Table Talk by: Tamara Kaye Sellman

Aphrodisiacs: are they real, or are they the products of old wives’ tales?

The jury’s still out as to whether certain substances, when consumed, really do improve one’s libido, especially in the category of common foods used as romantic stimulants. The power of positive thinking can go a long way to improving one’s sex life, in and of itself; therefore, the suggestion of sharing aphrodisiac meals might be all a couple needs to get in the mood.

However, it’s still rather fun to think of certain foods as lending additional support to you or your loved one’s ability to be aroused. It’s widely assumed that chocolate and oysters have romantic qualities to them, based on their particular chemistries, along with long-held beliefs in their aphrodisiacal properties. Would it matter if science debunked those claims? Probably not. People who love chocolate and oysters are still going to connect their cravings for these foods with sexual performance.

Chemists who study the various nutritional properties of foods do give several foods, including chocolate and oysters, a thumbs up based on laboratory evidence that a bon-bon here or an oyster shooter there does, in fact, stimulate the libido, improve blood circulation, and arouse sexual desire through the glands.

Perhaps appropriately, many of these foods also resemble the various reproductive organs of both men and women.

The avocado is one case in point. Let’s face it; the avocado, when cut open, has a distinctly “female” resemblance. The Aztecs referred to the avocado plant as the “testicle tree” due to the fact that the fruits hung in pairs from the tree’s limbs. Whether this is true or not, consider what nutritionists have know for a while: The avocado is higher in beta carotene, potassium, protein, magnesium, folic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin K per ounce than any other fruit.  A power-packed fruit with such a rich, creamy flavor and suggestive look to it has got to do something good for the ol’ sex drive.

Enhancement of sexual organs is one of the reasons why the herb, fenugreek, was used so frequently in ancient times. Women who consume fenugreek are thought to enjoy larger, rounder breasts and to be more productive with nursing. Chinese herbalists still use fenugreek to help with male reproductive issues and kidney disorders (the Chinese believe the kidneys are the storehouse for sexual energy). Fenugreek also contains the natural steroid, diosgenin, which helps the human body to initially synthesize sex hormones. And who wants a lover with bad breath? If they drink a tea of fenugreek seed or chew on the seeds themselves, they’ll naturally freshen their breath. Who could argue that fresh breath is better for kissing?

For people who want to eat a seasonally sensual dinner, asparagus is a great choice in late winter and early spring. Forget its obviously phallic resemblance: asparagus contains tons of nutrition and is known to increase circulation for both the genital and urinary systems. It’s also credited for increasing mother’s milk, soothing menstrual cramps, and boosting one’s vitality.  Why not “get some” while asparagus is on sale this spring?

Let’s not forget the predominance of figs in ancient culture to suggest fertility. It all started in Eden, with Adam and Eve, adorned only in fig leaves. A raw fig in the hand certainly can feel like and resemble a testicle. Slice open a fig and you’ll see there’s no denying its suggestion of all things female. Figs are nutritious little treasures as well and have a creamy, perfumed sweetness that’s perfect for a romantic meal, especially when drizzled with honey, another food valued for its aphrodisiacal properties. Honey, after all, is a kind of superfood all its own, proven to enhance physical stamina by providing the body with a slow and steady release of energy.

Other surprise foods that can improve one’s love life include arugula (its spicy, phallic-shaped blades clear the mind and add robust amounts of minerals and vitamins to the diet, all essential for priming one’s sex life); almonds (which have properties that can help treat sexual dysfunction as well as have a positive aromatherapeutic affect on women’s sexual arousal); eggs (of every variety: from chicken ova to caviar, eggs are rich in protein and zinc, which is especially useful for getting that blood flowing); vanilla (studies show it has a positive aromatherapeutic affect on men’s arousal); and ginger (scientifically proven to stimulate sexual performance, thanks to the way it enhances the body’s circulation).

It’s safe to assume that most nutritiously dense foods lend themselves to better sexual health: after all, it’s not just a healthy relationship that keeps two people together, but good mental and physical health as well. So whatever you eat for dinner on Valentine’s Day, your wedding night, your anniversary, or at any other romantic interlude, make sure it’s fresh, healthy, and nutritious—the ultimate definition of sexy.

