This article from 2005 launched Jennifer’s new path of culinary inquiry: celebrating the sensual pleasures of food. She expanded upon it in the anthology Food and Philosophy: Eat, Think, and Be Merry with her essay “Food and Sensuality: A Perfect Pairing.”

***

“Never trust a woman who doesn’t like to eat. She is probably lousy in bed.”

This quote has been attributed to Italian director Federico Fellini. However, the source isn’t important — it’s the principle that matters. Implicit in its message is an understanding of how reverence for the act of eating can reveal the most sensual secrets of a female.

I am often amused at the reaction I get by expressing how closely food and sensuality are related. During a recent cooking class, I was enamored with the sight and texture of a decadent custard we had just prepared. As I drizzled the pearlescent yellow cream over a dish of succulent strawberries, I couldn’t help but to comment aloud, “This, right here, is sex on a plate.” There were some puzzled looks.

A few minutes later our chef instructor made a comment that was seemingly unrelated, but struck at the root of my sense of joy. Upon observing the creation of the dishes before us, he passionately exclaimed, “What else can satisfy you on so many levels?” Those who understood the connection offered me a conspiratorial smile; at that moment I knew which of the people in the room were expert lovers.

Think about it for a moment: Eating and sex may be the only two acts that evoke all of man’s senses simultaneously.

The sight of a peach evokes images of a woman’s delicate cheeks. The tickle of champagne on the tongue is as inviting as the touch of a lover’s fingertips. The sound of a succulent steak on the grill can inspire like the sigh of a lover swept away in a moment of passion. The very expression “mouth feel” evokes a whole new category of expression outside the world of wine tasting. Most importantly, scent attracts us like no other form of perception. It has been scientifically proven that men are most sexually aroused by the scent of cinnamon buns.

Some foods are legendary for their aphrodisiacal properties: oysters, for their resemblance of female anatomy; chocolate, for its stimulation of hormones; truffles, for their smell.

An evening of food exploration in Paris proved to me how powerful the sensory overload can be. I ventured into an Italian restaurant near my hotel and saw there was a cream soup with truffles on the menu, so I decided to indulge myself. I’m glad I was alone, for I had one of my most deeply personal realizations while eating that soup.

It has been said that truffles smell like sex. They do; but the extreme pleasure inherent in eating them goes far beyond smell. I sat smiling to myself as I savored each spoonful, experiencing a growing state of arousal I had never known could happen at the table. If the waiters happened to be observing, there is no doubt they could read exactly what was going through my mind.

Both eating and making love provide nourishment and satiation — living energy that is transformed. It is not surprising that some foods have been described as orgasmic. It is possible to swoon after experiencing a taste so sublime that one could die on the spot and be joyous for having had the good fortune to exist for that singular moment of pleasure.

Food can be a wonderful lover if you allow it to resonate within you and if you pay close attention to your body’s responses. A friend recently said to me, “I see expertly prepared cuisine as a lover that never disappoints. I embrace the pleasure she brings to my life; I sing her praises; I admire her. She is one of life’s greatest pleasures.” I’m trying not to think about how good he must be in bed.

There is also a state of joy to be found in the preparation of a dish. To a true sensualist, there is a depth of feeling evoked in the creation of edible art that stimulates a profound sense of exaltation; it is a feeling of intimate connection with the aesthetic and bodily pleasures shortly to be discovered. There is a powerful sense of urgency, a desire to unveil a world of unawakened pleasures.

I have often explained to my male friends the reasoning behind preparing a meal for a woman they want to seduce. This is not rocket science. Excite her palate, for then her body will come alive with the next phase of anticipation. If you are an awful cook, order really good takeout.

In lovemaking, sensualists experience an ethereal dance that is so intensely intimate, the body awakens nerve endings it may have never revealed prior to that moment. Eating can have the same deliriously heady effect. Even more significantly, both acts provide a deep sense of physical and spiritual nourishment.

I implore you to pay close attention to your next meal — hopefully it will be one worthy of the effort. Take a close look at the foods on your plate, and examine the juxtaposition of color and texture. Inhale deeply the aromas wafting from the dish. Take a bite and close your eyes, and observe the reactions of your body. Savor the moment, and anchor it deeply in your memory. You may notice a distinct difference the next time you make love.

Photo: Kelly Cline

Jennifer Iannolo is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Gilded Fork.

This article originally appeared on the Atlasphere.

