In the lusty early stages of a relationship, sex has been known to replace food. Alternately, the single and otherwise sexually frustrated substitute food for sex all the time. Sultry TV food personality Jacqui Malouf says the sex-food war is over. Her Booty Food revolution is here and it says that a relationship’s not complete without both carnal pleasures. “Booty food” doesn’t refer to comestibles that will plump your backside; rather, its food that will get you sack time. Seems there’s something to the old line about a way to a man’s heart being through his stomach. And this is the 21st century, peoplewomen like to be cooked for, too. Better yet, culinary duties can be shared; after all, couples who cook together, cook together. Malouf’s new Bon Appétit-meets-Cosmopolitan tome is part cookbook, part attitude-riddled advice column. It offers menus and accompanying advice for cooks with hearts in their eyes, from the first-date meal to the make-up snacks to the hurried house-in-the-suburbs dinner. And though most of her recipes are fun and relatively unintimidating, she doesn’t let libidinous cooks slouch on creativity, not even in the comfy married years. Her ideal relationship starts with grilled red bliss potatoes with wasabi crème fraîche and caviar and keeps simmering with homemade shaved-truffle gnocchi. Even mac and cheese gets tidied up here with a white truffle oil treatment. Now all you need is one of those “Kiss the cook” aprons.
Meet Jacqui Malouf and taste recipes from Booty Food at the Union Bay Café Monday, Jan. 26. $75 per person for multiple courses, wine, and a copy of the book. 6:30-8:30 p.m. 3515 N.E. 55th, 206- 527-8364. LAURELHURST