Bio: Tamara Kaye Sellman is a creative writing coach and developmental editor living in Bainbridge Island, WA. She writes the blog, BuzzFood: Feed The Obsession (http://buzzfood.blogspot.com).

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Table Talk

by Tamara Kaye Sellman

Occasionally I perform what’s called a “slow fast” after the holidays. After weeks of consuming extra sugar, fat, and meats that I don’t normally eat, as well as omitting certain good foods, like fresh produce, beans and grains that I normally do eat, I can’t wait to clean out my pipes for the New Year.

I call it a “slow fast” because it’s not really a fast in the medical sense. I mean, I still eat. Hence the tongue-in-cheek “slow” reference. But I’ve tried those cleansing fasts and the low-carb fasting prescribed by the Atkins diet and just found that my life is too full to build a personal crash into the schedule. And that’s what would happen to me, as it would for many: I’d simply lose my energy and my patience and then I’d probably just overeat to compensate for it all.

A “slow fast” does help to put the brakes on the metabolic downshift that takes place between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. I start thinking less about dishes and recipes and more about whole foods and food groups as the building blocks of meals. And I factor in water and herbal tea, which I typically replace with high-calorie beverages like sparkling juices and lattes at the height of the season.

The whole point is to retrain the palate, in my opinion. This is not a medical fast, not something I would prescribe to anyone with diet-related ailments. And it’s not a spiritual fast: January is a working period for me and just getting in a round or two of solid yoga over the week is about all I can realistically expect from myself. No, the “slow fast” is the way that I recover my palate so that I begin to crave, again, the whole foods I generally love throughout the year: the fresh herbs, the crunchy tree fruit, the simple vegetable-based soups, the whole grain salads and greens galore.

Today I offer tips for making the “slow fast” work. It’s really not so hard!

1. I cut quantities by about half of what I would normally eat. This is a no brainer; when I eat less (but enough), my body responds by feeling better. Portion sizes are always large in a household where you like your own cooking!
2. I lead slowly into the “slow fast.” This means transitioning in portion sizes and food types for five days before having one good empty diet day comprised mostly of water and soup. Then I follow up with five more days of transition. By that time, I don’t need larger portions and I start to crave the good stuff again.
3. Don’t leave out protein. I used to think that cutting out meat was a good idea, but it turns out I’m a person who needs animal protein in order to feel energized. Only, not so much. Protein choices I opt for during a “slow fast” include eggs, beans, fish, very lean poultry, and tofu or soy products. Plain unsalted nuts add crunch to the diet as well and go well with salads; toast them ahead of time!
4. Drink at least 8 ounces of clear liquid per meal as well as in between meals (this means water and tea). Liquid is a placeholder in the stomach. Also, a lot of the times that we think we are hungry are actually times when we are dehydrated.
5. Have six small meals rather than three big ones. I know that, for myself, the regulating of blood sugar through smaller healthy snacking works really well to stave off my appetite and keep me alert throughout the day.
6. Opt for raw fruits and vegetables first and leave out processed foods almost entirely. I know, it’s cold in January and a raw apple just doesn’t sound as good as a slice of carryout pizza… but I’ve heated up good clear broths (chicken, vegetable or miso) and added chopped raw vegetables to them with some brown rice (see #7) and fresh herbs and found that really satisfying. Also, simple salads of greens, lemon juice, olive oil (see #8) and seasonings, with the addition of chopped fresh fruits and vegetables, make for really yummy lunch meals.
7. Limit the carbohydrates to those with fiber in them. Oatmeal is good (though difficult to enjoy without sugar and milk—see #9—so I use agave nectar, cinnamon and raisons), as is whole-wheat pasta and, my favorite, brown rice. Quinoa is also an excellent source of protein. Of course, raw fruits and vegetables are fiber rich; I pre-cut several favorites to have on hand as speedy snacks.
8. Don’t cut out oil. Cut out kinds of oil. I mostly use olive and grapeseed or safflower oil during a slow fast. Your body needs fat to metabolize certain fat-soluble vitamins, plus your brain will appreciate the boost.
9. Be wary of dairy. I love dairy products, don’t get me wrong! But it’s easy to turn to them for a quick calorie fix; even so, I don’t often feel that much better afterward. If I do drink milk, it’s 100% skim. Same for yogurt (and I choose organic, and plain over flavored). I will opt for sweetened kefir (I can’t tolerate it plain) because of its rich probiotics; it may have more calories but my body will thank me later. But aside from these options, I forestall dairy until after the fast.
10. Use salt, pepper… all the seasonings and aromatics on hand. Also fair game: salsa, hot sauce, vinegar, and other condiments with low amounts of sugar in them, as unprocessed as possible. If I crave something sweet, I add chopped fruit to whatever I’m making. The fact is, after a couple of days of the “slow fast,” I notice that everything is naturally sweet and actually struggle to find more savory options. Using seasonings and flavorings goes a long way to bring variety to the “slow fast.”