Yes, I’ve been pretty quiet. As my body has adjusted to the past few weeks of living gluten-free, my mind and emotions have been on a pretty steep, twisty roller coaster. I’ve also been in LA with consulting clients, which involves a lot of dining out, so by Day 2 of this trip the most familiar words out of my mouth were “I can’t have that.”

Cue meltdown.

What do you do when your life revolves around food and drink, and said objects are suddenly the enemy? If you are like me, you go straight to DEFCON 1: Life sucks, I will never experience pleasure again andIhateeveryone. If you are fortunate like me, there are good friends standing by to talk you off the ledge, give you a hug and a pat on the butt. Then you breathe, regroup, and move along the path to wellness, even if one itty bitty little step at a time.

Though I was feeling great when I wrote my last post, that initial nirvana has subsided, and I now live in a cloud of uncertainty, never knowing what will happen with my body from one moment to the next. (This makes scheduling activities particularly interesting.) I’ve also found that gluten-free mixes, for the most part, make me violently ill within minutes. So the unfortunate next step is to eliminate all grains for a certain period, along with dairy, eggs — and my precious coffee.

I have begun to HATE dining in restaurants, because invariably the dish I want has one ingredient I can’t have, and is incorporated into a key component of the dish, so it can’t just be removed. Or the stuff I can have holds no appeal. Or even better, some servers just forget about the gluten-free thing altogether, so an accidental chunk of cookie in my whipped cream renders me doubled over in pain within an hour.

I’m really trying to be a trouper here, but this sucks in every possible way. I find myself in tears a lot.

It would be groovy if all my symptoms were gone and I could say, “Hey, it’s the gluten! No more pain!” But that isn’t the case. The searing leg cramps, the swelling, the stomach nightmares — they all still linger. So now comes the dreaded part, where we get rid of everything else that brings me pleasure. The other night, out of spite, I ate almost a whole tray of brownies because I was just so ANGRY. The next day was less than fun.

I’m not a hedonist by philosophy. I embrace the rational pursuit of my pleasures. Living my life well is incredibly important to me, so in the face of having my definition of that turned upside down, I’m reacting less than optimally. But I am not lamenting long-gone orgiastic meals and jeroboams of the finest bubbly; I am missing a crust of bread. And soon it will be a piece of cheese, and a glass of wine. Where will it stop? And for how long?

I have a memory etched into my head from my Gramma Crucitti, who had a heart attack in her late 60s and had to go on a special diet. As I watched her slather a piece of toast with low-fat cottage cheese one morning, I looked her in the eye and said, “How does that taste?” She cringed at me with the most pitiful face, and said “Please. No wanna talk about it.”

I know how she felt.

In the midst of all this, however, I’ve been trying to see how I can leverage this nightmare so the information is of some use to others — to you, to a friend, a loved one, a dinner guest, or even a customer. The challenges I’m encountering are not new, certainly, but I’ve got a few hoops to jump through here if I intend to keep traveling and exploring the planet. Since you might one day find yourself in those same locations, I’ve started taking notes. And since I want to have guests over to dinner while not compromising my health, I need to learn to cook different foods. I’m taking notes on that, too.

So I will make lemonade, however begrudgingly I might do so at first. It is not in my nature to feel sorry for myself, and I’m trying not to be in that mindset, so I will keep the whining to a minimum; but there may be a few more rants as I navigate a path that is often rocky and uncomfortable. I’m trying to remind myself that this may not be forever, though right now it certainly feels that way. Of course, after eating 3/4 of a tray of brownies, I know 100% certainly for certain that gluten is a fibromyalgia trigger for me, so I can check that box.

What? You thought I learned that with the Bread Pudding Incident? Or the mini-muffins? Welcome to my definition of the Calabrese testa dura, darlings.

Photo: Kelly Cline

[I'm bringing this show out from the archives in memory of K. Dun Gifford, who passed away very suddenly on Sunday. I have many happy memories of working for him, and know he will be missed. This show was originally published in October 2007. -JI]

The Mediterranean Diet is much more than a diet — it’s a lifestyle. Happily, olive oil plays a big part in that, and this week I’m talking to some experts on the subject of olive oil and living well. Join me as I speak with Dr. Fausto Luchetti and K. Dun Gifford about Sicilian olive oil, their work to advocate the Mediterranean diet, and the new Sicilian Regional Institute of Olives and Oil.

I also caught up with renowned restaurateur Tony May to talk about his adventures with other restaurant owners as they travel through Italy tasting and sipping (I need to get in on that group).

