INTERCOURSES
 

An ENE Review of the cookbook
InterCourses by Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge
 

Reviewed by JZ Sharpe
 
In my brief career as a book reviewer, I have tackled some unusual works, but until Inter Courses, I'd never reviewed a cookbook before, and certainly not an aphrodisiac cookbook. In fact, not being much of a cook, the cookbook section of most bookstores is one I'd be likely to ignore. At my own peril, as it turns out, for Inter Courses is one of the loveliest, most sophisticated books I've seen in a long time (and it just happens to have recipes in it, too).
 
The book is divided into chapters by erotic ingredient. All the usual ones are here: chocolate, strawberries, oysters. They are joined by some I might not have pegged as having an aphrodisiac effect: pine nuts, black beans, rosemary. Each section talks about the benefits of this particular ingredient, and is followed by a selection of recipes. However, what I liked best were the testimonials from those who have found joy in these various foods and spices. For example, in the coffee chapter, Randalyn (together with her Michael for seven months) gushes, "The buttery-brown liquid reminded me of his perfect skin as I sat sandy-eyed and blissful on our porch." Or another comment, chosen at random, this time a response to a dinner of pasta with rosemary cream sauce (recipe on the next page): "Fresh rosemary is not something that I normally include on my grocery lists. Honestly, I didn't even know where to find it. So when I began chopping up this herb and its piney scent filled my kitchen space, I was slightly amazed. Its prickly needles smelled so warm and outdoorsy. Like Ben. Ben is all leather and flannel. All Robert Redford and Paul Bunyan. All-for-one and all-American. And although you'd never get him to admit it - Ben is totally rosemary." Sounds like love to me.
 
The tough choice with Inter Courses is deciding where to put this book when not in use. Kitchen? An obvious choice. But it would be equally at home on the coffee table, or even in the bedroom, with its slick design and sensual photography. I would also recommend this book as a wedding or anniversary present to that perennial romantic couple in your life. (Big hint: Today is the reviewer's eleventh wedding anniversary.) It attempts to feed its reader inside and out, even including recipes for massage oils. I don't recall seeing anything similar in my Betty Crocker...
 
By the way, I must confess that Julia Child I'm not, so although several of the recipes have tempted me, I have decided to leave them to more competent cooks. In fact, they will be "test-driving" some of the recipes from Inter Courses in the weeks to come and we'll post their comments with this review. So stay tuned (and stay hungry)!
 

About the Recipes:

Read what others think of the InterCourses Recipes
 
InterCourses

INTERCOURSES: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook by Martha Hopkins, Randall Lockridge is available for purchase through Amazon.com

Forget Spanish fly or powdered rhino horn; if you want to get your lover in the mood, look no farther than your local supermarket. Strawberries, chocolate, asparagus--even coffee--have long been considered stimulants for the romantic appetite. For centuries, folk wisdom held that foods either rare or resembling a sexual organ had tremendous power over the libido. Modern science has since debunked that theory, but there's no denying that a meal lovingly prepared and properly presented with just the right ambience can precipitate the most passionate encounters. In Intercourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook, Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge appeal to all the senses as they offer up 85 heart-melting, temperature-raising dishes, along with an array of sensuous photographs that will make you look at food in a whole new light.

The book is divided into 17 sections, each one devoted to a particular food with aphrodisiac qualities, from chocolate and chilies to black beans and oysters. Following these are recipes for massage oils, seasonal dishes, and meals to appeal to every astrological sign and every stage of a relationship, from first date to golden anniversary. There's even a list of resources on subjects ranging from further reading on aphrodisiacs to locating aromatherapy candles. Just reading Intercourses is a sensual experience--imagine what eating from it will be!

 

For the past five years, JZ Sharpe has been making up for the time she lost in a 20-year writer's block. She lives in the Pennsylvania mountains, where most of her friends and coworkers would be shocked and amazed by her secret life as a writer of erotica and science fiction. JZ Sharpe is a regular contributor to ENE. You can also find her work at About's Amateur Erotica, Adult Story Corner, Biblio Eroticus, Blood Moon Zine , Dare , Erotica Readers Association, HotErotica.Com and Scarlet Letters . Get lashed by the Sharpe Tongue.
 
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