Maybe these ideas will inspire you, maybe they won’t. Hey, I’m no nutritionist: what do I know except through trial and error and secondary research? So take these tips under advisement; what works for me may not work for you.  What I do know is this: every time I do my “slow fast,” I feel better. Much better. Alive and ready for the spring!

Bio: Tamara Kaye Sellman is a creative writing coach and developmental editor living in Bainbridge Island, WA. She writes the blog, BuzzFood: Feed The Obsession (http://buzzfood.blogspot.com).

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Supermarket Survey

by Tamara Kaye Sellman

It’s the dark days of winter that I become the most impatient with cooking. Those stews and roasts and root vegetables and bean dishes I craved back in the fall have given way to the blah that comes from a lack of green foods in the diet. By January I’m ready for spring eating: baby lettuces, asparagus, peas, and fresh herbs. Luckily, I’ve been able to find a few seasonings at the grocery store that can breathe new life into winter foods with their bright, savory flavors: achiote, yuzu and za’atar. These ingredients, typically found in the ethnic departments of grocery stores, add just enough zing and zip to day-to-day dinners to keep the table interesting and the palate satisfied until the fresh flavors of spring can officially bloom.

• Achiote.

You might find a bottle of this paste or sauce in the Hispanic section of your grocery story. Achiote refers to the seed from which a ground powder and natural food color, annatto, is derived. The flavor of annatto seed is slightly sweet and peppery with a hint of nutmeg in it. It might be compared to paprika. It’s commonly used to add flavoring and color to dishes prepared in the Mexican, South American and Jamaican culinary traditions. Achiote comes in the form of dried seeds, paste, or oil. It does have a permanent staining quality, like beets, so be careful while using it. Rarely, some people are sensitive to achiote; if you are using it for the first time, be wary of this fact.

Achiote pastes and oils can flavor a whole host of roasted meats during the dark months of winter, adding lots of zip and color. Pulled pork, shredded beef, and grilled fish are all enhanced with the addition of achiote. If you find it in a brick form, mash a little into a paste with some olive oil and cider vinegar before using. For marinades, combine it with fresh lime juice and garlic with a small amount of chopped cilantro, then apply to the meat you’d like to prepare. For cozy dishes like saffron rice, black beans, and hearty soups, just stir the paste itself right into the mixture, a little at a time, until you achieve the desired flavor. The Mexican dish, Arroz con Pollo (chicken with rice) gets its nice saffrony color and flavor for achiote. Here’s an easy recipe I’d recommend using with roasted chicken.

Honey Achiote Glaze for Roasting

1 teaspoon achiote paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups honey
2 tablespoons water

Combine achiote paste with salt and honey. Thin down with water to achieve a glazing consistency. Use on any meat you’d like to slow roast (beef, ham, pork, chicken, turkey).

Makes enough to apply to any average roast serving a family of four

• Yuzu.