P.S. Don’t miss next week’s three-part video of our eating tour of the Lower East Side, coming out on Food Philosophy, ReMARKable Palate and All You Can Eat!

Music: Beau Hall (http://www.beaurocks.com/)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Podcast Network (http://www.culinarypodcastnetwork.com/).

While I’ve been trying to get my health in order over the past few weeks, a few people suggested that I look into gluten as a potential culprit for some of my fibromyalgia aches and pains; apparently gluten intolerance can sometimes trigger a fibro flare-up. I figured that at this point, I had little to lose, and gave it a shot. Much to my surprise, within a couple of days I was feeling far more energetic again, and the physical pain was almost nil. Dubious, I ate a few organic mini-muffins, because surely this was a fluke.

My body told me otherwise.

Concerned about my upcoming press trip to Ireland, I reached out to our hosts and asked if they might be able to accommodate a gluten-free menu. I was a bit nervous about it, as I wasn’t sure how the chefs would react — this was a culinary weekend, after all. Again, to my surprise, every one of them was happily prepared for me, and I savored delicious meals along with everyone else, with slight modifications to the relevant courses. They even brought me my own basket of gluten-free breads and crackers each night, which I’ll admit made me a little verklempt because it was so sweet.

But because there is a part of me inside that is railing against such a restriction on my livelihood, I sampled a few bites of bread pudding just before leaving the hotel in Ireland. And because sometimes it takes me a while to learn the lesson, I sat through some pretty wicked physical and stomach pains on the way home, along with a body that swelled with an additional 6 lbs. of water. That’s a lotta liquid.

So now that I’m home again, I’m looking at all of this from a big-picture perspective. And since I’ve been paying careful attention to my body’s reaction to food, I also noticed severe swelling each time I had wine during the trip, so I’m faced with some difficult choices. I’m not going to sugarcoat it — this is not happy effing news. For more than 20 years, my life and career have revolved around food and drink. Now there are whole categories that must be eliminated if I’m to be well again, and I’m struggling with it. As a very emotional person, I am trying to stem the melodrama and powerfully accept what is so in order to create a new path. I’m just not sure what that is yet.

It does make me very happy and relieved to see the number of gluten-free products out there, and so far the going has been quite easy in terms of finding things to eat — even in airports. I’m learning how to eat and not be ravenous in between meals, and am enjoying some gorgeous seasonal flavors. But I would cut a bitch for a slice of freshly-baked artisan bread. Thankfully, I’m not much of a sweets eater, so the prospect of limited desserts doesn’t bother me much (and foie gras creme brulee is gluten-free, praise the gods). The wine problem, however, troubles me intensely. I’m not sure what’s happening there, so I’ll table it until I get the rest of my system in order, but inside me there is a little girl in pigtails and Mary Janes throwing a complete hissy fit.

There have been moments over the past few weeks when I’ve been willing to trade just about any other illness for this one — for something not food-related. However, that kind of thinking isn’t going to do me much good, and irrational is not my preferred state of being. I’ve found some fantastic resources thanks to people like Gluten-Free Girl, Celiac Teen and my Twitter pals, and I’m trying to go a step at a time so as not to be overwhelmed. In fact, I was quite fine with it until today, as it was all theoretical until The Bread Pudding Incident. Now reality is setting in, so I’ll put on my big girl pants and learn the new set of rules.

The toughest part career-wise is that I now have to ask if I can be accommodated for every invitation I receive to a press luncheon, cocktail event or tasting. I’m that girl. Wine tasting events? I can’t even go there in my head right now. We get at least 10 invitations a week to things.

But for now I’ll take a deep breath and focus on the good stuff, and be thankful that I’ve experienced some of the best there is to be had in fine cuisine and wines from around the world. It’s more than some have in a lifetime, and for that I am grateful.

I’m also thankful to you for being here as I walk along this new road. You’ve been wonderfully supportive and helpful, and I can’t thank you enough for that. So I guess we’ll take this little walk together.

During my trip to Rias Baixas, Spain, our gaggle of journalists spent an evening in the dining room of Chef José González-Solla, owner of Casa Solla in Pontevedra. We were in for a delightful interpretation of Galician cuisine, many of which came with a variety of textures, flavors and colors. After dinner I sat down with the chef to talk about his food philosophy and the way he plays with his food. You can see the photos of our various courses below.

www.restaurantesolla.com

Two exciting announcements this week: Our new Knife Skills 101 course is live in our new CMN Academy, so learn the correct techniques (along with some tips) from Chef Mark. We’ve also added Brian Franklin’s DoubleShot Coffee Company coffees to our Gilded Fork Boutique, so oh my, yes, get to sipping.

