EAT

Yes, I’ll admit it - I’m a romantic! I believe that the ro­mance and attention that we shower on the person we adore should be year round, not just on Valentine’s Day.

So what do you do when the ideas run dry and you are grasping to find something to show your sweetheart you care? Showering your love with great food is one of the sim­plest ways to say “I Love You” over and again. So what kind of foods says that precious phrase more than others? There’s a whole category of foods that fall into the realm of natural aphrodisiacs.

So I thought I’d bring those out of the closet for one and all.

Asparagus (PG): Not romantic you say? Nonsense! For a treat, lightly parboil a handful of asparagus until just tender and let cool. Cut Fontina (a mild Italian cheese) into long strips about two-thirds the length of your asparagus, and have some prosciutto ready. Take 5 asparagus sprigs and place a length of Fontina in the middle. Wrap the bundle with pro­sciutto and bake at low temperature until the cheese just starts to melt. Serve with a dollop of fresh hollandaise sauce and thin slices of crisp tart apple on top. Then watch your date melt. It helps that asparagus is loaded with vitamins and iron which help you keep up with all kinds of things.

Chocolate (PG-13): Most everyone loves chocolate. It’s a naturally sexy food, which has the ability to keep on pleasing when we tire of other things in our mouth. Not that there are any proven love-inducing chemical goodies in chocolate – it is just such a naturally seductive taste and texture that it’s easy to be seduced by the morsel itself. In the spirit of offering up anecdotal “fact” to the powers of chocolate, Montezuma kept his harem of upwards of 1000 women happy (reportedly) by consuming up to 5 liters of chocolate before heading over to see the wife(s).

Avocado {R}: One of the most sensuous foods out there, avocados have a silky rich texture due to their high fat content (not to worry – it’s good fat!) which can be used in myriad ways. One of my favorites is a simple salad of avocado, sweet ruby red grapefruit, honeydew melon, a dash of ruby port, fresh coarse black pepper, a dash of coarse kosher salt, olive oil and some lime zest. Another favorite is to simply halve and de-pit the avocado, put some lemon zest in the cavities, some olive oil, a dash of coarse salt and a dollop of bleu cheese dressing on top. All you need then is a spoon – it comes with its own bowl. Plus they are loaded with vitamin E which helps with all things male.

Oysters {XXX}: The legendary power of the oyster as a romantic gesture should not be underestimated – just ask Ca­sanova (it is rumored he ate 50 for breakfast every morning!) These slippery and briny beauties are extremely flexible in terms of what you can do with them. From baked prepara­tions like the classic Oysters Rockefeller, to a simple raw dozen (or three) on a plate of crushed ice with a champagne granita, oysters have the reputation for spawning romance throughout history like no other food. Why? It has been shown that oysters possess a heightened level of amino acids and zinc, which spurs the production of hormones

Uni (Sea Urchin) {XXX}: For those who love the sea, uni is a delicacy that far supplants all other seafood for its briny purity and smooth mouthfeel. If you’re a sushi fanatic, as I am, there is nothing else on the menu that comes close to transporting you to the clean primeval pools and fresh estuar­ies of the ocean than uni. The very scent of really fresh uni is a trip to the beginning of life itself.

Goji Berries {XXX}: Known throughout Asia as “happy berries”, and known in the west as wolfberries, these little dy­namos have been known for centuries in the east for promot­ing health by strengthening the metabolic system – especially important in men. There is an old proverb in China that says, “He who travels one thousand kilometers from home should not eat goji.” Grab some from Andy’s and sprinkle on your cereal, put them on your ice cream or just snack on them. Kind of a cross between cranberries and sweet raisins, they are a unique and great way to stay healthy and sexy.

So there you have it. Cupid is all around us each and every day in healthy ways that will keep the romance flowing year round. Sante!