I remember when I was around 12 I learned about the three A's for the first time: asparagus, artichokes, and avocados. I think I tried all three for the first time in the same year, and they've been favorites of mine ever since.

The cover sure is sexy, isn't it? I think the book is a great way to catch people's attention about the great potential for involving great food in romance, and I hope people will benefit from being reminded of this prior to Valentine's Day.

Mom cooked regularly while we were growing up. Mostly traditional American food (barbecue chicken, creamed cucumbers, hamburger, filet of sole, canned beets, Kraft macaroni, etc.), but got a little more adventurous as we got older.

You can use ground turkey or lean beef to keep it on the lighter side; it smells fabulous while it's cooking, and the mango makes it moist and exotic.

It's like taking your daily vitamins. Aphrodisiac foods have nutritive properties that are beneficial to your sexual health.

transient, adj.

In school, the year was the marker. Fifth grade. Senior year of high school. Sophomore year of college. Then after, the jobs were the marker. That office, this desk. But now that school is over and I've been working at the same desk for longer than I can truly believe, I realize: You have become the marker. This is your era. And it's only if it goes on and on that I will have to look for other ways to identify the time.