And in the world of rants, I share my thoughts on the latest piece of inane legislature to be introduced: A ban on salt. You read that correctly.

Music: Beau Hall (www.beaurocks.com), Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network
(www.culinarymedianetwork.com)

Photos from our dinner:

“Gin & Tonic” and Olive chips with anchovy paste

Tomato confit with parmesan foam

Potato foam over a roasted onion

Navaja (razorneck clam) with lemon cream

Croqueta cream with shrimp

Caballa (mackerel) in sea salt

Mero en escabeche (grouper in escabeche)

Squab (pigeon) on cornbread crumble with spinach

“Queso de País” cow’s milk cheese

Accompaniments for the cheese course

Almonds four ways (cake, ice cream, cream, toasted/crushed)

Chocolate & strawberries

During my trip to Rias Baixas, I snuck into the kitchen with Chef José González-Solla, owner of Casa Solla in Pontevedra, to watch him prepare our main course. This chef likes to play with his food, and he treated us to an inspirational twist on traditional Galician flavors.

You can also listen to my interview with Chef Gonzalez-Solla on the next Food Philosophy audio podcast. He is a delightfully sweet human being, and we had such fun as we talked about playing with our food!

www.restaurantesolla.com

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Travel & accommodations provided by Wines from Spain and the Rias Baixas wine region.

Here we go. It’s almost Valentine’s Day, so expect to see no less than 20 articles on the topic of aphrodisiacs and how they can improve your love life. Per the usual, I call B.S.

Yes, there are ways in which food chemically affects our senses, and these facts have been scientifically proven in a number of studies. Hot peppers do make our blood run faster, men and women are aroused by certain smells, etc. However — and this is the very premise of my work — the mind is what drives the senses at their roots. If you aren’t sexy between the ears first, by knowing yourself, your mind, your body and its reactions, the food can only do so much. If you are a sensually-repressed individual, a bite of avocado is not going to suddenly transform you into Casanova. Sorry to disappoint.

The New York Times has an article on the subject, and my favorite quote was from none other than Dr. Ruth: “The most important sex organ lies between the ears.”

Instead of trying to achieve nirvana via the fig, how about via your soul? What awakens it? What is your approach to life? Your philosophy?

If you pull those things into alignment, and understand who you are at your core, the food then becomes a delicious accompaniment to life itself, where beauty is more vivid, sex more fulfilling — and the senses the catalyst for a journey of satiety in new forms.

The unencumbered mind and spirit provide the best aphrodisiacs I’ve found to date.

I’ve just received the first set of menu ideas from the Roger Smith Hotel chefs for my Sex on a Plate event, and as I review the flavor profiles, my mental mouth is hard at work to determine what I think will work, and what I might like to tweak. So I thought this was a good time to talk more in depth about this phrase to which I’m constantly referring.

When I talk about the “mental mouth,” I mean your little inner chef, who goes to work when you are hungry, or are planning a meal. He’s the one who calls to you when you’re craving something like honey-roasted figs stuffed with whipped blue cheese and pine nuts, or who takes stock of your fridge’s ingredients and says, “We’re having a Gruyere omelette with sauteed onions, a side salad with honey Dijon vinaigrette and grilled bread.”

He’s also the one who craves things at the most inconvenient times, like homemade Chinese dumplings at 2 AM. (Incidentally, my brother Phil, whose palate blows mine away, will get up and indulge that craving. His dumplings are some of the best I’ve ever tasted.)

That little inner chef is the keeper of food memories. The storer of flavor profiles. The master of indulgences. And the more you exercise him — by tasting, exploring, sniffing, touching — the more skilled he becomes. After many years of training, I can now confidently open any fridge and plan a meal (except for Chef Mark’s, which has little to work with but bottles of foreign ingredients I can’t decipher). For example, if I see eggs, flour, cream and some vegetables, it’s time for pasta primavera accented with whatever herbs and spices I have to work with.

Sometimes the mental mouth can fool us. It can say “Yes! Try the abc with the xyz!” — and it’s a disaster. Sometimes it’s a win — think dark chocolate-dipped bacon.

The mental mouth is what has led us to evolve as a cooking and eating species. It has created the winning flavor combinations of lime, cilantro, chile and beef, or pasta, Pecorino Romano cheese, butter and truffle shavings. Someone had to take a risk — and we get to benefit. The more you taste, the more data you store in that inner chef’s recipe files, so when you stumble upon the perfect tomato he goes to work. Do you want to eat that juicy ruby with citrusy cilantro or spicy basil? With red onions or sweet white ones? Alone or with some bread?

