NEW YORK - A U.K. supermarket chain is preparing to unveil what it claims will be the first aphrodisiac pizza.
Over the centuries, people have searched for foods to put them in the mood. Edibles as varied as artichokes, oysters, even sparrow brains have, at one time or another, been considered aphrodisiacs. Of course, all that was before Viagra. In a sex-obsessed society, those little blue pills became the most popular thing since, well, the thing itself. But in an area as sensitive as this one, progress -- or at least johnny-come-lately competitors like Levitra -- won't be denied.
Now, the U.K. supermarket chain Iceland hopes to do the drugmakers one better, with a frozen pizza the company says will "set pulses racing and libidos leaping." Just so nobody misses the none-too-subtle point, they're calling it "Pizzagra." The pizza is still under development, but Iceland's promotional push has begun. "Food has long been associated with the art of seduction so we're combining romance with one of the most widely enjoyed foods in the UK," said Iceland's Steve Sweeney in a press release.
Some strange ingredients The Pizzagra will contain items the company says are "renowned for their ability to lift the libido in both men and women including artichoke, asparagus, ginger, chocolate and banana." Other ingredients are well known as both stimulants and toppings. Garlic, for example, is believed to have medicinal properties good for a variety of ailments, perhaps including impotence. Onions, according to the company, were once thought so sexy that ancient Egyptian priests were forbidden to eat them. From there, the Pizzagra begins to seem a bit odd to a pizza-lover's palate. It will contain strawberries, an erotic staple (think of that Kim Basinger scene in the movie, "9 1/2 Weeks"), as well as the aforementioned bananas.
Bananas on pizza? Well, in the Islamic tradition the fallen Adam and Eve covered themselves with banana leaves rather than those of figs. Plus, bananas have a certain shape to them.
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