Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Will you make reservations at your favorite restaurant or do you prefer to share a more intimate romantic meal at home? If you are planning a Seduction Meal at your place but aren't sure what to whip up, here are a few cookbooks for culinary inspiration. TIP: Never cook a meal for the first time on a special night such as this. Always prepare a dish or menu that you know or practice your meal before the big night. You want to be relaxed and confident, not nervous about whether or not the meal will turn out just right.

1. Seduction & Spice by Rudi Sodamin

If you can find this book it is worth the search. A beautifully designed book with 130 splendid recipes - this is part of my cookbook collection and one that people always want to pick up and fondle given its red suede cover. Here are two impressive reviews from from Amazon.com, need I say more?


2. The New InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook by Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge

Also part of my cookbook library, I love the design, photography, format and the carefully selected recipes all with a slant on cooking with aphrodisiacs.

From Amazon.com: While the jury's out on which foods, if any, are true aphrodisiacs, the authors contend that "anyone who has served an elaborate candlelit meal, painstakingly prepared with love, knows the potential power of food." The newly expanded and revised edition of this 1997 cookbook features a bevy of recipes that may win the heart of that special someone. Ranging from simple Strawberries Drenched in Honeyed Cream to the more elaborate Orange Blossom Panna Cotta and Grilled Vietnamese Gingered Beef Rolls, lovers of all stripes are sure to discover a new favorite.

3. The Seduction Cookbook by Diane Brown

From Amazon.com: In The Seduction Cookbook, author Diane Brown offers much more than romantic recipe secrets. She teaches how to heighten passion through appetizing anticipation, and shares tempting techniques for preparing and serving her creations. 

Inside you'll find appetizers that will induce a little "fork-play" such as Chile Lime Shrimp; Rocket Salad with Black Mission Figs; and Ahi Tuna Ceviche with Advocado. Erotic entrees include Scallops with Asparagus and Ginger Beurre Blance and Sausages in Red Wine. And if you make it to dessert, try replacing low-carb with "low-garb" by enjoying the sweet sensation of Strawberries Stuffed with Mascarpone Cheese and Dark Chocolate or Poached Pears in Cardamom Syrup, among many others.

4. Booty Food by Jacqui Malouf

The title is a long one: Booty Food: A Date By Date, Nibble by Nibble, Course by Course Guide to Cultivating Love and Passion Through Food. And that it is. From your first date to every phase of your relationship, Jacqui has put together an alluring collection of recipes sure to win his /or her heart. I loved reading this cookbook as much as trying the recipes--Jacqui is a total treat and very very funny! A must have book for your collection.  From Amazon.com:



5. The Loin King by Ryan O'Horn

Here we have "366 sexy and uplifting aphrodisiacs to answer the call of the wild" From Amazon.com: The only thing better than sex is, well, more sex--and The Loin King makes sure everyone is ready to answer the call of the wild when it comes. Featuring the most popular libido enhancers devised by man (and woman), this engaging and enlightening little volume is a racy ride through the bedrooms of history. From the ancient Aztec avocado cure to Lord Byron's poetic plate of vermicelli, you will learn all you need to know about aphrodisiacs, past and present. No matter what your pleasure, you will find the concoction you need to spice up your sex life. 

Post a Comment

There are many varieties of gourmet salts to aid in your culinary seduction. The best salts are mined from seawater and evaporated in the sun, imparting more flavor and enhancement to your gourmet creations.

On a recent shopping excursion I discovered the beautifully designed packaging of Victoria Taylor's Seasonings and decided to experiment with a few different salts. The three salts I carried home include: Australian Flake Salt, Celtic Sea Salt and Anglesey Sea Salt. I absolutely LOVE the Australian Flake Salt.

When I got home I ventured over to Victoria's web site to learn some more. You can purchase sea salt and other exotic seasoning as well as sampling kits such as the Culinary Salts of the World Gift Set on her site. I recommend experimenting with salts and moving away from common table salt as soon as you dare for a more exotic cooking experience. I learned that most gourmet salts are best used as finishing salts at the end of cooking. Here is the information I found. 

 

 

 

Australian Flake Salt - The brine that is the source of this salt comes from the Murray River, fed by the Australian Alps. When harvested in their natural form, the salt flakes retain trace minerals giving them a pinkish color. This salt has a delicate texture that comes from the fluffy crystals that are reminiscent of snowflakes. Use this to "finish" a recipe by crumbling the delicate crystals between your fingers to provide a finishing touch that will add a wonderful dimension to any dish.

Celtic Sea Salt - Praised by culinary professionals for its flavor and quality and by health professionals for its unrefined purity and naturally occurring minerals. Celtic Sea Salt is a product of natural crystallization of the ocean waters near Brittany, France. Use Celtic Sea Salt for finishing and baking.

Anglesey Sea Salt--The saltiest of the three, this crystallized salt from the Isle of Anglesey is a gourmet finishing salt from the cleanest ocean water off the west coast of Wales, UK. Anglesey Sea Salt has a soft, flaky texture and retains many trace minerals and elements important for good health. 

I will use these salts in upcoming recipes and hope to learn the delicate intricacies and characteristics of each. I've already tried the Australian Flake Salt--I poured some olive oil on plate, sprinkled some Australian Flake Salt and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes over the oil, brought out a fresh baguette to dip into the oil. There were four of us--we tore small pieces from the loaf of bread and dipped right in. Everyone loved it!

Post a Comment