As you develop his repertoire, you can then look at a dish named Beef medallion with celery root puree, confit garlic foam and spiced port reduction and give it a “Hell, yes.” Right now my inner chef is dancing in the combination of the delicate celery root and sweet garlic foam, knowing a little punch will come from the spicy reduction, all blending together perfectly with the richness of the beef. I can taste it in my head.

So if you want to develop your own little inner chef, start paying closer attention when you eat. See how the flavors play on your tongue, and your palate. Take note of what specifically you like about the flavor or texture. Do avocados make your tongue sing with their delicate, silky texture? Do you like the way noodles feel as they slide down your throat? Does the smell of fresh oregano make you swoon? The world is your laboratory. Go play.

And yes, I’m serving that beef dish at the event.

Photo: Kelly Cline

If you have any preconceived notions about coffee, this is a good time to cast them aside. After talking with Brian Franklin, I certainly have. Brian is the owner of The Double Shot Coffee Company in Tulsa, OK, and he is roasting the best coffee that has ever touched my lips, bar none. He has changed my whole world.

In our chat we discuss everything from picking, roasting, grinding and brewing to why most of the commercial coffee you buy (including from that big chain) is burnt, and why those enticing-looking, oily beans are bad. Step into Brian’s world with me.

www.doubleshotcoffee.com

Here’s the Cook’s Illustrated coffee machine test to which we referred:
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/video/default.asp?docid=17108&newVideo=y

I’ve also got a very important announcement about Sex on a Plate in case you haven’t heard the news!

sexonaplate.eventbrite.com

Music: Beau Hall (www.beaurocks.com)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com)

What does your inside voice say when you taste something sublime?

Mine says this.

You’ve seen me talk a lot about Sex on a Plate on Twitter and Facebook, but I think it’s high time we got out of the digital realm of talking food and sensuality to bring the experience to life, so if you’re in NYC for Valentine’s Day, I hope you’ll join us for a very special evening.

WHAT IT IS

We’ll spend the evening exploring the sensual pleasures of food through small plates composed of sultry flavors, textures and colors. We’ll work to envelop each and every one of your senses and push your palate to the limit.

Beer, wine and special cocktails will be available. Our guests will leave with gift bags full of goodies. There’s also a special discount on hotel stays for those that want to continue their evening of pleasure.

While much of the evening will bring you mouth-to-mouth with the unexpected, here’s some of what you can look forward to:

6:30 – 7 PM Passed hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails

7 – 10 PM Small plates and open bar

Throughout the evening, special guest Yolanda Shoshana, the Luscious Lifestyle Diva, will be sharing some of her delicious expertise. I’ll also be available with some special guests to share more about the connection between food and sensuality.

MENU (Subject to change depending on seasonal ingredients)

Passed hors d’oeuvres:

• Avocado mousse with pickled ginger and orange zest on spicy tortilla crisp
• Truffled oysters
• Cardamom-dusted grilled lamb chop

Small plates:

• Endive with bacon, St. André cheese, hazelnuts, caramelized dried figs and honey vinaigrette
• Saffron Gnocchi with crispy artichokes
• Beef with celery root puree, garlic foam and a spiced port reduction
• Selection of artisan cheeses
• Honey-glazed pear tart with lavender whipped cream

Beer, wine and cocktails – Featuring Hahn SLH Estate Syrah Santa Lucia Highlands 2007

Goodie bags (Value: $40+)

WHO THIS EXPERIENCE IS FOR

Singles, couples and groups of friends who want to explore and delight in the sensual pleasures of food. This event is for everyone, regardless of status or sexual preference, so long as you have an adventurous palate.

DETAILS
February 14, 2010
6:30 – 10:00 PM
Roger Smith Hotel, Penthouse Solarium

EARLY-BIRD TICKET PRICES THROUGH 1/31/10

$100 pp
$90 pp for groups of 2 or more
Ticket price includes goodie bag valued at $40+
Space is limited. 21 and over. ORDER YOUR TICKETS HERE.

Note: Due to the nature of this tasting event, we will unfortunately not be able to accommodate food allergy restrictions. Menu may contain shellfish, nuts or other allergens.

HOTEL SPECIAL

The Roger Smith Hotel is offering a special “Take Monday Off” rate on Valentine’s Day for this event. Please contact Brian Simpson at brian@rogersmith.com or @Bsimi on Twitter to book.

