Aphrodisiac [(af-ruh-dee-zee-ak, af-ruh-diz-ee-ak)]: A substance or quality that excites sexual desire.
There is love at first sight, there is insatiable love, there is hopeless love, there is endless love. Then there is chocolate. Love, no matter what kind, can use a little something to get the party started, especially on Valentine's Day. There are no less than three varieties of aphrodisiac to choose from, depending on the situation: the aphrodisiac of memory, the aphrodisiac of suggestion and the aphrodisiac of chemistry.
Memory can be a powerful aphrodisiac, especially if sex is involved. The girl who lost her virginity somewhere near the armrest in her boyfriend's Cadillac will never forget the apple they ate together, or what she wore. Later the fruit will be an aphrodisiac for her no matter what the situation. If the boy had given her a Bud Light, it would have the same effect. Marcel Proust, author of Remembrance of Things Past, said that love exists either in memory or in anticipation. Bigger guns are required for Valentine's Day. Jewelry? Not in this economic climate. Anyway, it's not edible.
Suggestive food is a natural aphrodisiac. A libidinous-looking raw oyster lying there naked, glistening in a bed of pearl, need only be washed down with a phallic flute of champagne erupting with bubbles. It's a winning combination with chemistry and sexy good looks going for it. Psychoanalyst Carl Jung touted the power of chemical attraction. "The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances," he wrote. "If there is any reaction, both are transformed."
For love at first sight, aphrodisiacs with chemistry are appropriate. Oysters have zinc and zinc enhances virility. Cocoa beans are known to stimulate the nervous system. Their effect is to create the "sensation of being in love." Addiction is understandable. This could account for Montezuma's habit. Reportedly the Aztec emperor consumed 50 cups of hot chocolate a day to satisfy his harem of 600 women.
The ultimate aphrodisiac is chocolate, and here is where the good stuff is. There is a little tiny factory in an old brick building where a quick fix or a long-term habit are being catered to while we sleep. It is the secret empire of a blue-eyed man who presides over a health food store by day. Bud Stockwell owns Cornucopia, from which he escapes to hand-dip truffles after hours. He works alone among trays and trays of chocolate in various stages of readiness. Surrounded by high walls made of chocolate brick and fetishistic accoutrements, he reaches for fresh, edible lavender to place on a small square of bitter chocolate. Behind him a cauldron of ganache (chocolate with cream) swirls. Earl Gray tea, gold leaf and heavy cream are at the ready. The results are as precious as fine gems. Last Christmas Heavenly Chocolate, the name of his shop in Thornes Market in Northampton, moved over 10,000 units of the stuff.
Stockwell knows what Montezuma knew about the combination of chocolate and heat. "You know," says Stockwell, "when people taste my chocolate, they make all of the sounds and all of the noises that are associated with making love…." If he likes you, Stockwell might offer a taste of the Habanero hot pepper with dried mango chocolate. First there is a rich, velvety mouthfeel that makes the eyes close. Then a sweet, and a bitter but in a good way, flavor of cocoa. Just when things get cozy, the habanero pepper makes its move, striking fast and hot like a meteor shower on a Mexican night. Now your eyes are wide open until, finally, they close again when the tropical mango cool-down brings it on home. Watching the response, he adds, "Of course, most people, lots of people, say that my chocolate is better than sex. I hear that all the time."
Forget the jewelry. Go for chocolate this Valentine's Day. You get your chocolate and you eat it, too. If you make your own, all the more love to spread around. Here is Bud Stockwell's recipe for Heavenly Chocolate Truffles.
Recipe
Heavenly Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients:
4 oz. heavy cream (Mapleline of Hadley or any other local source of heavy cream)
8 oz. of the best dark chocolate you can find.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and allowed to reach room temperature
4 oz. additional dark chocolate for coating?
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa for finishing
Directions:
The Ganache (batter of soft creamy filling):
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and put into a bowl.
Bring the cream slowly to a boil.
Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to sit for 2 minutes in order to melt the chocolate.
Stir the chocolate and the cream until all the chocolate has melted.
Add the butter and make sure it gets fully incorporated. Stir until the batter is homogenous.
Cover and chill until firm, about 3 hours. You want the ganache to be thick enough to easily form into a ball.
Using a small melon baller or a small teaspoon, scoop a small ball of ganache into your hand and roll between your palms until it is somewhat smooth and round. Place ganache balls on wax paper. They should be approximately 1 inch in diameter.
Melt the chocolate in short bursts of 10' or so in the microwave. Stir before each burst. Just melt the chocolate; don't let it get too hot.
Pour the cocoa into a pie plate.
Coat each truffle with a small amount of chocolate. I put some of the melted chocolate in the palm of my left hand. Then I place a truffle in that palm and use my other hand to roll it around and give it a light coating.
Now roll it in the cocoa powder. Gently shake the pie plate to coat the truffle evenly. Repeat until you're done.
Find some friends and eat the truffles until they are gone.
(You can store them for up to 2 weeks. It's best to keep them in a cool room, 55 to 65 degrees. You can store them in a refrigerator in a airtight container, but it will change the texture of the filling somewhat.)
