You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?
Some food is just plain, well, sexy.
I’m talking about food that gets your blood pumping. That makes you sigh with pleasure.
So what is sexy food? In my (black) book, it’s food that is confident,sensual, special, tantalising, incredibly fresh, and seductive. But it can also be food that is charming, witty or clever – I’m thinking of some of our leadings chefs who devise meals to appeal to our senses of whimsy and humour as well as our tastebuds.
Put it this way: McDonalds is the opposite of sexy food. Don’t even go there. McDonalds has its place but that place is not on a date with you and your desired one.
Some sexy food is definitely better shared – two dozen just opened oysters, caviar with all the fixings, a seafood banquet.
But others can be enjoyed alone without any diminishment of pleasure – a single, perfect chocolate mousse, a gorgeously ripe mango, a bowl of strawberries or a stunning Vietnamese pho (beef noodle soup) come to mind.
It all comes down to how the food makes you feel. Remember that scene in the delicious Japanese film, Tampopo, in which a couple share a raw egg by dropping it into each other’s open mouths until the yolk breaks? Now I wouldn’t personally find that sexy. But judging from their sighs and moans, they certainly did.
So what should you cook if you’re trying to seduce that special someone? Well, first of all, you must take their personal preferences into consideration. There’s no point going all out on a killer prime steak if you’re cooking for a vegetarian. Similarly, check to see if they have any allergies before you surprise them. Raw oysters should make the eater swell with desire, not because they’re going into anaphylactic shock.
Assuming you’ve checked the above, this would be my menu for a special evening:
- Caviar with all the fixings – sensual, salty and very, very sexy.
- Risotto Marinara – Marinara is my ultimate pasta sauce, combining my favourite seafood – prawns, fish, mussels, squid and crab – with some of my favourite flavours – garlic, onions, tomatoes, basil, wine, black pepper and lemon. Unfortunately, fettucini et al can be a little messy to eat – there’s always the possibility that it might escape into your lap, a definite no no on a date. So I would make Risotto Marinara instead – easy to eat and with the added advantage of being gluten free (less likely to cause bloating).
- Rich chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries and mint leaves – is there a woman alive who doesn’t die for chocolate? And chocolate mousse is so damn velvety and seductive. The tart berries provide a stunning contrast while the mint leaves freshen the mouth and add some zing.
