Love Foods for Valentine's Day

The information for today's post comes from Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen. Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day (vomit, sez the single witch), I thought I would post some information on foods for love and yes, sex. That's right, s-e-x because, let's face it, V-D (ha ha) is made for gettin' it on.

Let's start with love first, shall we?

Spices and Herbs

Anise, basil, cardamom, chicory, cinnamon, clove, coriander, fennel, ginger, licorice, marjoram, poppy seed, rose, rosemary, thyme and

Vegetables

Beet, pea, rhubarb, sweet potato, tomato, truffle

Fruits and Seeds

apple, apricot, avocado, banana, carob, cherry, guava, lemon, lime, mango, nectarine, orange, papaya, passion fruit, peach, pineapple, quince, , strawberry, tamarind

Nuts

Brazil nut, chestnut, pine nut, pistachio

Fish


My Ideas: Strawberry-rhubarb pie, apple pie with ginger, cinnamon and cloves, fruit salad, roasted beets, baked or fried fish

Love Philtre (from Cunningham)
5 hazelnuts
1 teaspoon lavender flowers
1 clove
dash ginger
dash cinnamon

Place together in a mortar and pestle. While visualized, powder together. Add very small portions to food to increase love.


SEX! SEX! SEX! Now that I have your attention:

Herbs and Spices

Caraway, cardamom, coriander, licorice, parsley, peppermint, vanilla

Vegetables

Carrot, celery, endive, olive, sweet potato, truffle

Fruits

Blackberry, fig, mango

Nuts and Grains

Barley, sesame, rice

*For a complete list, see the book

Mango Upside-Down Sex Cake


2 cups ripe mangos, sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat over to 375 F / 190 C

As you slice the mangos, visualize yourself enjoying sexual activity. Place the sliced mangos in a bowl; pour lemon juice over them, toss and let stand for 15 minutes. Melt the butter in an 8-inch pan or casserole. Add the brow sugar; cover with a layer of the mango slices. In a bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar. Add the beaten egg. Sifting the dry ingredients, add alternately with the mlik. Pour the batter over the mangos. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until done. Let cool slightly, and then invert the pan over a plate.

I made this cake using all butter instead of shortening because shortening wasn't available to me at the time. I would also add a teaspoon of ground cardamom and/or cinnamon to this cake to increase passion.