Food bloggers’ potluck

On Wednesday night, four food bloggers gathered for a delicious potluck. The theme was Valentine’s Day and aphrodisiacs had been thrown about in discussion. If you have a mind anywhere near the gutter, the dishes present all had sexy connotations.

I recently saw a close up of a mussel on Instagram which could have been R18 and probably redefines the term “food porn”. So I brought my current potluck go to: baked mayo-cheese mussels. I’ve never travelled with these mussels so my heart and mussels jumped every time my Uber hit a bump or turned a sharp corner. The mussels went sliding around in their tray, possessed. Luckily none escaped the plastic wrap and the topping stayed on.

As well as mussels, there were fresh oysters, satay sticks with greens, herbs and sauce by Carli from The Enthusiastic Cook, stuffed pasta shells with both smoked fish and a fascinating beet, beef and chocolate version by our host Maddy at Madicattt. Dessert was peach pie with dollops of cream by Bri from The Market. Kindred spirits understand that cameras eat first!

As per our last food bloggers’ potluck, there was more food than we could eat, even with an extra couple of hungry mouths to help. It was a fun evening and the wine was flowing. I got home after midnight – good going for a Wednesday night – and felt a little worse for wear when I got up for work 5 hours later. Self inflicted. No regrets.

Feeling sexy means feeling good

Most cuisines and cultures have aphrodisiacs and whether there is real science behind them or pure placebo effect, it can be fun to look upon aphrodisiacs this Valentine’s Day. An aphrodisiac is a food or drink that stimulates sexual desire. As well as aphrodisiacs that are known to change behaviour (half a bottle of wine can do it for some) desire can brought on by textural, visual or even aromatic triggers.

The most important thing about aphrodisiacs for Valentine’s day is that you choose foods that you enjoy eating. No point knocking back oysters if you have a shellfish allergy or simply can’t deal with the texture.

My favourite aphrodisiacs are:

• Seafood (particularly oysters)
• Chocolate
• Red wine

I’ve heard people say pizza is an aphrodisiac, but I must be doing it wrong because getting frisky is the last thing on my mind after a pizza feast. Food comas are not sexy. Although one seafood pizza, one chocolate dessert and bottle of wine shared between two people could be fairly romantic. If you’re both sharing types. OK, maybe my problem is that pizzas are plural at my house. We might share pizzas, but its 2 or 3 of them at a time. Not sexy.

Aphrodisiacs can just be romantic meals. A candlelit dinner at a restaurant or at home, or a picnic in a beautiful spot, or spaghetti and meatballs in a dark alleyway as per Lady and the Tramp.

How ever you celebrate Valentine’s Day, treat yourselves to something that makes you feel good, and don’t overeat if you intend on staying up.  😉

 

 

 

 

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This post is part of Our Growing Edge, a monthly blogging event to encourage bloggers to try new food related things.

The theme is LOVE IN ALL ITS FORMS and Chinelo from Good Cake Day is the host for this month’s event. If you have a blog and you are eating or cooking something new this month, click below to join. More information here.