Photos: Kelly Cline

It’s been an intriguing couple of months. I originally posted this on Food Philosophy, but realized that some of you may read my stuff here instead of there, so I wanted to share it here, too, because it sets up a lot of things to come this year. Hee.

At BlogWorldExpo in Las Vegas, I found myself being introduced in the following manner: I’d like you to meet Jennifer. She does “Sex on a Plate.” To my pleasant surprise, many people already knew about it — or wanted to. Marsha Collier and I talked about it on her radio show for KTRB in San Francisco, and 4 million more people were let in on the secret. I loved that.

I then spent a few days with Kelly Cline, the early inspiration for turning my blog into something more. I am drawn to her food photography like a bee to honey, as she is the only person on earth who can see inside my mind and bring my thoughts to visual, four-color reality. We’ve had a magnificent five years of collaboration, and I’m coming away from my time with her newly inspired. It also turns out she takes more than good food photos…but more on that another time.

Kelly and I breathe a tandem rhythm of sensual stimulation, but we don’t want to be the only two in on the melody — and it looks like many of you feel the same way.

On Facebook, in e-mail and at events, people are asking me what it all means. So what kind of food should I eat? What dish gets you really hot? But that, my friends, is the result, not the cause. Let me explain a bit.

On Food Philosophy #87 I talked about experiencing Zumanity, the Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil. I’m eternally grateful to Jess Berlin for offering me a ticket, because seeing the show brought all my recent thoughts together in a flash of inspiration. Zumanity artfully and powerfully evokes the sensual desires in our minds — even the ones we hide in the light of day — and strikes a chord so deep it’s impossible to leave the theater without an overwhelming need to satiate them. Whether we shiver at the sight of light blue silk rippling in the breeze, or feel a rush of desire at the crack of a whip, something in that show triggers our senses until the hunger in the room is palpable. Every body shape, every sexual preference — every fantasy — is captured on stage, drenched in perfect lighting and pulsating rhythms.

I found myself in such a heightened state of sensory indulgence, I actually purred. Out loud.

After walking out of the theater I realized that if the world could step inside my head in that moment, they would get the idea of Sex on a Plate at its core. It’s not the food, you see, though that is a magnificent component of the satiety; it is what I’ve awakened inside that enables me to feel that kind of passionate arousal in such a moment, and see the world exploding with color and texture all around me. Imagine feeling like that on a regular basis. Oh yes.

The good news is that I’m not an anomaly — I’ve worked to get my senses to this place, but there are lots of you out there, even if you don’t know it yet. I’ve discovered that some of you took my tips to heart in getting started, and are beginning to see food in a whole different way. That excites me. Some of you have taken the tips into the bedroom. That excites me more.

If you haven’t yet started on the road toward Eden, I’m putting out a personal challenge to you, because it’s no fun here with just a few of us: Do something today to satiate your senses. Take a few extra seconds when you nibble that bite of chocolate, and feel its silkiness as it melts on your tongue. Run a finger down your lover’s spine. Drink in a moment of beauty, whether it’s a perfect flower or an exquisite woman.

Do this and you will soon be rewarded in the Garden, because things are in motion to bring Sex on a Plate to life, off the digitized page and right in front of you. Do you want your senses to be tickled? Titillated?

If the answer is yes — and I hope it is — I’ll need you to prepare.

Top photo: Kelly Cline
Bottom photo: Cirque du Soleil

Not the obvious one. Even the illegal immigrants from Jupiter have read, seen or heard about Twilight.

There have been volumes written about the mystique of Edward Cullen — why he makes women crazy in ways that perhaps no male, real or fictional, has done save for the blinding presence of Elvis Presley.

What woman wouldn’t swoon at the thought of an old-fashioned romantic with good manners and diction? Or wouldn’t want to be adored so fervently that her boyfriend watches her sleep because she fascinates him? Men roll their eyes when women gush about “my Edward.”

(Yes, we call him that.)

On the other side of the cemetery fence, there has been much psychologizing about the potential societal damage of idealizing an obsessed, over-protective, control freak of a boyfriend, and how that might skew the minds of young females in the wrong direction. There is merit in this argument, because when you look at it objectively, Edward and Bella’s relationship is a little bit creepy. 

But let’s put that aside to get to the root of something very important, shall we?

Given my metier, I see Edward Cullen in a slightly different light, so to me, the secret of his appeal is quite simple, really:

Bella is edible to him — and he never lets her forget it.

