have going for them on Valentine’s Day.

Red Wine:

• While there is no physiological evidence that wine is the ultimate love potion, a study out of the Journal of Sexual Medicine suggested that a group of women (age 18-50) who had 1-2 glasses of red wine per day reported greater desire and overall sexual function than those in the control group.  Self-reporting biases and small sample size aside, a glass or two of red wine has proven cardiovascular benefits and may help calm those Valentine’s Day jitters.  Mind the portions on this one; in excess, alcohol might do more harm than good!

Chocolate:

• This treat’s claim to fame as an aphrodisiac is because of its cocoa content. The chemicals in cacao (methylanthines and cannabinoid-like fats) have been shown to stimulate the reward center in the brain and release endorphins like dopamine and serotonin—the mood enhancing chemicals.  A study found that women who reported daily intake of dark chocolate also reported higher levels of desire than those in the control group. While there is no significant evidence that indulging in chocolate is correlated with arousal or sexual-drive, it does have some “feel-good” properties that we can all appreciate—just make sure you stick to the dark stuff (>70% Cocoa).

Aphrodisiacs—just the placebo effect at work?  At least for these four contenders, our findings (or lack thereof) suggest yes. Though, we have to give the Greek goddess some credit—she obviously knew a thing or two about passion and love.  If you’re in that last minute attempt to heat things up this Valentine’s Day, stick to what the two of you enjoy most. Whether that’s preparing a meal together, sharing a bottle of vino, attending trivia night, or having fun with those dancing lessons down-town, incorporating all of the senses seems to be the best aphrodisiac we can recommend for now.

Happy Lovin’ this Valentine’s Day!

Sources:

Mondaini N. et al. (2009). Regular moderate intake of red wine is linked to a better women’s sexual health. J Sex Med. (10):2772-7.

Salonia A. et al. (2006). Chocolate and women’s sexual health: An intriguing correlation. J Sex Med. (3):476-82.

Shils, M. (2006). Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease: Zinc. (13): 276-278.

So I hope you won’t think me too forward if, this Valentine’s Day, I serenade you with a love-song. It’s not new and I didn’t make it up myself, I’m afraid. On the contrary: it was originally written in Sumerian and hails from ancient Ur, around 2000 BC. I think you’ll agree it’s a work of strange and powerful beauty.

It’s called ‘My Hair is Lettuce’.

My hair is lettuce, planted by the water.

It is gukkal-lettuce, planted by the water.

It… is…

My nurse has… high

Has made my hair into a …

Has piled up its locks,

My attendant arranges it,

The attendant arranges my hair – which is lettuce, the most favoured of plants.

The brother brought me into his life-giving gaze,

Shu-Sin has called me to his refreshing…

…without end.

…

[About five lines missing]

You are our lord, you are our lord,

Silver and lapis lazuli – you are our lord,

Farmer who makes the grain stand high, – you are our lord.

For him who is the honey of my eye, who is the lettuce of my heart,

May the days come forth, may Shu-Sin…

It is a balbale of Inanna.

OK, to be honest, this probably isn’t the most appropriate song for me to be singing. It was in all likelihood originally sung by the lukur-priestess of Ur when she stood in for the love-goddess Inanna in her ritual hierogamy to the king, Shu-Sin. I’m not a priestess (I apologise if this shatters any illusions). I’m not even a priest. I’m going to level with you, dear reader: I only sang this song because I want to talk about the lettuce.

You get some really odd things Googling ‘lettuce hair’, none of which I felt was appropriate for this post. This is meant to be broccoli, but it’s close enough for our purposes.

To our ears, the claim that ‘My hair is lettuce’ is an odd and comical opening gambit for a love-song, religious or otherwise. ‘The lettuce of my heart’ also has a humorous ring to it (though is it really any stranger than ‘the apple of my eye’?). So what’s going on here? The definitive collection of Near Eastern texts in translation, John Pritchard’s Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (ANET³), helpfully suggests that ‘[t]he comparison of hair with lettuce may have had a “fertility” significance’. Well, yes, obviously that would seem likely (and I enjoy the inverted commas around ‘fertility’). There’s a straightforward link between vegetation and fecundity, as is clear in some of our other Sumerian sacred marriage songs. Here’s another, from the steamier end of the Sumerian songbook. It’s listed in ANET³ as ‘The Honey Man’:

He’s sprouted! He’s burgeoned! He’s lettuce planted by the water,

My well-stocked garden of the… plain, my darling of his mother’s womb,

My barley-stalk luxuriant in its furrow – he’s lettuce planted by the water,

My apple tree which bears fruit up to its top – he’s lettuce planted by the water.

