Nuts about Nuts (...and a Chocolate Drizzle)

Having exhausted our New Year's Resolutions and in the build up to the big day (Feb 26th, as if you need any reminder!), we've turned our attention to that most unassuming of aphrodisiacs -- the nut. 

Nuts don't sound very exciting, yet they are traditionally viewed as a powerful fertility symbol and were believed to inflame passion and engender love. 

Pine nuts are considered to be the most potent, because of their high zinc content.  According to one source, the Roman poet, Ovid recommended imbibing a sickly sweet concoction of almonds, pine nuts and thick honey to "restore sexual vigor."

The Italians in particular revered them as aphrodisiacs; during Harvest Festival, when young maidens celebrated the fecundity of Mother Nature, they symbolically passed round bowls of nuts to recognize Nature's greatness.  Likewise, walnuts have been used since medieval days to bless a wedding - one tradition goes that walnuts (not rice) were thrown at bride and groom to bring luck and ensure a fertile union. 

Hopefully, they were taken out of the shell first..?  

Perhaps Hades (in cartoon above) might have had more luck if he'd tried the following sensual recipe out on Aphrodite?

Add Semi-Sweet Chocolate + Sea Salt to this....



And you make Chocolate Drizzled Nuts



The team at Real Simple Magazine devised this...possibly one of the most scrumptious dessert combinations imaginable. The sea-salt just tips this over the edge...