the aphrodisiac history of grapes

The history of grapes is as old as the history of mankind. There is evidence that as far back as Ancient Egypt, man has been transforming grapes into wine, one of the world’s finest symbols of romance.
 
But even before it is transformed into that delicate, fermented beverage, grapes are linked symbolically with love, fertility and virility. The ancient Romans, acknowledged as the first civilization to cultivate grape vines, made both grapes and wine emblems of Bacchus, god of ecstasy (not to mention fertility). Even pre-dating the Romans, in ancient Greece it was a tradition to give clusters to newlyweds in the belief that the grape’s seeds would bless the couple with many children.
 
Grapes are a natural for the seductor’s arsenal. The sweet jewels are the perfect finger food - and one packed with age-defying anti-oxidants. Grape seed oil also has excellent free radical-fighting effects, used as either a cooking or massage oil. There is also evidence that these little fruits of seduction could prove powerful in the fight against cancer.
 
One of the most powerful images of seduction is that of hand-feeding grapes to your reclining lover. In summer, freezing the grapes can prove a sinful way to beat the season’s heat.