The honey-man, the honey-man does sweet things to me!

My lord, the honey-man of the gods, my darling of his mother’s womb,

Whose hand is honey, whose foot is honey, was doing sweet things to me!

His limbs are honey-sweet, and he was doing sweet things to me!

He was doing sweet things to my insides, all the way up to my navel!

My darling of his mother’s womb,

My… of the fair thighs, he’s lettuce planted by the water.

It is a balbale of Inanna.

Wild Lettuce

All that sprouting and burgeoning imagery pretty much speaks for itself. It’s not a great leap to work out what the barley stalk and the fruiting tree signify. But at first glance the lettuce doesn’t exactly stand out (so to speak) in their company. Squat and round, you’d have to try pretty hard to find anything phallic about most modern European lettuce cultivars. The wild lettuce of the ancient Near East looked rather different, though. It grew tall (over a metre) and straight. It was very bitter and cultivated for its seeds and oil rather than for its leaves to be eaten. More to the point, it released a milky-white sap when rubbed.

It wasn’t just the Sumerians who saw something erotic in the humble lettuce. This is Min, the Egyptian god of fertility and reproduction:

Those things behind him are lettuces. They consistently appear as one of the main elements in his iconography. This relief from Ramesses III’s funerary temple at Medinet Habu (better known for its depictions of the Sea Peoples) shows a festival of the deity in which stylised lettuce-plants are carried along in procession behind the god’s carnival float.

Similar associations may also have existed in the Levant, too, if Greek accounts of the Phoenician god Adonis are anything to go by. There’s a problem here in that Adonis is only known from Greek sources. His name is derived from the Semitic word for ‘lord’ so it’s not obvious which specific Phoenician deity he relates to. But his story, of a mortal man who loved a goddess and died, only to ascend to divinity strikes a chord with a number of other tales told about Phoenician deities – especially the healing-god Eshmun. Because our records from Phoenicia are so fragmentary, it’s hard to know whether this euhemerism was a genuine characteristic of Phoenician religion or merely a feature of ideas in the Hellenised world of the first and second centuries AD when our versions of the tales were first written down.

Adonis was, according to myth, a lover of Aphrodite, and was killed by a bull sent by the jealous Artemis. The second-to-third century AD Greek writer Athenaeus, in his Deipnosophistae (2.69), offers three authorities linking this story to lettuce. Nicander of Colophon, he says, claims that the Cypriots (who knew a thing or two about Phoenician religion) believed Adonis sought refuge in a bed of lettuce when wounded by the bull. Callimachos and Euboulos are both cited as saying that Aphrodite lay her lover down among the vegetable as he died in her arms. It’s impossible to know whether the presence of lettuce in this myth and its association with Aphrodite stems from its erotic significance in the East, though it seems distinctly plausible. What’s interesting, though, is that the Greeks themselves interpreted it completely differently.

For the Greeks, lettuce was an anti-aphrodisiac, bringing drowsiness, loss of potency and a need to urinate. Athenaeus specifically says that the story of Adonis dying amid the lettuce is allegorical, referring to the fact that men who indulge too much in the dubious joys of salad are putting their manhood on the line. He reinforces this stance with a fragment from Euboulos (fr. 13, at Ath. 2.69d):

Don’t serve me lettuce at the dinner table, woman

Or you’ll only have yourself to blame.

Because the story goes that it was in this vegetable, once upon a time,

That Cypris laid Adonis after he died;

So this is dead men’s food.

Athenaeus also quotes Amphis (Lamentation fr. 20, at Ath. 2.69c) who is blunt about the risks a young man takes by eating lettuce:

…the damned lettuce!

If anyone under 60 years old eats it,

if he ever gets some time with a woman,

he can twist and turn all night long without making any progress

on what he wants to do. Instead of getting help,

he uses his hand to massage his inescapable fate.

