Monthly Flavors for December – Merry and Bright!
The end of the year already?! This year has really flown past. I am so excited to share a whole new year of wonderful flavors
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February is here and love is in the air! I think many people associate this month with Valentine’s Day. Love or hate the holiday, it is definitely a very chocolate centric day. It is a day all about showing someone(s) how much you you care, and treating them to delicious treats. It is also one of the sexiest holidays. Everyone is thinking about the end of the night! This got me to thinking about aphrodisiacs – foods that are supposed to increase a person’s libido. Since the beginning of written history, people have been trying to get others in the mood with food. I find this fascinating. (If you agree, this WebMD article has some interesting research on it!)
To this end, it shouldn’t be surprising the theme this month is aphrodisiacs! Some are scientifically proven to be somewhat helpful, some are common myth, and some are historical. If you happen to be interested, you can read the paper I pulled from here to learn about some of the other scientific research on aphrodisiacs. I have linked a fair amount of my research throughout this post, in case you are interested in reading more. I hope you enjoy, and that these chocolates get you in the mood for fun filled nights!
Spicy Honey Milk Chocolate Ganache
Historically, spicy peppers have been considered aphrodisiacs in many places throughout the world. When the spice trade to Europe became bigger in the 14th century, many exotic spices became thought of as aphrodisiacs including spicy peppers. In the Kama Sutra, there is mention of men using chili powder on their nether regions to be more seductive. I don’t think I need disclaimers here, but please do not do this. In reality, some spice can be stimulating, but be careful to not overdo it! The capsaicin in chili peppers is a natural stimulant, and can increase the production of adrenaline and endorphins in the body. Honey was a common aphrodisiac in ancient Greece. Hippocrates believed it would increase sexual vigor, along with many other philosophers. This chocolate does pack quite the punch! With bird’s eye chili and cayenne, you get front of the tongue and back of the mouth spice, with honey sweetness and bee pollen to soothe.
Saffron and Fig White Chocolate Ganache
The idea of saffron as an aphrodisiac in Europe is from a similar idea to spicy peppers: if it is exotic it is erotic. In the Indian Ayurvedic medicine tradition, saffron is seen as one of the most important love spices. There are myths that Cleopatra bathed in saffron-infused water to increase her sensitivity before meeting her husband/lover. Surprisingly, it has been proven that one of the two main active compounds in saffron, Crocin, does improve male rats’ performance. This was not shown to be the case in human men, however. Figs were thought to increase fertility because of the obviously large amount of seeds in each fruit. Also, the ancient Greeks thought they resembled female genitalia, so must increase women’s libido. This chocolate has a lovely texture from the fig seeds, with a light earthiness from the saffron at the end.
Strawberry Dark Chocolate Caramel
Chocolate covered strawberries are probably one of the most common Valentine’s Day gifts. This caramel is my answer to that! You get light bitterness from the caramel and dark chocolate, with a fruity middle note, and a sweet finish. In ancient Rome, the heart shaped strawberry was seen as a symbol of Venus (the goddess of love, fertility, beauty, and desire among other things). In addition, like with figs, strawberries have an obviously large amount of seeds and so were tied to fertility. Chocolate has been considered an aphrodisiac since at least the Aztecs. There are records showing Aztecs trading cocoa beans to have a night at the brothel, and the Aztec emperor Montezuma was rumored to drink 50 cups of chocolate a day to satisfy his many wives. It was thought that the central nervous system stimulant phenyl ethylamine (PEA) was the active aphrodisiac ingredient in chocolate. However, we absorb very little PEA from chocolate, so it is likely just the texture and taste that we find so pleasing!
Coffee and Nutmeg White Chocolate Ganache
Stimulants being used as aphrodisiacs naturally leads us to coffee. The scent of coffee was proven to be a major turn on for women in a study from Mindlab International in Sussex, England (I couldn’t find the actual study, though). In rats, it was shown that female rats were significantly more interested in sex after having caffeine – though this was the first time the rats had ever had coffee, and so the results are unlikely to be the same in human women who have coffee often. Nutmeg has been used to treat male erectile issues in the Unani medicine tradition for a very long time. It has been shown that male rats treated with nutmeg had more sexual partners than the control group. This ganache will make you swoon for sure! Very coffee forward, it quickly evolves into a floral note from the nutmeg, and ends with an almost latte like flavor!
Red Wine Reduction with Red Wine Dark Chocolate Ganache
This one turned out pretty different than I expected! You get bitter tannins up front, then dark chocolate bitterness, and it fades into a rounded red wine. Fascinating! Wine (and alcohol in general) has been used as an aphrodisiac for most of human history. A little alcohol does help lower inhibitions, which can help increase the likelihood of sex. However, too much alcohol is definitely linked to poor performance, so everything in moderation!
Apple Caramel with Clove Milk Chocolate Ganache
This intensely apple of the caramel is beautifully offset by the ganache. The pairing of apple and clove seems very winter appropriate, too! The curvaceous apple has been thought of as an aphrodisiac for most of European history. Native to Central Asia, apples were extremely expensive in ancient Greece. And of course, if something is expensive and/or rare, it must be great to give to a desired partner! Gaia gave a golden apple tree to Hera for her wedding, and so apples were given as a declaration of love. Much like chili peppers and other spices, clove was an expensive and exotic good in 14th century Europe. As such, clove became an aphrodisiac due to its expense and rarity. Clove, like nutmeg, has been clinically shown to increase the number of male rats sexual partners.
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These cookies are very chocolate forward, a little chewy, and a big favorite. Oxytocin is the love hormone! It is associated with bonding after birth and plays a major role in childbirth. It is released in the bloodstream after sex in men and women. It may even have something to do with brain development! Tell someone you care with this extraordinary molecule.
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Okay, scones are not really a cookie. They are pretty close though! These wonderful buttery scones are layered with ginger spread and homemade vanilla lemon marmelade. Rosemary is added into the dough to give a lovely savory herbal note. In keeping with the theme this month, ginger is used as an aphrodisiac in many traditional medicine traditions including Iranian Traditional Medicine, and is mentioned in the Kama Sutra. So grab a cup of tea or a glass of wine and enjoy!
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The end of the year already?! This year has really flown past. I am so excited to share a whole new year of wonderful flavors