I have advised many a female friend to smell delicious — so much so that a man cannot keep from nibbling on her neck. And given the neck’s prominence as one of the most sensitive erogenous zones in the body, there is no wonder that vampires have such sensual appeal. But Edward takes it to a whole new level.

 In Bella’s case, her scent is that perfect combination of pheromones and whatever else it is that attracts him helplessly to her. She is, quite literally, Edward’s sex on a plate.

But it is in the way he titillates them both with that knowledge, and keeps the meal itself just out of reach for both of them, that drives her (and me) mental with desire.

Edward’s moments of pure sensual indulgence leave me in a state of heady, wanton lust. As a vampire his senses are exponentially more potent, so I can only imagine what it must feel like for him to run his lips along the edge of her jaw, breathing in her bouquet as he gently caresses her neck and collarbones. He compares it to appreciating the aromatics of a fine wine.

I know it must be good for her, because the very notion leaves me breathless. But why is it so heady?

Because there is danger just on the other side of it. At any moment he could completely lose control and have her for lunch.

He drives them both just to the edge, then backs off, heightening the tension just a bit more each time. This is what any good lovemaking session — and any good meal — strives to achieve. Then the climax is, well, you’ll have to read the books.

My point is that Edward’s deliciousness, at least in my eyes, is his ability to savor the pleasures of his senses, and to tease them in ways that make life with his beloved a delicious test of will. He figuratively, literally and in all other possible ways, wants to devour her. Believe me when I tell you that every woman wants that.

In the case of Edward it is a dangerous game, yes, but oh, the pleasure…

There’s a whole lot happening in this episode, from my trip to BlogWorld & New Media Expo in Las Vegas to my journey through the Cotswolds in the UK. I’m also continuing my Sex on a Plate adventures, so please do join me for a little stimulating conversation.

Among other things, I was invited to see Zumanity in Las Vegas — the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil. Suffice it to say, the show’s sumptuous, erotic display gave me much inspiration for what is ahead. Today’s show also features interviews with Sally Jarrett from Prince Charles’ Highgrove shop and Chef Shane Kisby from The Priory Inn, both in Tetbury, England.

I’m also sharing a little love for my dear friends C.C. Chapman, Laura Fitton and Jen Kushell, who were all with me for some tasty meals in Las Vegas.

And hey, have you purchased your signed copy of the Gilded Fork cookbook? (shop.gildedfork.com)

Music: Beau Hall (www.beaurocks.com), George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal (www.georgefletcher.com)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com)

During our trip to Scotland, I sat down with Chef Jason Henderson from Knock Castle to talk about his approach to fine dining. I posted my initial impressions about Knock Castle, but this takes a little behind-the-scenes look at how Jason thinks about food, and what he wants people to experience in his dining room. His able staff left me with one of my best hospitality experiences to date, so if you are going to be in the vicinity of Crieff, Scotland, I highly recommend staying here. He didn’t pay me to say that, though he is awfully cute.

I’ll also fill you in on my world of Sex on a Plate, and a peek at where I’m headed with it.

Don’t forget that our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook is now available! You can find it at https://shop.gildedfork.com.

P.S. Are we friends on Facebook? How about Twitter? Find me here:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jenniferiannolo
Twitter: @foodphilosophy

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com).

Music: Beau Hall (www.beaurocks.com), Evan Stone (www.asamandrummeth.com)

My friend Sam Sotiropoulos from www.greekgourmand.com joins me for a chat about all things food geek (and Greek), from ancient Greek history to how to find real feta in the supermarket. We have lots to say, so this is Part I.

In other news, our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook is now available! You can find it at https://shop.gildedfork.com, and heck, you can even help us to sell it (and make yourself some extra ching) by joining our affiliate program.

I’ve also included a little recap of our travels of late. Next stop: Scotland, Wales and the Costwolds.

Follow me on Twitter: @foodphilosophy
Follow Sam on Twitter: @greekfood

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com).

Music: Beau Hall (www.beaurocks.com), Evan Stone (www.asamandrummeth.com)

With all that’s happening around us, I find that my decadent and frugal sides are like rival angels on my shoulders. The stress of keeping so many balls in the air to keep things moving forward — seemingly without a minute to breathe — leaves me utterly worn out, and there are times when I simply want to indulge myself. Of course, I also want to do this without making my wallet cry.