To make matters worse, the best variety of lettuce for eating is, allegedly, the worst for side-effects. Lykos the Pythagorean reports that it’s known as εὐνουχος – ‘the eunuch’, and that women call it ἀστυτις – ‘the impotent’, a fact repeated by Pliny (NH 19.38). The botanist Jack Harlan, writing in Economic Botany 40 (1986, 4-15), suggested that while its milky juices put the peoples of the Near East in mind of phalloi and semen, the Greeks may have been reminded more of the opium-poppy and its similarly-coloured sap. This seems plausible, though it’s not like the Greeks to overlook the potential phallic associations of anything.

Unsurprisingly, Greek ideas about the effects of lettuce had a long and lingering afterlife in western science and medicine. Dioscorides’ first-century AD pharmacopoeia continued to be used by herbalists and physicians for centuries. One seventeenth-century translation avers that wild lettuce ‘is somewhat in virtue like unto the Poppy – [and it] – doth avert wanton dreams and veneries’. Linnaeus alluded to similar anti-aphrodisiac properties and as late as the nineteenth century doctors were still publishing papers claiming that lettuce had comparable effects to opium (Harlan 1986, 9). ‘Lactucarium’ or lettuce-extract was included in British and US official pharmacopoeias of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as a sedative to be used for sore throats and insomnia. In the 1970s some hippies picked up on it as a potential legal high.

So what are the effects of lettuce? Should you be making last-minute changes to your Valentine’s Day dinner? Perhaps unsurprisingly, scientific and medical tests have suggested that lettuce and its extract have no medicinal effects whatsoever. You won’t get aroused from it, you won’t get impotent from it and you certainly won’t get high from it.

It is, in short, just salad.

And it’ll probably look really silly in your hair.

NEW YORK (WLNY) – Hey, ladies! If you really want to turn up the heat this Valentine’s Day, we have the perfect recipe to wine and dine your man.

Candice Kumai, chef and author of Cook Yourself Sexy visited The Couch to show us some sultry recipes.

More: NYC’s 5 Best Romantic Restaurants With A View

As Kumai says, the first step to seducing your guy beings with his stomach. She made us a three-course meal consisting of a pan-seared salmon entree.

More: NYC’s 8 Best Valentine’s Day Gifts

Additionally, we learned how to set up a simple, romantic cheese olive and fruit board.

It’s all in the segment below:

[worldnow id=8369451 width=500 height=332 type=video]

As part of their all-encompassing regimens, Greek and Roman doctors regulated the sexual activity of their patients. They recommended periods of abstinence and exact times when a woman should go to her husband and ‘mix with him’ (the lovely Greek euphemism used in some medical texts). As some of these physicians saw pregnancy as a cure for terrible diseases, such as displacement of the womb, productive sexual activity was of the upmost importance. This is where aphrodisiacs find their place in ancient medicine. Ancient treatises on simple medicines (that is, treatises that describe ingredients one at a time) often mention whether a part of a plant or animal is aphrodisiac or an-aphrodisiac. For instance Galen (second century CE) lists the seed of a turnip as an aphrodisiac; the Cyranides (a collection of magico-medical information compiled in the fourth century CE) pig testicles; and Pliny the Elder (first century CE) garlic. The last author also informs us that cress is an-aphrodisiac.

The perceived aphrodisiac properties of an ingredient were often linked to its shape or function. Thus, seeds, eggs and animal testicles were seen as aphrodisiac because of their generative function; and orchids because of the shape of their roots, which are reminiscent of testicles. Orchids are a particularly interesting case because, according to Theophrastus (a philosopher of the school of Aristotle, fourth century BCE):

By bodily powers, I mean fertility and infertility. Some plants have the power to produce both from the same source, as in the case of the orchis. For these have two [tuberous roots], the one larger, the other smaller. The large one makes a person more effective in intercourse when given in the milk of a mountain-pastured goat, but the smaller harms and prevents [intercourse]. Theophrastus, History of Plants 9.18.3 [Translation: C.L. Gemmill]

Most ancient aphrodisiacs were drunk in a liquid, usually wine or milk. Some, however, were placed on the body. As in the following recipe, transmitted by Pliny the Elder, but originally by Xenocrates, a first-century BCE physician:

Mallows are so aphrodisiac that the stem of the single-stemmed mallow, sprinkled for the treatment of women, augment their sexual longing infinitely, so Xenocrates maintains, and that three roots fastened next to the affected place, have the same effect. Pliny, Natural History 20.227

Now Xenocrates had a reputation for being too interested in magical remedies, and certainly there are strong links between magical and medical practice in the field of love aids. However, as I have stressed earlier, aphrodisiacs had their place in ‘mainstream’ ancient medicine. Greek and Roman medical and botanical authors showed no coyness in discussing the topic. The same cannot be said of their modern editors and translators. The most commonly used edition of Theophrastus in the English-speaking world – that of Hort – omits the passage I have discussed earlier.

