'Eat Cake Naked' and other Spicy Stories...

It's clearly acknowledged that food is an art, but if you have the right knowledge, every bit can turn into an art of deep sensual love too. Based on their experiences with spices and aphrodisiac ingredients, Amy Reiley and Delahna Flagg published at the end of this year a book sharing their recipes and combination of spices for bringing more excitment into the love life of couples. Amy Reiley, one of the authors, was kind enough to share some of her tips and inspiration in an exclusive interview for my readers. Enjoy!

- What was your inspiration for 'Eat Cake Naked'? How much did it take to develop the recipes? I've written 4 books on aphrodisiacs and I wanted to do something different. Because dessert is my favorite part of any meal, that was an obvious choice! Developing the recipes was definitely tough for this because Delahna (my co-author) and I wanted desserts that were sensual and indulgent. The problem is, one of the key attributes of most aphrodisiac ingredients is that they're nutritionally dense or at least offer nutrition that benefits your sex life. So we had to find the right balance and sometimes it took a lot of trial, error and refining! - What were the biggest challenges of writing this book, both in terms of writing and recipe testing? The hardest part was walking the line between health and indulgence. Desserts--and any food that's being used to entice a lover--needs to have sensuality but for the recipes to deliver what we promise (a positive impact on your sex life) they had to be rich in nutrition, not in fat. It was really hard to strike a balance between making recipes that were nutritional powerhouses and ones that were a pleasure in the experience. We did not want to make a book of desserts that taste "healthy!" - How did you discover your passion for this special kind of meals? I have always been interested in the nutritional side of food. And I love folklore and mythology. In aphrodisiac foods, I found a niche of the food world that combines all three! My co-author, Delahna, came to work for me as an assistant. She fell in love with the science side of aphrodisiac and the idea that she could help people have more fulfilling love lives by simply eating better so she went back to school to study nutrition. This was our first time collaborating on a book. - What are your perfect ingredients of a romantic spicy evening? I always recommend tailoring the choice of ingredients to the person you're wooing. It's all a matter of taste. For example, for me, it would be oysters and Champagne but my husband hates both. If I planned an evening for the two of us around oysters, it would be disasterous. For this reason, I've created a whole library of legendary aphrodisiacs on EatSomethingSexy.com. This way, everyone can create the evening that is perfect for them: https://www.eatsomethingsexy.com/aphrodisiac-foods/ - Do you think eros is underrated nowadays, compared to the overexposed sexuality we face every day? How can food bring back the mystery of love and sensuality? I think a dish or a meal can offer a wonderful opportunity to help a couple to be present in a moment and just enjoy each other. I like to create my recipes with layers of textures or temperatures to help heighten the sensuality and draw the attention of the diners into the present. There's also a simplicity to just shutting everything off and tuning into each other over the shared pleasure of a meal...or just dessert...that is refreshing and exciting. - Do you have a favorite spice and why? The spice I probably reach for most often is cinnamon. It's considered a warming spice and therefore aphrodisiac although we probably associate it more with comfort than sex. I have to say that after experimenting with 5 spice powder for the apple recipe in Eat Cake Naked that I'm really drawn to the powerful sensuality of this blend of five spices. I'll be playing with it more in the future! - Do you plan writing a new recipes book? Delahna and I plan on creating cookbooks to accompany the lists of the 10 Best Foods for Men  and 10 Best Foods for Women we created for EatSomethingSexy.com, the website for which we both write. This will be the first time I've written a gender-specific book on aphrodisiacs and I'm looking forward to the challenge.