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Eating is one of our greatest sensory pleasures. Not only does it help us relax and unwind, serve as the center of domestic and social
gatherings - it provides the fuel for our bodies.
We can cite medical evidence showing that happy people live longer, therefore, pleasurable experiences from the moderate use of food, wine, coffee, soft drinks and, of course, chocolate can
only be beneficial.
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To get right down to the science of it with our favorite food, studies have shown that the consumption of chocolate helps make a person
more clear-headed and tranquil.
For instance: three standard-size milk chocolate pieces improve clear-headedness by a minimum of 30%.
Researchers have found that chocolate has trace levels of anandamide, ∓ a substance that mildly mimics the effect of marijuana by acting on the same
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receptors in the brain.Other substances in chocolate prevent the natural
breakdown of anandamide, making the "high" even more effective. The high may not be nearly as intense as that of marijuana, but neither is it as dangerous.
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Marvelous and luscious chocolate also improves mood by causing or increasing the release of endorphins, natural opiates in the brain that reduce pain - the same chemicals that are released
during exercise and create "runner's high."
AND chocolate increases levels of serotonin, which alleviates depression.
Our final plug for chocoate: it contains significant amounts of phenol, a chemical found in wine, which reduces the risk of
heart disease by preventing the formation of plaques in coronary arteries. One-and-a-half ounces of milk chocolate contain as much phenol as a five-ounce glass of red wine. And speaking of science. We all know about the male anatomy and the physiological phenomenon explaining the quickest way to a man's
heart (through the stomach - in case you've been living on Pluto for the last twenty years).
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And we DO remember the movies "Tom Jones" and "Nine and ½ Weeks" and if we don't, we should order them online immediately, watch them and we'll never look at
food the same again.
Another experience that could provide us with an entirely new food attitude, is the aphrodisiac menu from Salon
magazine.
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Here are a few more great places to check out:
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Epicurious Food
Their site is loaded with every type of recipe imaginable in every category of cooking and cooking-related information. Holiday and seasonal, ethnic, health food, desserts,
etiquette, kitchen equipment, vintage cookbooks, best wine producers, and on and on. Metric equivalents, herb and spice chart - and for the gourmetically-challenged - a dictionary of
cooking terms and a wine dictionary.The Cooking
Couple
Recipes for romance, food news and views, books, restaurants, and (need we say more) Aphrodisiacs A - Z.All Recipes
This site is aptly named. It seems like it has every recipe in the universe. All categorized - international, main dishes, soups, appetizers, desserts, special diets. AND you
can search on one ingredient like "lime" and it will display hundreds of recipes containing lime. Also a recipe exchange.SOAR
Searchable Online Archive of Recipes - 67,087 recipes currently indexed.Diabetic
Gourmet
Loads of good recipes and up to date information for diabetics.
Find fabulous Aphrodisiac Recipes!!! like - Oysters with Apple Mignonette
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 Shari's Berries
Absolutely fabulous gourmet chocolate-dipped strawberries and chocolate dipped cookies...
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