I leave you with some of my favourite aphrodisiac recipes. They are found in a collection of remedies for horses. Horses were very expensive and were given the same treatments as humans, which makes the Hippiatric treatises an excellent source for the medical historian:

[Recipes] to stimulate sexual desire in horses: saffron drunk with sweet wine; or scammony crushed with water; or costus crushed and drunk with hydromel; or the right testicle of the cock placed in the skin of a ram and hung onto the neck of the horse incites to sexual desire; or the testicle of the deer dried, crushed and drunk with honey water. Cambridge Hippiatric treatise 10.6

This passage lists both remedies that are drunk and remedies that are worn as amulets; and both vegetable and animal ingredients. The animals chosen – the cock, the deer and the ram – were all known for their sexual potency in antiquity.

On my way to source some cock testicles and ram skin then…

This week I made heart-shaped bath bombs scented with orange and ginger. Orange and ginger is a lovely aromatherapy blend which is supposed to be energising. I wanted to incorporate it into something easy to make and love-themed – hence the heart shapes. To be honest, I feel this would have worked better as part of a bath melt, but I did want to try to make bath bombs. They are very easy to make.

You will need

- 150 g. bicarbonate of soda
- 75 g. citric acid (you can easily find this online)
- 25 g. corn flour
- 2-3 drops red cosmetic colouring (optional)
- Essential oils: I used 10 drops orange oil and 10 drops ginger oil
- Something to spray the preparation with (I used rose water)

Mix the bicarbonate of soda, citric acid and corn flour in a mixing bowl. Add the cosmetic colouring and essential oils. Then you will need to spray the preparation. Be very careful, as you only need very little. The mixture will look and feel like wet sand.

Pack the mixture into a silicone mould – do pack it as tightly as you can. Leave to dry overnight in a dry place (this is important. If you leave the preparation in a place where there is moisture, like the kitchen or the bathroom, the bombs will start to fizz out).

Add to warm bath and enjoy.

What will you be serving your lover on Valentine’s Day?

If you need suggestions for a Valentine’s Day Dinner Menu that will also help boost your sex drive, try adding some of these aphrodisiacs to your meal:

Almonds

Raw almonds are high in Vitamin E, which is excellent for the libido.

Avocado

Avocados are high in Essential Fatty Acids and B Vitamins to balance your hormones and give you energy.

Chiles

Chiles contain capsaicin, the substance in chiles which releases endorphins, stimulates nerve endings and of course, and increases heart rate. Ay caramba!

Garlic

Once you get over the smell, garlic contains allicin, which improves blood flow to the sexual organs. So, make sure to eat lots of garlic together!

Ginger

The spiciness of ginger is known to heat your body up, make your heart race and increase the heat.

Guava

High in vitamin C, which keeps the sexual glands in tip top condition!

Oysters

Believe the hype. Oysters are a true aphrodisiacs because they contain a the large amount of zinc.

Pumpkin Seeds

Containing large amounts of zinc, which is needed for testosterone production, pumpkin seeds can be essential for the libido for both men and women.

Wild Salmon

A great source of Essential Fatty Acids that balances hormones for a better libido.

Are you ready to put your evening into overdrive? Sprinkle these aphrodisiacs with love and a touch of luxury sex toys to not only boost your sex drive but improve your sex life!

This write-up is reprinted from EatSomethingSexy.com.

Spanish fly. Chinese aphrodisiacs. Herbal aphrodisiacs. Natural aphrodisiacs. Homemade aphrodisiacs. Aphrodisiac foodstuff.

Since the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, individuals have been eager to partake of a range of meals, beverages, herbs, and animal elements, to enhance their sexual desire and performance. Do any of these enjoy potions really operate? There has been significantly debate in recent moments more than the effectiveness of a lot of of these products on the marketplace at the moment. Coco Swan has waded through the claims, and the information, to give you the answers.

