Intercourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook

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Summary: The cook book you can't put down!!
Review: All I can say about Intercourses is "WOW"! Not only are the recipes devine, but the photographs are amazining. This cookbook is an artform!
The cuisine is both delicious and erotic, and as soon as you read this book you will want to cook! I mean, everyone knows that oysters and strawberries are aphrodisiacs, but pine nuts? You will learn some interesting ways to get your love life cooking. I definitly advise you read this book, if not for yourself, then for the person your cooking for!

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Summary: great recipes, sometimes campy discussion of love
Review: As far as recipes go, Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge's "Intercourses" is top notch. This book is full of consistently great recipes. It is probably the best book I've ever read for finding great ways to use Rosemary.

The recipes are listed under the following headings: chocolate, asparagus, chiles, coffee, basil, grapes, strawberries, honey, artichokes, black beans, oysters, rosemary, edible flowers, pine nuts, avocado, libations, and figs. Particularly strong sections are the aforementioned Rosemary, the section on Strawberries and the one on Honey. The best recipes I've tried so far are the easy strawberry empanadas, and the pasta with rosemary cream sauce.

The photography is outstnding and (surprisingly) rather tasteful. My quibble is with the all too campy final section of the book. We are definately dealing with the "eros" form of love here (which is quite dangerous without knowledge of "agape" love).

All in all, "Intercourses" is a very solid cookbook. Despite the flashes of camp, it is very nicely put together--and it features a ton of good recipes. I recommend it.

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Summary: Culinary Seduction!
Review: From the deliciously entertaining text to the tantalizing recipes, you will be seduced into reading this cookbook. There are 85 couple-tested recipes, humorous notes to make you smile and even suggestions for music selections with dinner.

Chocolate, asparagus, chiles, coffee, basil, grapes, strawberries, honey, artichokes, black beans, oysters, rosemary, edible flowers, pine nuts, avocados and figs are all displayed on the body in a tasteful way. Yes, the models are only wearing food!

The comments by couples who tested the recipes are perhaps the most personal part of the book. The words melt into the pages so easily and effortlessly. The sumptuous collection of recipes are erotic, inspirational and enticing. The recipes may encourage a playful, erotic, sensual or romantic response.

The "chocolate fig bundles" recipe looked tempting, so I set out to make them. The satiny sheets of phyllo pastry smothered in butter told me one thing, these were going to be heavenly. I filled figs with the almond/chocolate mixture and wrapped them up snuggly in the pastry. They only took 13 minutes to bake.

To serve these heady treats, I piped the whip cream into five little hearts all around the two dinner plates. I used sliced almonds mixed with more grated chocolate, confectioners' sugar and colored sugar to sprinkle over the whipped cream. The pastries were set in the middle of the hearts and served while still warm. I also drizzled these pastries with a little honey. My husband didn't leave a crumb!

For those interested in taking things a bit further than cooking, there is a section on recommended reading, advice on selecting aromatherapy candles, sources for edible massage oils and information on how to make specific stages of any relationship into a reason to cook up something satisfying. If you are still hungering for more information, you can explore the list of books and food Web sites included for your pleasure.

You will want to try the "chocolate hazelnut truffles," asparagus frittata," "honey-peppered salmon," "espresso cream," "grilled scallops with basil and lavender essence," "grape sorbet," and "Cornish hens with strawberry glaze."

After reading this cookbook, I seriously doubt that you will ever view the grocery store in the same way. As you walk down the coffee isle, you will inhale the intoxicating aromatic coffee bean aroma deeply with your eyes closed. Intercourses will make you more aware of the sensual pleasures of food. Purchase this book for the one you love, for those you know are in love and for those you want to fall in love. All I have to say is: "Yes, Yes, Yes.....buy this book and share it with someone you love!" This is a book for the kitchen, coffee table and for reading in bed, preferably with someone you love.

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Summary: A Movable Feast!
Review: I bought a copy of this as a gift from one of my bridesmaids, who is also getting married this summer. I went to the bookstore for a different aphrodisiac cookbook, but I spotted the cover of this one, and after flipping through it, was compelled to buy it. I'm going to get a copy of this for me and my new hubby. We both love to cook for each other, and just talking about the foods in the book were enough to excite us. It's a beautiful visual feast. The photography is gorgeous and is a lovely compliment to the recipes and sweet stories from people who have used them. There are foods you would expect, like chocolate, honey, strawberries and oysters, and lots of things you might never think of, like artichokes, asparagus, black beans, and pine nuts. There are even massage oil recipes, and other interesting extras. We've tried a few of the simpler ones, like the Mexican hot Chocolate, and they were great. I'm really looking forward to trying some of the more complicated items (three words: black russian cake). It was definately worth what we spent as a gift, and it's definately worth buying a second time. I highly recommend it.

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Summary: A wonderful, entertaining cookbook and a great gift idea.
Review: I bought my copy of this book last year and found it to be so delightful that I have been giving it as gifts for weddings, housewarmings, birthdays, etc. The best thing about this cookbook is that miraculously it is beautiful, sensual and actually has fabulous recipes. I have so many beautiful cookbooks that do not contain a dozen good recipes. This book is the exception. Not only is is worthy as a conversation piece or coffee table book it is filled with charming and delicious recipes and ideas. As to it's aphrodisiac qualities, what could be a better libido boost than beautiful, delectible palate pleasers as a prelude to passion?

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Summary: Get this as a picture book
Review: I have prepared one delicious dish after another with the help of this wonderful book! All of the recipes are fairly simple and do not require a lot of preparation time, but they are indeed full of exotic aromas and flavors to satisfy all the the senses and turn any occassion into a celebration. In our case, it always inspires an initimate & imaginative "home-cooked" meal - including breakefast in bed, exotic pic-nics on the living floor & private pool parties for 2! This is a wonderful gift for newlyweds and true romantics -- but, I would absolutely recommend these recipes when having company as well!

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Summary: Pretty fun, when the recipes work
Review: It's a fun book, but may not be for the cooking amateur. I tried making the French Toast and am completely convinced that the recipe is completely fake. My result was nearly inedible and normally I would blame myself for my failure, except that some key things which were supposed to happen such as the bread puffing up, did not. I would still recommend this book for your coffee table though.

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Summary: This book is amazing
Review: The recipes go any where from simple, to truly gourmet. Some ideas look that they may be very complicated, but are actually quite simple to prepare. The photographs in this book are spectacular, it has pictures of parts of human bodies covered with food, and are quite exotic. The recipes I made are all delicious, and could also be used when you just want to eat a fancy meal.

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Summary: 'Wife Recommended & Approved ;-*
Review: The ultimate couples cookbook where sensual photos accompany sensual food! Seventeen sections of couple-tested recipes plus it was published in my Lone Star State. Swinging couples will really appreciate this one. A great number of recipes for any swingers gathering!

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Summary: The best cooking for 2 book I've ever used
Review: This is absolutely my favorite cookbook! It's inspirational- so easy to use, and best of all, the recipes serve 2, not an army like most recipes- so even if you're cooking for yourself- it's a great resource. I've made 6 of the recipes-some again and again, and have not once been dissapointed. I bought it for a friend as a joke because she had this incredible pasta salad that she would bring to parties, and hmmm.... always seemed to "meet" someone.. The joke was that the salad was an aphrodisiac. After she used the book a few times -she recommended it back to me- and the rest is history- I fully plan to make each and every recipe in it. A must have- a great gift!