At the court of Louis XIV in France, known as the Sun King, truffles were considered a delicacy reserved for intimate dinners, where it was said that nobles used them to enhance their desire. For their part, cacao was revered by the Maya and Aztecs as a sacred product, used in love rituals due to its association with energy and vitality.
In the Joseon dynasty, truffles were an exclusive gift for royalty, while in the 18th century they became popular in France as a remedy to increase physical and mental vigor. Spices, known for their aromas and stimulating effects, have been employed in both gastronomy and love rituals throughout history.
According to beliefs, Aphrodite's nectar contained honey, granting it seductive properties. In both Greece and Rome, these foods were considered divine gifts and aphrodisiacs, associated with love and desire. The Romans, for example, consumed oysters imported from Britain in large quantities during their feasts, convinced that they granted them energy and vitality.
In Japan, truffles were considered a food for longevity and virility, linking their regular consumption with a more active love life. These underground fungi are valued for their intense aroma and rarity, becoming a symbol of pleasure and exclusivity.
Seafood has been considered energizing since antiquity due to its texture, flavor, and form, evoking sensual associations. Cinnamon in India and the Middle East, ginger in Chinese medicine, and saffron in Persian wedding dishes stand out for their stimulating properties across various cultures.
Although modern science has identified compounds in these foods that could influence energy and well-being, much of their fame as aphrodisiacs comes from myths and traditions. From Egypt, where honey was placed in the tombs of pharaohs, to Cleopatra convinced of the allure of certain foods, these beliefs have endured.
Food has been a vehicle for expressing feelings throughout history. February 14, celebrated as a day of love and friendship, stands out as a day where different cultures have attributed stimulating properties to certain foods, relating them to fertility, sexual desire, and love. Whether it's Cleopatra consuming foods to enhance her appeal or Moctezuma II drinking cacao for vigor, history is filled with examples of foods associated with love and desire.
