Aphrodisiac Tasting Menu At The Ambrette
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The Ambrette Restaurants in Rye and Margate are to serve a
special 8-course sampler menu priced at £40 on Sunday 17th February, using
ingredients reputed to have strong aphrodisiac qualities. Indeed, The Ambrette is named after an Indian
flower, renowned for its positive effects on the libido.
The lightly spiced dishes at The Ambrette promises a very
different dining experience where guests taste the real herbs, rather than have
their flavours overwhelmed by strong spices.
A keen student of Indian cookery, Biswal has learned how
aphrodisiacs are intrinsic in the social fabric of a country that portrays
itself to be highly conservative. The
tradition of chewing a betel leaf before bed time or serving a glass of milk
laced with saffron before the wedding night, are typical examples of how
Indians harness the properties of “love potions”.
Dev believes that along with many other things in Indian
culture, aphrodisiac ingredients enjoy a sort of immortality in time.
“The skills and knowledge are never lost, they flow
incessantly from generation to generations, said Dev, adding, “Traditional
chefs are these strange groups of mystic men who secretly guard their
knowledge.”
The night’s menu has been created to maximise use of
ingredients known for their romance-inducing properties. Celery contains the
male hormone testosterone, which also has a powerful effect on women’s libido.
Carrots, fennel and onions also affect sex drive. Aswagandha, “The King” of
India spices is a “ herbal miracle” that works on reproductive and nervous
systems as a sexual and energy tonic with a rejuvenating effect. Basil
stimulates the sex drive, boosts fertility and produces a general sense of
well-being.
The south Indian seafood extract “Rasam” is made with fresh
local scallops, tiger prawns and mussels flavoured with asafoetida. Shellfish
have traces of zinc, which stimulates sex drive.
In laboratory studies Asafoetida, has been compared
favourably to sildenafil, known by the brand name Viagra.
Ginger is mentioned in part seven (under occult practices)
of the Kama Sutra. History attests to coriander’s mystical aphrodisiac potency.
The Chinese used the herb in love potions.
The erotic, fleshy
fruit of the fig is said to act as a powerful sexual stimulant. For the ancient
Greeks the fig was one of the sacred foods associated with fertility and love.
In some Southern European countries wedding guests throw figs (instead of rice)
at the newly weds, as a sign of fertility.
Among the Arabs nutmeg has been used to treat digestive
problems and also been valued as an aphrodisiac; The Hindus embraced the spice
for its sensual properties as a
stimulant in raising body heat and sweetening breath.
Coconut and tamarind seeds used are said to Improves sexual
potency and fertility.
Betel is prescribed by ancient Ayurvedic physicians because
of its deodorant, aphrodisiac and invigorating properties. Betel leaf came to
form a part of the ritual with which a wife welcomed her husband.
Cardamom contains at least two androgenic compounds. It
shows up as the best source of the compound cineole – a stimulant on the
central nervous system stimulant.
Part of saffron’s magical property is the enhancement of
“lust”. Saffron is capable of affecting the neurotransmitters. Its ingestion is
found to be a soothing relaxant capable of lowering blood pressure and
stimulating the respiration. Its properties also appear to stimulate the libido
and the erogenous zones.
As a child Dev spent a lot of time in Orissa, a magical land
with parts lost in time. The temples are covered in highly erotic and beautiful
carvings of men and women – sometimes in groups – from the Kama Sutra, the
ancient Indian text on human sexual behaviour. He had never seen such an
energetic celebration of the sexual energy. These temples were built in the pre
Islamic periods when people enjoyed sexual freedom in society. These stone
sculptures used to baffle Dev’s adolescent mind, asking, “If sex is sinful,
then how come the abode of the Gods are covered with sexual impressions”
The Ambrette Restaurant, 44 King Street, Margate, KentCT9
1QE
E: info@theambrette.co.uk T: 01843 231504
24 High Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7JF
T: 01797 222 043 E:
info@theambrette-rye.co.uk
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