Song of the Week: Sex and Candy

Quote of the Week: Pastrami

"I find pastrami to be the most sensual of all the salted cured meats."

--Vivian, Seinfeld

Food Porn

“The human body reacts in very similar ways when anticipating food and sex. Capillaries swell, lips and membranes become engorged, saliva thickens, and the pulse rises. It’s no accident that the two pleasures have become confused.”

–Anthony Bourdain 

Food and sex so easily go hand in hand. The desire for sex can be likened to one’s appetite for food. The acts of eating and sex both cause pleasure, but one can only be temporarily satiated. After the immediate satisfaction of a decadent meal or delicious orgasm, eventually you’re going to want more.

But somehow the enjoyment of food is not only a first person experience but has developed into a form of voyeurism. And when participating in a voyeuristic activity, it somehow seems less dirty to watch people eating on screen than to watch them screwing. Rather than watching sex porn and getting ideas for new sexual positions, instead we read about or watch people engage with food and get new ideas for the kitchen.

Food porn, as Bourdain defines it, is “the vicarious enjoyment of people doing things on screen or in books that you yourself are not likely to be doing anytime soon.” It can be people reading or writing about food in substitute of sex. It can be looking at sensual pictures of food or watching people on television cook, eat, and talk about food that you’re probably never going to eat or experience. Either way, food and sex meld together into one beautiful entity.

Perhaps we enjoy reading about and watching others enjoy food because we know that good food can often lead to good sex. Many foods that are considered aphrodisiacs have been proven to prime the body for sex, such as oysters and dark chocolate (two of my favorite foods by the way). And this is nothing new. History brims with the recognition of connections between food and sex.

Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony John Winthrop, writing in the early seventeenth century, wrote that “finding that the variety of meates drawes me on to eate more than standeth with my healthe, I have resolved not to eate of more then 2 dishes at any one meale, whither fish, flesh, fowle or fruit or whittmeat etc.” Because Winthrop found himself tempted to continue in pleasures of the flesh after a large meal he attempted to approach each meal with moderation. But what were the pleasures of the flesh that tempted him afterward? A good Puritan wouldn’t have written explicitly about sex, even in a personal journal, but it doesn’t take a big leap of the imagination to surmise what would be going on in the bedroom after Winthrop bolstered himself with a variety of meats.

Similarly, this scene from the film adaptation of Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones, written in 1749, shows how the enjoyment of food can quickly lead to sex:
 

Bringing it up to the modern day, we have an entire television network devoted just to food, and now several other networks have food-themed shows. The Food Network takes attractive (think Giada De Laurentiis) people and places them in shiny, perfect kitchens, provides them with props and toys (I mean utensils), and gives them a plethora of ingredients that they can do whatever they want with. While the cook prepares the food a series of up-close shots usually occur—yeah, get a shot of that ruby red meat, luscious strawberries, or sensual whipped cream. After it’s all prepared, here comes the climax. The excited cook raises a fork to his or her mouth, gushes with pleasure, perhaps even gives a little groan, and consumes the food. Oh yeah…that’s heavenly, she might exclaim, unable to control herself as her cheeks flush, eyes close, and a smile spreads across her face. It’s kind of a surprise there’s no bow-chica-bow-wow music in the background. 

Is this preoccupation with food reflective of our particular culture or is it just a part of human nature to seek out pleasure? Perhaps it is quite normal for people to seek out pleasure, but it manifests in our culture, not to be promiscuous but to eat and drink well. And when we can’t, we can turn to shows or writings on food to fill our appetite.

As someone who writes several times a week about food, it makes me wonder if my blog is nothing more than food porn. And if this blog is truly an exercise in food porn…does that make me a porn star?

Succulent Tongue Coulis

If you think that grad students just sit around, drink coffee, and talk about post-modernism and Jacques Derrida (aka Jacques La-di-da), then you're wrong. We know how to have fun...fun with magnetic poetry at least. 

Here's what happened when I put foodie magnetic poetry up on the fridge. Of course, I kicked it off with "savor oyster love," but some people took it to a whole new level... 

Quote of the Week: Great Food

"Great food is like great sex. The more you have the more you want."

--Gael Greene

Aphrodisiac Foods

Throughout human history people have sought out foods believed to increase potency, fertility, and sexual desires. Encyclopedia Britannica defines aphrodisiacs as “any of various forms of stimulation though to arouse sexual excitement. Aphrodisiacs may be classified in two principal groups: (1) psycho-physiological (visual, tactile, olfactory, aural) and (2) internal (stemming from food, alcoholic drinks, drugs, love potions, medical preparations).In celebration of Valentine’s Day, let’s take a look at some foods commonly known as aphrodisiacs.

Although many foods are believed to be aphrodisiacs, few have been proven to actually increase sexual desire. However, that doesn’t mean that they can’t add a little excitement in the bedroom. One thing to avoid is certainly heavy foods—if you have the itis (the drowsy feeling after a large meal), getting aroused won’t be exactly easy. Another thing to remember is that while a glass or two of champagne or wine can increase blood flow and lower inhibitions, too much can make you, well, wasted, and unless you’re a freshman in college, overindulging in alcohol is probably not the best way to heat things up with your partner.

There are a few main reasons why certain foods have been identified as aphrodisiacs. One is the visual aspect of the food—some foods, such as asparagus, avocado, oysters, and figs, have long been associated with the shape of male and female genitalia. Other foods were believed to increase fertility, and still others to enhance sexual desire. Some foods simply feel and taste sensual.

Basil is one food believed to both increase sexual excitement and fertility. It is also believed to create a general sense of wellbeing.
Chocolate is one the most famous of all aphrodisiacs, and it was referred to by the Aztecs as the “nourishment of the Gods.” Women around the world fall head over heels for chocolate, making it a classic Valentine’s Day and anniversary gift. It has been proven that chocolate releases feel-good chemicals in the brain, and in large doses is supposed to mimic the emotions of being in love. Unfortunately, the dose needed to create this sensation is much more than is physically possible to ingest. Well, we can dream. Dark chocolate, which has less sugar and dairy than milk chocolate, is definitely the better choice as an aphrodisiac. It also pairs nicely with a sexy red wine.


Despite garlic’s association with causing odorous breath, it is also known as an aphrodisiac. This particular food earns a spot on the list due to its intense flavor known to “heat” up sexual desire. The key with this one is that both partners should eat, and only in small doses.


Ginger, another stimulating flavor, is known to add a kick to your circulatory system, which increases blood flow to all the best regions of the body. Try making a cup of ginger tea with a little honey for sweetness or feed each other slices of crystallized ginger to stimulate the senses.


Oysters—my favorite aphrodisiac—have been known as a sex enhancing food since at least the second century by the Romans. They are believed to resemble the female genitalia, and legend has it that Casanova ate 50 oysters a day. And oysters simply feel sexy sliding down the throat. While oysters have not been scientifically proven as an aphrodisiac, sharing a plate of oysters and a glass of champagne with your honey can certainly add a little romance to any date.


Wine is another classic aphrodisiac. It increases blood flow, stimulates the senses, and relaxes the mind. Bringing a bottle of wine into the bedroom is certainly sexy, but again, try to avoid it in excess, unless, of course, you actually want to fall asleep.


In addition to the foods described above, other aphrodisiacs include almonds, vanilla, bananas, carrots, pineapple, truffles, raspberries, nutmeg, licorice, and fennel, among others. However you choose to spend this Valentine’s Day, I hope you get a chance to indulge in some of these sexy treats. And remember, bringing food into the bedroom can only add to the romance!

Check out this video for more commentary on aphrodisiac foods: