A Taste for Love

In Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night, the Duke Orsino opines that music is the food of love, but he was wrong--food is. Indeed, passion and the palate are inextricably linked, and lovers through the ages have known that the stomach is the surest way to the hearts of their beloved. A Taste for Love subscribes to that well-known aphorism, but authors Elizabeth M. Harbison and Mary McGowan leave nothing to chance; in addition to mouth-watering meals, they've included everything from snippets of romantic poetry to decorating advice and what music to play in order to get you and your loved one "in the mood."

The book is divided into eight sections: "Breakfast in Bed" gets the day off to a good start, and "By the Fire" is guaranteed to turn the heat up. "Table for Two" offers romantic restaurant-style dinners, while "Perfect Picnics" cooks up portable meals for romance on the go. "Light Love" is for calorie-conscious lovers, "From the Garden" gets vegetarians in the mood, and "Songs of the Sea" offers love on the half-shell. Finally, you'll always have Paris with "Bar and Grill," a collection of bistro-style meals that will make you feel like Bogie and Bergman. With such dishes as Herb-Roasted Tomatoes with Romano Cheese, Soup de Provence avec Pistou, and Chocolate Kahlua Soufflé, what's not to love?