Aphrodisiac. The sound of the word hardly conjures the meaning of it. Say it out loud and it sounds more like a cold remedy than a sexy love potion.
But for eons, all sorts of food — and drink — have been thought to lure us into love. From oysters to chocolate (don’t forget the ground rhinoceros horn), aphrodisiacs have helped us get in the mood. Food writer Sharon Tyler Herbst said, “Almost every food has at one time or another been touted as an aphrodisiac (with the possible exception of rutabagas).”
I’d actually argue for the rutabagas. But the real question is: Do these love foods actually work?
“They absolutely work,” food historian and writer Francine Segan said. “In modern times, we use drugs for sexual enhancement. But in ancient times, they made these kinds of ‘drugs’ from food.”
Scientists have argued for years that foods thought to enhance sexual performance merely rely on the placebo effect: If you think it’s working, it is. Segan’s argument that the suggestive quality some foods have — either visually (think oysters and asparagus), texturally (think oysters and chocolate) or how they are eaten (think oysters and figs) — is enough proof that indeed, these foods enhance how we feel about love and lovemaking, which in turn, enhances mood and performance.
Have a variety of these foods on hand for Valentine’s Day, and all you’ll have left to do is cue up Marvin Gaye.
So which foods are considered modern aphrodisiacs? Artichokes, asparagus, strawberries, chocolate and garlic top the list. So do avocados, figs and sparkling wines. But no food tops the oyster, it seems, for its evocative qualities. Isadora Duncan touted them as the food of Aphrodite; indeed, in some versions of the myth, the goddess of love purportedly arrived in Greece on an oversize oyster shell.
This Sunday, get your shuck on and saddle up to a dozen oysters or so. On the half shell, broiled or fried, they’re not hard to prepare, and the benefits are, well, hard to resist.
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Scott Serpas’ Flash-Fried Oysters
Hands on: (not including shucking time) 10 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Serves: 3
Chef-owner Scott Serpas uses hefty gulf oysters for the famous flash-fried oysters he serves with Louisiana-style pickled mirliton (the Cajun and creole word for chayote) at his restaurant, Serpas True Food. Malpeques or blue points are good substitutes. Serpas uses a flash fryer. A Presto Fry Daddy deep fryer or skillet will work at home.
12 ounces corn flour or corn meal
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 dozen shucked gulf oysters
Corn oil
In a large bowl, mix together the corn flour, chili powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cornstarch and salt. Dredge each oyster though the mixture. Set aside. Heat a heavy skillet with about ¼ inch corn oil, or follow the directions on a deep fryer for frying.
Fry the oysters at 350 degrees for 1 minute; or, if frying in a skillet, let each oyster brown on one side, then turn. Remove from the fryer or skillet and place on paper towels to drain.
Arrange on a plate and garnish with Creole Tartar Sauce (see recipe) and Pickled Mirliton, if desired.
Per serving: 411 calories (percent of calories from fat, 28), 8 grams protein, 67 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams fiber, 13 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 18 milligrams cholesterol, 3,820 milligrams sodium.
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Oysters Rockefeller
Hands on: (not including shucking time) 15 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Serves: 6 appetizers (4 oysters per person)
The rich, buttery New Orleans classic gets a twist with the addition of perky cilantro.
2 cloves garlic
2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach
1 cup cilantro
1/2 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 pound rock salt
24 fresh oysters, shucked, shells reserved
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to broil. In a food processor, process the garlic, spinach, cilantro and onions until fine. Add the butter, bread crumbs and hot pepper sauce and process until well blended.
Sprinkle rock salt over a large baking sheet to a depth of 1/2 inch. Arrange oysters in half shells on top of the rock salt. Top each oyster with 1 tablespoon of the spinach mixture. Sprinkle each oyster with cheese. Broil until spinach mixture browns on top, about 8 minutes.
Per serving: 312 calories (percent of calories from fat, 75), 8 grams protein, 12 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 27 grams fat (16 grams saturated), 86 milligrams cholesterol, 530 milligrams sodium.
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Creole Tartar Sauce
Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 10 minutes Serves: 6
2 cups mayonnaise
¼ cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons creole mustard or hot mustard
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons capers
Salt to taste
In a medium stainless steel or glass bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, red onion, lemon juice, mustard, sugar, capers and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Per serving: 559 calories (percent of calories from fat, 94), 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 63 grams fat (9 grams saturated), 26 milligrams cholesterol, 520 milligrams sodium.
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Pickled Mirliton
Hands on: 45 minutes Total time: 4 hours, 45 minutes Serves: 6 to 8
1 chayote squash
3 tablespoons diced red onion
1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and sliced into thin rings
½ teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons white vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
In a small pot, boil the chayote in enough water to cover for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Peel and dice the chayote into small pieces. In a small bowl, add the chayote, red onion, Anaheim pepper, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let the mixture marinate at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours.
Per serving: 113 calories (percent of calories from fat, 87), 1 gram protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 11 grams fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 2 milligrams sodium.
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Broiled Strawberries
Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Serves: 6
After an oyster fest, serve these warm strawberries over vanilla ice cream to keep the mood going. Drizzle with warm, dark chocolate sauce, if desired.
2 dozen stemmed strawberries, sliced in half
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
Preheat oven to broil. Place halved strawberries on a baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart.
Combine the brown sugar and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the strawberries. Broil until the sugar melts and begins to bubble, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Per 2-strawberry serving: 55 calories (percent of calories from fat, 1), trace protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, trace fat (no saturated), no cholesterol, 2 milligrams sodium.