If you’ve read or heard me wax poetic on basil leaves, you know that I can find indulgence in seemingly ordinary places and things, so I’ve decided to share my favorite everyday ones with you. Let’s face it: We could all use a little pick-me-up. Some indulgences will be food, some non-food, but all will relate to engaging the senses without adding the stress of a big expense. I’ll be posting all of them over at Food Philosophy, and I’ve created a special feed just for these little tidbits (link down below).

I hope you’ll share yours, too, because I might run out of ideas and will need to pilfer. Oh, stop, I’ll give you credit for it.

As you might imagine, for me, self-indulgence begins with scents, and I like nothing more than smelling deliciously edible. I’ve given up on synthetic-smelling perfumes and instead turned to essential oils to soothe my soul. It’s no secret that aromatherapy can have a profound effect on one’s state of being, and I can think of no better atomizer than the neck. Hair also smells gorgeous with a little drop combed through the ends. Yum.

I discovered the joy of citrus oils after a massage in Los Angeles (back when massages were actually part of my decadent life), so I knew the scent of oranges would send me to my happy place. I found a combination that took it to a whole new level, however.

So if you’re wondering what I smell like, here’s your chance to be a voyeur (sniffeur?). For the past few months I’ve slathered myself with Vanilla Orange Oil from Sun’s Eye. I love that there are tiny slivers of orange peel soaking right in the oil, so you get the full power of both scents. The only drawback is that it needs to be reapplied several times a day, but at $6.75 a bottle, how could I possibly complain about that?

I have other scents that I use for other moods and occasions, but I’ll share those as we go. Did I mention that vanilla is reputed to have an aphrodisiacal effect on the senses? Try it and let me know what happens.

NOTE: You can subscribe to the special feed I’ve created for my Everyday Indulgences, which will include blog posts, audio, some video, and photos. (Note that it says “Everyday” and not “every day.” Have mercy.)

Posted via web from foodphilosophy’s posterous

CMN Video: Chef Tom Lewis Cooks!

Chef Tom Lewis, from the Monachyle Mhor Hotel & restaurant in Scotland, makes us a simple Scottish lunch at the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC as part of the Homecoming Scotland 2009 festivities, promoting Scottish heritage, and urging Scots from all over the world to return to Scotland during 2009. This Chef is so cheeky, he even SERVED us tongue & cheek!

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

It’s discovery week on Food Philosophy!

Scottish Chef Tom Lewis of Monachyle Mhor Hotel introduces me to tongue (oh, behave) and the joy of Scotch, while Maximilian Riedel changes the world of wine for me in its entirety. Plus I’ve got updates on some new features at CMN, and a whole lotta travel goin’ on!

Monachyle Mhor Hotel: http://www.monachylemhor.com

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com).

Music: Beau Hall (www.beaurocks.com).

If you’re a beef lover like me, things can get a little confusing when it comes to buying the right thing — or even finding out which beef you like best. You might be surprised at all the nuances involved — I certainly was!

Carrie Oliver from Oliver Ranch is here to help all of us learn a lot more about beef, so this is a veritable primer on grass fed vs. corn fed, Kobe vs. Wagyu, marbling, grading — meaty stuff! (Sorry, couldn’t help it.)

http://www.oliverranch.com

Follow Carrie on Twitter: @OliverRanch

I’ve also got our book contest winner, updates on our latest travels including last week’s trip to Toronto, and news about our upcoming Gilded Fork cookbook!

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com).

Music: Beau Hall (www.beaurocks.com) and George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal (www.georgefletcher.com).

I’ve recently connected with a lot of high school alumni on Facebook, and decided to post a link to an article I wrote back in 2004 entitled An Ode to William Yachymiak. He is an English teacher many of us have come to revere for his wisdom and talent in bringing out the best in us — a sometimes arduous process on all sides — so I was interested to get feedback from other alumni. It turns out that not only do many others share my opinion, but some have also been inspired, thanks to “Yak,” to pursue writing careers of their own. One such alum, Matt Young, is a writer for the Philadelphia Examiner, and he published a piece today about my article. Best of all, he’s discovered the fun we’re having with food!

As a fine arts writer, Matt’s subject matter is more often geared toward oils that cover canvasses; but after reflecting upon the connection between food and art, he made a little discovery that brings them both together:

A well-crafted piece of art should open doors in your mind, and tap into parts of your soul that you have either forgotten about, or never knew of to begin with. And I’m here to tell you; this stuff is certainly food for thought.

Many might argue that food is not art, but if art is something that moves us, inspires us, and invites us to explore the depths of our senses and imagination (in my case, the Mental Mouth), then indeed it is. Thanks Matt!