An aphrodisiac is outlined as “an agent which boosts sexual desire”. The name will come from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sensuality. Aphrodite was said to take into account sparrows sacred due to the fact of their loving natures and as a outcome they were often provided in a selection of aphrodisiac brews.

Throughout time, several foods and beverages have experienced a popularity for generating sexual intercourse more pleasurable. Several surprise no matter whether these benefits have been reached from the placebo impact, whereby the participant expects a end result, as opposed to there being any genuine influence. Every single continent of the planet has been involved in the manufacturing and usage of aphrodisiacs. In ancient occasions people experienced to mainly count on aphrodisiac crops, despite the fact that animal components had been also utilized. Anise, carrot, basil, orchid bulbs, salvia, sage, rocket, fennel, turnips, pistachio nuts, the flesh of the skink lizard, and river snails were all imagined to enhance sexual functionality. Curiously, lettuce, dill, watercress, lentils, and water lilies were all averted as they were regarded as to diminish sexual enjoyment.

Aphrodisiac Health supplements. Most of the aphrodisiacs found on the internet or in health foodstuff shops, incorporate one particular or much more of the following components:

Arginine. Arginine is an amino acid found in eggs, nuts, meats, cheese and coconut milk. It increases blood circulation to the genitals by forming nitric oxide in the body. It is stated to improve sexual wish in females when merged with other dietary supplements.

Epimedium. Epimedium has supposedly been established to boost sexual operate of male animals. It functions as a sex hormone and might encourage sexual wish in girls who are deficient in sex hormones.

Arginine. Arginine is an amino acid located in eggs, nuts, meats, cheese and coconut milk. It raises blood flow to the genitals by forming nitric oxide in the entire body. It is stated to enhance sexual desire in ladies when combined with other supplements.

Epimedium. Epimedium has supposedly been confirmed to improve sexual function of male animals. It acts as a sexual intercourse hormone and could stimulate sexual wish in girls who are deficient in sex hormones.

Fennel. This plant boosts the libido of both male and woman costs. Fennel consists of compounds that mimic oestrogen. In doses greater than one teaspoon, it can be toxic.

Ginseng. Lengthy touted as an aphrodisiac.

Rhino Horn. An illegal compound.

Spanish Fly. (Cantharides) The Spanish Fly is one of the most renowned of aphrodisiacs. It is manufactured by crushing a beetle. It has an disagreeable scent and a bitter flavour. It is often presented to farm animals to encourage them to mate. Cantharides triggers swelling of the genitals, distressing urination, fever and a bloody discharge. It can cause everlasting injury to the kidneys and genitalia, and can also lead to convulsions and death. The big difference amongst an powerful dose and a hazardous dose is very slight. Cantharides are illegal in the US, besides for the use of animal husbandry. The Spanish fly was also banned from the markets of Morocco in the 1990′s. Most goods advertising Spanish fly in them now are just using a concoction of peppers.

Yohimbe. Yohimbe is both a organic aphrodisiac and a prescription aphrodisiac. Yohimbe is used to treat erectile dysfunction in males. As opposed to Viagra, it does not act on the vascular technique, but immediately boosts sexual want. Even though you might be sensation stimulated your physique will not maintain up with your thoughts. As a lot of drugs have a substantial habit possible they have been declared illegal.

Carrots

There has been a extended tradition in utilizing carrots as an aphrodisiac. Truth is that carrots incorporate a lot of vitamin A which in mixture with vitamin E has a positive influence on the intercourse hormones. At the very same time it combats weariness.

Ginger

In the total Asiatic area ginger is known as a powerful aphrodisiac and is used in many Asiatic food items. One is in a position to use the root new, as powder or syrup. Ginger can enhance the sensibility of guys and woman can get a greater erotic need.

Chili

It functions stimulating and invigorating.

Celery

Celery is almost certainly the most common aphrodisiac. In previous Greece it was identified as a blessed plant and has been explained as sexual stimulating. The celery seeds are specially efficient.

Many thanks to the function of two fairly quirky figures in the entire world of science, we now know that the mere scents of some meals can evoke sexual arousal. In the late 1990′s, Dr. Alan Hirsch of the Odor and Style Remedy and Research Basis in Chicago accomplished a examine in which food aromas triggered sexual arousal in topics in equally waking and sleeping states. The most productive scent tested in the research to tempt males was a mixture of pumpkin pie spice and lavender. For females, it was cucumbers and Very good and Plenty candies. Other scents, such as glazed donut, buttered popcorn and vanilla also presented arousing results.

