Romancing the Kitchen
By Dr. Laura Berman
Illustrations by Scott Thigpen

You’ve learned how food fortifies us for better sexual function by providing fuel for the body and helping tomaintain a healthy weight when the right choices are made. Food also feels and tastes good to eat. Like sex, food can stimulate all of the

senses if done properly. The smell of food in particular speaks directly to one of the most primal parts of our brain—the limbic system—which in turn communicates with our hormones. The aroma of different foods can evoke all sorts of memories and emotions, including sexual excitement. The other senses can be put to good use, too. The sight of appetizing or even phallic-looking food can be highly erotic. Taste, touch and sound all take off from there. Learning to make food an enticing, sensual form of foreplay or part of sex itself brings you full circle in appreciating food’s effect on your sex life.

If you don’t already know, find out what your partner’s favorite foods or aromas are. Tell him you want to have a date night this week, in which you cook together and make eating and drinking the centerpiece of the evening. If you have kids, send them to their grandparents’ or friend’s for a sleepover. You want this to be a totally sensual evening to with no sense of time limits.

Depending on what your partner asks for, you can also make use of some tried-and-true sensual edibles. Any food that resembles the sex organs is a good choice. Red juicy tomatoes or strawberries work. Asparagus, cucumbers, and carrots are suggestive vegetables. An avocado is said to be the ultimate sexy food since its
texture and appearance are creamily evocative. Cut the tomatoes and avocado into pieces that allow you to feed each other. Strawberries are perfect for licking or for dipping in sugar, chocolate, or whipped cream and slowly nibbling. The vegetables work best with a creamy dip that you can have some fun with. The idea is to include a range of textures and tastes. Crunchy carrots contrast with soft tomatoes to keep the sensory experience unpredictable.

Some other edible props that might help include olives, whose salty taste contrasts nicely with the fruit’s sweet taste, and hot peppers, if you can handle it. Jalapenos or other peppers make your heart beat faster, make your face flush, and your body come alive. Chocolate and coffee also work wonders in mimicking the signs of arousal. Both stimulate, while chocolate provides the added boost of feel-good endorphins washing over your brain, much like when you fall in love or have an orgasm.

And now, the best news of all about nutrition: Chocolate can improve overall sexual function and increase sexualdesire! A recent study completed by an Italian researcher, Dr. Andrea Salonia, demonstrated a link between satisfying sex and chocolate. Now, don’t go eat tons of it—that would be counter productive by making you gain weight-but feel free to make a reasonable amount your daily treat. And guess what? Yet another study found dark chocolate improves heart health with its naturally occurring polyphenols—the same substances that make red wine good for you. Hooray for chocolate!

Red wine can be an aphrodisiac and it’s also good for you, in small amounts. Or, try some white wine or champagne kept on ice next to the blanket. The ice cubes will come in handy for running up and down each other’s bodies, or to give each other a cold kiss on the lips or elsewhere. Hot drinks, either virgin or alcoholic, can be relaxing after you finish eating. And don’t forget dessert—whipped cream, honey, and hot fudge all beg to be eaten off your favorite parts of each other’s bodies. Focus on all of the sounds, sights, and tastes of your sensual dinner together.

Remember, keep it light. You want your energy to go into foreplay and sex, not digesting. Take your time cooking and preparing the food together—all the while paying attention to your sense. It might be fun to set up an indoor picnic somewhere comfortable. Put a blanket on the floor and set it with plates, but no silverware so you have to use your hands to eat. Surround yourself with candles to make the mood right. If you’re really daring, you could even cook and eat while you are naked!

Even when you don’t make a night of sensual eating, learning to savor your food has real benefits. It is yet another way to stir up the senses and get closer to the physical pleasures of the body.

This article is an excerpt from Dr. Laura Berman’s recently released book titled The Passion Prescription. Dr. Berman is the nation’s leading sex therapist. For more information, visit www.drlauraberman.com.