If you’re looking for something with a bright, acidic flavor to cut the richness and heaviness of winter foods, look no further. Yuzu is a sour citrus fruit from Japan that, while rare to find fresh and whole in the US, can be found as a bottled juice or paste, as an enhancement in rice vinegar, and as a powder at any grocery store with a good Asian food section. Often yuzu juice is most available when sold as ponzu in this section. Ponzu is a combination of wine, vinegar, bonito, seaweed and yuzu juice.

Why would you choose the flavor of yuzu? Yuzu captures a little bit of both the lemon and lime flavors and, because it has a lighter finish when compared to vinegar, yuzu adds a nice brightness to dishes. Yuzu is a frequent accompaniment salad dressings, marinades, soups, cold noodle salads, tempura and sushi. This easy side dish goes well with teriyaki meats.

Simple Japanese-style Coleslaw

2 tablespoons shredded daikon radish

Salt
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1 small onion, minced

1 medium carrot, shredded

3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 or more tablespoons Japanese ponzu sauce

Black sesame seeds, toasted

Place shredded daikon radish in a fine mesh colander; sprinkle with salt and set aside 15 minutes to draw out the radish’s bitter juices. Rinse and drain daikon, then combine with shredded and minced vegetables in medium bowl. Stir in mayonnaise and ponzu sauce, added ponzu a little at a time, until desired flavor is achieved. Garnish with toasted black sesame seeds.

• Za’atar seasoning.

It doesn’t happen often that I find a new seasoning mix that I really like, not when I’ve tried practically everything there is to try that can be found in the US. I came across za’atar while I was in New York a few years ago and am pleased to now find it making appearances in upscale grocery stores as well (and definitely at European grocers where Middle Eastern foods are sold). This spice blend combines some familiar flavors—thyme, oregano, salt, and sesame—with one flavor that isn’t so familiar to the American palate: sumac. Sumac is a common Middle Eastern (and North American) flowering bush which presents drupes that can be dried and ground and used as flavoring. The powder is reddish and it leaves a lemony and golden hue when used in cooking.

Traditionally, za’atar is mixed with oil and served with bread in Middle Eastern fashion. It can also be sprinkled onto bread before toasting the bread to infuse it with flavor. It’s also widely used to season meat mixtures and goes very well with roasted chicken. You can also stir it into Middle Eastern yogurt or hummus for a zippy flavor boost. I really love this flavor; it’s bright, mouthwatering, and earthy all at once.

Here’s a quick and easy traditional appetizer (even served at breakfast in the Middle East) that you might want to conjure to go with some hummus and pitas for the next social gathering.

Warm Spiced Olives

2 cups olives (avoid California black olives; go for kalamatas, the larger green olives with the pits, or even the tiny Nicoise—most any of the olives at your grocer’s olive bar will do, and you might even throw in a few peppers or garlic, if you like!)

½ cup good quality olive oil

3 tablespoons za’atar herb mix

Rinse the olives and pat them dry with a paper towel. Place them with the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the olive oil begins to simmer, cook the olives for 10 minutes. Stir in the za’atar and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm as an accompaniment to hummus and pita bread pieces.

Bio: Tamara Kaye Sellman is a creative writing coach and developmental editor living in Bainbridge Island, WA. She writes the blog, BuzzFood: Feed The Obsession (http://buzzfood.blogspot.com).

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Table Talk

by Tamara Kaye Sellman

How many Pampered Chef® parties can one attend before exhausting their interest in the company’s products?

I attended a Pampered Chef® party most recently last summer. From that gathering, I purchased a bamboo cutting board, a smaller all-purpose cutting board, and a jar-opening gadget for my mother in law.

That was, by far, the smallest order I’ve ever placed with them.