In a series of somewhat much less formal research, Dr. Max Lake, an MD and vintner from Australia’s Hunter Valley, uncovered similarities between the scents of specified food items and the aromas of human pheromones. In his guide Scents and Sensuality, Dr. Lake describes the aromas of some Blanc de Blanc Champagnes as nicely as ripe cheeses as getting startlingly comparable to feminine pheromones. He also discusses the fragrant similarity among truffles and the male pheromone androstanone. (Ever cease to ponder why truffle hunters employ female pigs? Individuals randy ladies are soon after the scent of androstanone!)

Other meals are regarded aphrodisiac for their look. This, I imagine, is the weakest definer for declaring a meals aphrodisiac. For case in point, I’ve heard a European belief from a prior century that strawberries are aphrodisiac for their resemblance to a woman’s nipples. This rumor was plainly began for the duration of a time period of time in which nudity was frowned on, due to the fact I’ve appeared in the mirror and can guarantee you that there is completely no resemblance.

The identical goes for phallic food items. The slurping of the salty brine as been increase libido noted aphrodisiac for men by several to be an erotic foreplay to a night time of passion. As an added reward, ginger settles the stomach so if digestive troubles have ever gotten in the way of your adamandeve lovemaking prior to, this all-natural aphrodisiac ought to do the trick.

Aphrodisiac Herbs. These four crops have been used for their aphrodisiac homes in Asia, India and Malaysia for a lot of several years.

Damiana. Damiana is a native shrub of Central and South The us. The leaves are produced into a tea, which has a equivalent odour to chamomile, and wad utilized by the indigenous individuals for its reputed aphrodisiac consequences. Coco did go through someplace that this minor plant now has a cocktail named soon after it in Europe. The cocktail supposedly contains this small herb.

Eurycoma longifolia. This plant has testosterone boosting houses and is a indigenous of Malaysia and Indonesia. It was historically employed as a libido enhancer and to deal with a variety of sexual dysfunctions. Malaysian Universities have performed several reports that confirm its results on increasing sexual conduct in animals. This herb is also identified to boost muscle mass mass.

Maca. Maca is a indigenous of the higher Andes of Peru and Bolivia. It has been regarded as an aphrodisiac there for above 2000 a long time. Modest scale medical trials have proven that maca extracts can heighten libido and increase semen top quality, nonetheless, it does not impact the sexual intercourse hormone amounts in humans.

Tribulus terrestris. This is a flowering weed native to Southern Europe, Africa, Southern Asia, and Australia. Frequent names contain Goathead and Bindii. In Indian ayurvedan exercise it is identified as “gokshura” and has extended been utilised as an aphrodisiac and tonic. In the 1970′sin Eastern Europe it commenced to be promoted as a testosterone booster for escalating intercourse generate and constructing muscle.

Aphrodisiac Meals. Potentially the safest way to enhance your libido might be to take in these foodstuffs.

Absinthe. (The Environmentally friendly Fairy.) Absinthe was a well-known aphrodisiac consume in the nineteenth Century, specially among the artistes of Europe. However, by 1915 absinthe experienced been banned in most parts of the globe, including the US, because of to its awful publicity. The British isles, Spain, Portugal and Mexico never prohibited the drink and in these nations the consume has noticed a renaissance in popularity more than modern times.

Aniseed. Sucking on the seeds is stated to boost your want. Aniseed has been used as an aphrodisiac considering that the Greeks and Romans.

Asparagus. For the most strong aphrodisiac influence, one particular need to supposedly try to eat it for three days straight.

Champagne. Frequently identified as the “consume of love”, champagne is common in a lot of areas of the globe as an aphrodisiac. Champagne will decrease your inhibitions and provides your body a nice heat glow. Beware of too much of a very good thing.

adamandeve coupon code Candies aphrodisiac for men are a forbidden luxury in today’s fat-mindful culture, and extravagant, expensive candies are considered by several to be an inefficient use of the household budget. increase libido

Oysters:  Apparently, oysters have two rare amino acids that raise testosterone and progesterone levels.  If you can stomach it, the effect is most potent when the oysters are served raw.

