Food, romance and sex have long been intertwined. Many edibles have reached their high status as aphrodisiacs through history, folklore or as symbols of fertility. Others have been scientifically proven to stimulate the blood flow in sexual organs or shown to charge one's arousal through the body's highly attuned senses. Ellen and Michael Albertson, a.k.a. "The Cooking Couple," authors of Food As Foreplay: Recipes for Romance, Love and Lust (Alexandria Press), consider food the root of seductive romance. "Cooking and eating are like making love because with each you're using the same senses—smell, taste, touch and sight," says Ellen. If you're ready to fire up romance with your partner, the Albertsons recommend you stock your cupboards with the following aphrodisiacs and take advantage of their seductive powers.