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Pampered Chef® came into being in 1980 when home economist Doris Christopher of Addison, IL decided that home cooks deserved to work with professional-quality kitchen tools like their food service and hospitality counterparts.  She developed an inventory of over 70 kitchen essentials and took her demonstrations on the road via the direct sales strategy: the hosted party otherwise known as The Kitchen Show®.  Judging by sales figures alone, she hit the jackpot: In 1980, Christopher earned almost $7,000 in sales, but four years later, sales topped $500,000. By the end of its first decade, Pampered Chef® boasted $10 million in sales and a 50% expansion to the product line. If this sounds like a feminized Horatio Alger story, it is: Christopher was awarded the Horatio Alger Award from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans in 2006.
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In the last eight years, I have purchased many Pampered Chef® products: ceramic and metal bakeware, oven-safe skillets, serving cutlery, griddles, knives, mixing bowls, storage containers, serving caddies, juicers, presses, spatulas, cake decorating tools, mandolins, lidded prep bowls, hand choppers, molds, and measuring devices of all kinds.

Naturally, as the rep totaled by sales for last summer’s event, she asked me if I would host a future party. My knee-jerk reply is always Yes, partly because who wants to say No to the lovely Pampered Chef® rep and, well, why not schedule a reason in advance to invite your friends over for food and fun?

Well, I’ve already hosted two parties, attended at least 3 others that I can remember, as well as held a catalog-only show to raise money for charity. And one of the parties I hosted was that particular rep’s last party, so she gave me a couple hundred bucks worth of free merchandise she wouldn’t have to process it afterward. At this point, I don’t think I could personally benefit from hosting another party… not given the size my current, burgeoning batterie de cuisine.

Besides that, the products I already own have lasted many years, with only a couple needing replacement (I lost a pie server sleeve once and broke a foaming soap dispenser). Certainly I evangelize the company’s quality catalog items for the simple reason that they really do last long, work well, and are guaranteed.

But occasionally I find myself wondering: Hmmm, I could use a bacon press, or A gravy separator would come in handy about now, or This salad spinner I own is too big for the small jobs… And then I wonder if it really is time to host another party.

I try so hard not to be a conspicuous consumer. I don’t need a bacon press, a gravy separator or a smaller salad spinner. I can achieve all of those cooking goals without buying new gadgets.  But Christmas is just around the corner, and there’s no better time to host a cookware party than right in the middle of the biggest consumer season of the year…Right?

Decisions, decisions.

I said No, ultimately, because my holiday schedule just won’t permit me the time a party would require. Still, I can’t help feeling disappointed by my own willpower and sense of practicality. I’m not much of a window shopper, and all those glorious, hard-working tools on display in someone’s home kitchen tend to take on a glow like no other. That is the siren song of direct sales cookware.

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I attended my first Pampered Chef party at a friend’s house before I hosted my own. This is the way it’s usually done. You get one friend to host a party and then they get their friends to host separate parties and so on. (Viral marketing is not limited only to the Internet, after all.)

Now, I’ve always been suspicious of private sales parties. I may come from a long line of Avon® reps, but I was also a child of the 70s, when all sorts of pyramid sales schemes promised to make people rich, but didn’t. I went to that first party because I was new to the neighborhood, not because I was in the market for cookware.

Keep in mind, I was also a child during the height of the Tupperware® party crazy. I’d only ever seen the fun things my own mother brought home. The colorful burping storage containers. The plastic pitchers, Popsicle forms and carry-alls that help you transport deviled eggs to someone’s house without ruining them. Tupperware® was a marvel of modern life that brought my mother and her friends a kind of domestic bliss that, say, doing the laundry or mopping the kitchen floor never did.

I don’t think it would be a stretch to suggest that Pampered Chef® parties from the 80s have been, for my generation, the Tupperware® parties of my mother’s generation. Would that be so bad? From an anti-conspicuous consumer perspective, probably. I don’t need anything else for my kitchen, after all.

But wait! I could always donate my sales back to the organization to end poverty (Feeding America®), fight cancer (American Cancer Society®), or build strong families (The Pampered Chef® Family Resiliency Program).

You know, the guys in the neighborhood play poker all the time for charity. Why not gather my gal pals for the food, friendship and fun of Pampered Chef® and do the same thing? (I make no guarantees that I won’t be buying a bacon press after all. I’m just sayin’…)

Bio: Tamara Kaye Sellman is a creative writing coach and developmental editor living in Bainbridge Island, WA. She writes the blog, BuzzFood: Feed The Obsession (http://buzzfood.blogspot.com).

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