Abalone:  The flesh of this rare shellfish is loaded with selenium and magnesium.  Translation?  Your sex hormones will be over the top.

Lobster:  Shellfish are generally packed full with zinc and other minerals essential for a healthy libido and lobster just so happens to be the most evocative of them all.

Truffles: Black and white truffles have a distinctive scent that supposedly mimics human pheromones.  Even the word truffle is known to evoke erotic memories.

Honey:  Honey contains boron, vitamin B and other substances useful for sex hormone production.  One theory suggests the term honeymoon comes from an old custom of giving newlyweds a month’s worth of honey wine mead to drink.

Chocolate:  Chocolate lovers all around agree eating this sweet stuff releases natural feel-good chemicals known as endorphins.

Oysters have long been considered an aphrodisiac, so we start our romantic dinner with them fried accompanied by a teriyaki spiced remoulade.

Crispy Tempura Oysters with Garlic Orange Spiced Teriyaki Remoulade

Serves Four

12 large fresh coastal oysters of choice shucked and reserve the liquor (juice)

½ cup tempura flour

1 cup fresh orange juice

¼ cup sweet gherkin or pickle juice

4 cloves garlic smashed

2 tablespoons Spiced Maui Maid Teriyaki Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon olive oil

4 cups canola oil

In a sauce pan over medium heat place olive oil and smashed garlic

Cook garlic till browned then remove

Add orange juice along with pickle juice and reduce by 2/3 or till slightly syrupy

Let cool at room temp for ½ hour

Whisk reduction into mayonnaise with oyster liquor blending well till smooth and creamy

Heat canola oil to 350 degrees

Dust oysters with tempura flour and fry till golden brown (2 minutes)

Serve crispy oysters with dipping sauce

Now for the main course.  Most will cook a steak for Valentine’s dinner, but we think that nothing is better that a juicy pork chop with an incredible teriyaki glaze.  Plus, we are sending you to Hawaii this Valentine’s Day and in Hawaii, pork is king.

Grilled Pork Chop with Rosemary Teriyaki Butter Glaze, Fork Mashed Fingerling Potatoes, Haricot Vert

Serves Four

4 each 12 ounce end or country style pork chops, bone in (this is the juicy cut of chops)

1/4 pound unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sprig rosemary chopped fine

1 pound fingerling potatoes

6 cloves peeled garlic

1 bay leaf

8 black peppercorns

1 pound French green beans cleaned and trimmed

2 quarts salted boiling water

2 quarts salted boiling water

½ cup cream

2 teaspoon fresh garlic puree

2 sprigs thyme chopped fine

1 quart ice water with the juice of 2 lemons

2 Tablespoons Maui Maid Teriyaki Marinade

Combine softened butter with chopped rosemary and teriyaki sauce in a bowl

Roll in plastic wrap or paper till a 3 inch wide cylinder is formed and refrigerated for 1 hour

In salted boiling water place green beans and cook for 6 minutes then plunge into ice water

In salted boiling water place peppercorns, garlic cloves and potatoes and boil for 15 minutes

Season pork chop to taste and grill medium heat 8 minutes on each side

Take off grill, cut butter into ½ pieces and place two on top of pork chops

Cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes

Heat olive oil over medium heat and place potatoes along with garlic puree in sauté pan

Sauté for 5 minutes till garlic is browned and potatoes are coated, and then add chopped thyme.  Season to taste

Sauté green beans in a teaspoon of Teriyaki Butter till glazed and warm.  Season to taste

Serve glazed grilled pork chop with your garlic herb fork mashed potatoes along with your citrus scented al dente French green beans.  ENJOY

Now for dessert!  Nothing is more romantic than chocolate strawberries, unless it is strawberries with  teriyaki hazelnut chocolate drizzle.

Chilled Strawberries with Teriyaki Hazelnut Chocolate Drizzle

Serves four

1 pound fresh ripe strawberries cut in half

1 tablespoon Hazelnut Liquor (Frangelico, etc)

½ pound shaved bitter sweet chocolate

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons Maui Maid Teriyaki Sauce

¼ cup cream

Melt chocolate in a double boiler (metal bowl placed over boiling water)

Whisk till smooth and then add teriyaki sauce, vinegar, and Hazelnut Liquor

Then whisk in cream till smooth and velvety.

