I grew up on the island of Trinidad in the West Indies and for all of my life there, food was not just mealtime, food was how we showed affection. Toys were rare for birthdays and holidays but your mother was sure to make your favorite meal in spite how much money she had!
It was on this island, as a teenager, I fell in love. I threw myself into learning as much as I could about my new love. I spent hours researching books, I tried new things, questioned strangers about techniques and travelled up and down the Caribbean trying to get better at it. My senses were enlightened by tastes and smells that I had never noticed in my childhood. The name of my love was Food and after 35 years, we still have a complicated relationship. Food has caused me pain - the amount of burns and cuts I have suffered! Food has caused me panic, anxiety, obsession, depression and sadness. But Food has taken me on the adventure of a lifetime - making me question everything I put into my body, where my food comes from and how I feel after eating certain ingredients.
Food has helped me become a lover of nature, a self proclaimed food historian, a master gardener, a herbalist, a chef, a better parent, a knowledgeable friend, an exciting lover and an overall better person. Most of all food has challenged me and given immense pleasure and satisfaction.
I met Michael when I was 48, he was 27, I was experiencing menopause and he was at the prime of his life. I don't have to tell you that I had a hard time keeping up with his energy - he wanted to go everywhere, do everything. He insisted we exercised every day, took me for hikes, bicycle rides and dancing. My lack of energy and enthusiasm were not giving me any points so we decided to take a look at what I was eating and more importantly what ingredients I was eating.
What we learned made a huge difference in the way I feel today and we definitely attribute our wellness levels with what we eat.
We believe that food has power - power to heal, power to nourish, to bring people together, to love and to awaken your senses. For centuries, people have tried to use aphrodisiacs to enhance their sexual experiences. From foods such as oysters and champagne, to herbs like ginger and garlic, these natural (and sometimes not-so-natural!) remedies have been believed for centuries to increase desire and help create a more passionate encounter. In Trinidad, we had oysters, conch pistols, turtle tool soup, pacro water, curry goat testicles, bois bande, watermelon, chocolate, chilis, honey. People ate them all the time, but never spoke about the effects and how eating those foods improved their sexual health.