Place chilled strawberries in a chilled desert bowl and drizzle on Chocolate Hazelnut Teriyaki Sauce

Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at Maui Maid!  Enjoy your romantic evening in Hawaii and for even more recipes go to teriyakiworld.net

Click to see more information about the Simple Sexy Food virtual tour.

This is the full bio for Linda DeVillers

Linda DeVillers has more than 20 years experience as a sex and relationship expert. Her previous book, Love Skills: A Fun, Upbeat Guide to Sex-cessful Relationships (now in its fourth edition), is internationally known in the field of sexuality. It was praised as “fun,” “great reading,” and “as down-to-earth, open-minded, and daring as you would want a manual on sexual intimacy to be.”*

In addition to her private practice, Dr. De Villers holds faculty positions at Pepperdine University, Loyola Marymount University, and Santa Monica City College, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Human Sexuality, Health Psychology, and Personal Growth. She is certified as a Diplomate in Sex Therapy by the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists.

Dr. De Villers is regarded as an expert in the study of aphrodisiacs. She was a featured expert in a Discovery Channel Health program (2006) on 10 sexual myths, including the myth that aphrodisiacs don’t exist. In an academic setting, she has researched and presented on related topics, including:

• “Which Aphrodisiac Foods for 21^st Century Sensibilities?” (World Congress of Sexology, Montreal, July 2005).
• “Beyond the Food: A Sex Therapist’s Rx for Aphrodisiac [1]Meals” (Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Redondo Beach, CA, April 2006).
• “Boosting Sexual Pleasure Through Physical Exercise and Sensual, Healthful Eating” (Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Indianapolis, IN, November 2007).

Dr. De Villers served as the monthly sex columnist for Health magazine from April 2007 to April 2008, and wrote for Playboy.com for more than a year, in 2000. Other print media has included major newspapers such as the New York Times, USA Today, and the Washington Post, as well as magazines including Reader’s Digest, Cosmopolitan, Shape, Men’s Fitness, Bride’s Magazine and many others. Dr. De Villers has provided her expertise on wide-ranging topics related to sexual enhancement, including boosting sexual drive through exercise, sure-fire/clever tricks for more intense orgasms, creative turn-on tips, and overcoming male and female sexual difficulties. She has also made numerous television appearances as a guest expert, including on “Berman & Berman” and “Montel Williams” on similar topics.

In addition to presenting at academic symposia nationally and internationally, Dr. De Villers also speaks on relationship and sexuality topics to professional and general audiences, such as the Learning Annex, Great Expectations (dating service), Kaiser-Permanente, the Los Angeles Chapter of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and the American Association of Sex Educators.

Dr. De Villers is a devoted home cook and entertainer. She discovered her love of food and learning about different cuisines when she studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. Since then, her international travels as a researcher and lecturer have expanded her culinary repertoire; she has turned her travel experiences over the past 20 years into opportunities for culinary exploration. From her first travels to France where she acquired basic French techniques she has adventured widely into the culinary cultures of South America (Venezuela, Brazil, and Argentina), Central America (Cuba and Costa Rica), the Canadian province of Quebec, the Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, and Australia. She maintains a practice in Marina del Rey, California, and lives in Los Angeles.

So we have planned exciting only-for-V-Day-flavors and events.  Don’t forget to sign up for our Valentine’s Day cookie class on Wednesday February 13th.  You’ll leave with 2 dozen beautifully decorated cookies for you and your loved ones!

On 2.14.13 we’ll be popping up with Sweet Pea Floral Designs at Rock Paper Scissors on Main Street in Ann Arbor and at VLNTSDY MRKT by Pot + Box in Detroit.  We also will be selling our super cute and superbly delicious treats at the #DessertCounter on Thursday February 14th through Saturday February 16th.

Our Cakes-for-Two are topped with a gilded gold heart, and are all-around super special.  We’re baking these in two flavors: Mexican spiced chocolate and strawberry ginger (a V-Day only flavor!).  Must I remind you that both chocolate and ginger are aphrodisiacs?  Just saying guys.

We’ll also be doing ombre french macarons (chai spice + raspberry) and conversation heart sugar cookies.

Pop by and say hello at one of our Valentine’s Day locations, we’d love to see you.

Many thanks to Abby Rose Photo for the gorgeous photos