Saturday, June 27, 2009

It's not what we do

[Caliban:] .... Prospero, you’re a great magician: you’re an old hand at deception. And you lied to me so much, about the world, about myself, that you ended up by imposing on me an image of myself:underdeveloped, in your words, undercompetent that’s how you made me see myself! And I know that one day my bare fist, just that, will be enough to crush your world! The old world is crumbling down! . . .
--Aimee Cesaire, A Tempest

Shipwrecked, Spiced & Saved

Carmelita heard him before she saw him, heard his whimpering moans as she returned to her home built on stilts in the lagoon amongst the mangroves. The wind tossed her dark curls and swirled across her cinnamon skin. The cool white sand massaged her feet. She heard the moans and looked up. Her catch stirred in the burlap. The man – a lost sailor? clung to driftwood, muscle and bone splayed across the sun-bleached log.

It was low tide at the reef, the Brazilian sky black as a fresh blast of chourico (Portuguese for Octopus) ink. Carmelita had lured the creature from it’s cave and into her hands just minutes before. She’d been unsuccessful in enticing the enchanting and tasty creature from his hole with her tickling stick, so she’d rubbed the bitter body of a sea cucumber around the rocks. The bitterness draws the chourico’s out. It was nine days after the full moon.

Without fear, but curious and concerned for his survival, Carmelita approached him, his body etched in silver. She set the burlap on the sand and reached out her hand, her fingertips touching his damp torso. His skin was cool. He moaned loudly at her touch, but did not raise his head.

Instantly, with her deep knowledge of the sea and sky and flesh, Carmelita knew how to revive the castaway.

Storm clouds boiled in the distance. The breeze intensified. Carmelita quickly cleaned her catch on the spot and gently squeezed some sweet liquid from the chourico’s giving body into the man’s lips. His eyes fluttered open. Her eyes shone gold. She helped him to his feet and placed her shoulder beneath him like a crutch as he spoke of crashing waves and mermaids. At last they reached her tiny shack. She laid him upon her bed.

Admiring the strength of him, even in his weakened state, Carmelita felt herself soften at the thought of him becoming well at her touch. Then set about healing him. She knew just what to do. A spark. The tiniest ember is all it takes.

Serendib. Ceylon. Sri Lanka. The tiny teardrop shaped island near India. So sweet, so erotically charged with the fiery spice, that sailors could smell landfall before they saw the island through their scopes. Carmelita inhaled deeply as she crushed the soft spice in her stone mortar and pestle before adding it to the chourico and prawn broth and rubbing it gently into the flesh along with oils and salt. Her kitchen filled with the scent of heat and life. Soon she would be the red-haired siren calling the sailor home.

Carmelita didn’t question. She didn’t wonder. She didn’t raise her eyes to the moon. The Gods had spoken. This man was hers. She could make it so. And did. A little spice. The tiniest spark. The biggest sin. A nod. A yes. That was all it took.


________________________


Cinnamon buns my ass (literally). Stay away. Properly used, Cinnamon is not a nice spice. Cinnamon is fire, like clove and allspice. Cinnamon is heat. Cinnamon is the red-hot eyes of diablo burning a hole in your soul. And you being grateful for it.


"Although we think of it as a sweet spice, the rest of the world uses cinnamon in savory main course dishes. In the moles of Mexico, the tagines of Morocco and the curries of India, the spice performs culinary legerdemain, drawing out the sweetness of fruits and vegetables, tempering the richness of nuts and seeds, transforming ordinary meats into sensuous stews."
--Cinnamon, Eight Leagues Out to the Sea


True Cinnamon – Canela in Spanish, is from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and also cultivated in Brazil, the Caribbean and Asia thanks to Portuguese imports during the early days of spice trade. The Chinese cinnamon, more common in the United States has a much more harsh and much less potent sexual quality. Spend a little more and indulge in the complex flavorful, delicate “soft bark” Ceylon variety.

Rub it. Toss it. Feel it. Love it. Love. Feel. Live.

Now for the discussion topic: Fuck what everyone else says. What is your aphrodisiac? For me it is is the idea that perhaps it is what we don’t do rather than what we do that we will be judged for one day. What do you want to say yes to? What do you say yes to that you've never revealed?

Hungry? Try this: Brazilian King Prawn Curry, but fuck the recipe and rub some cinnamon on those big daddies. You'll be glad you did. And so will he/she.
Thank you Donna and Marina for the Sunday Spice Tour! Spice is oh so very naughty! Don't miss the rest of the lineup!!
7/5 Scarlett Greyson--thyme
7/12 Craig Sorensen--pepper
7/19 Jeremy Edwards--dill
7/26 Isabel Kerr--ginger
8/2 Marina St. Clare----basil
8/9 BadAssKona--rosemary
8/16 Emerald--poppy seeds
8/23 P.S. Haven--salt
8/30 Stay Tuned! Special Grand Finale
__________
Photos: Thank you, Mystery Model.

40 comments:

Danielle said...

oh that was sexy and seductive:-)..dont know if i mentioned..my dad is brazilian so i m totally pleased with the setting of the story..:-)

Emerald said...

What a cinnamon adventure!! Thanks for this whirlwind of cinnamon-ry, Gina Marie! (I just added your name because I noticed it rhymed...with my made-up word, lol.)

I love cinnamon. It is really one of my favorite spices.

And I love what you named as your aphrodisiac. The question seems to call for pondering from me, so I plan to return later to answer that.

Thanks for this hot, delightful cinnamon celebration!

Isabel Kerr said...

WOW. Mind blowing imagery, Gina Marie.

Phew. Still inhaling it.

First of all, I love octopus. The sea is my favorite place to be and well cinnamon, what can I say, this is a perfect provocative combination.

I go back to my favorite north african cuisine for the savory combinations of cinnamon and oregano and lemon in Moroccan veal stew, or a hot and sweet tomato sauce for chicken.

for me it is is the idea that perhaps it is what we don’t do rather than what we do that we will be judged for one day.

Another thought provoking statement. I'll be back in a little while with an answer.

Thank you so much for this exquisite introduction to your hot and sultry spice island.

Craig Sorensen said...

Still in the midst of my blitz of summer events, but I couldn't resist sneaking over to Gina's for a little sensual repast!



The cinnamon I buy is the Saigon variety, which is outstanding. I really love in buns ;-) but I have used it in dry rubs on prawns, have in spaghetti sauce and such. It's definitely not just for sweet treats.

Aphrodisiacs? For me, like all things that I live, this is a moving target, and in part guided by my state of mind.

Got to fly for now, but I'll try to sneak in later!

Scarlett Greyson said...

What a lovely story and topic for discussion, Gina!

I will beg forgiveness for being absent for the later discussion today(company party at 1pm, but at least it's catered with an open bar ;) )

My aphrodisiac is desire. Someone desiring me, my desire for my lover, witnessing other's desire. The situation can be dressed however and happen whereever, but hearing, seeing, feeling that...that is my weakness.

Donna said...

Wow, Gina, what an amazing journey you've taken me on this quiet Sunday morning! Caliban's defiant quote of liberation, the mesmerizing tale of the shipwrecked sailor, the canny nurse who heals with spice and that magic word "yes."

My mind is spinning--but you also reminded me that spice in human history has led to adventure, danger, riches, surprises. That's all here at your spicy party today, too ;-).

While I'm taking it all in, and casting a wary eye at my dwindling stash of cinnamon, I decided to go with my first reaction to your question about aphrodisiacs. I suspect I'll have more to add to the list, but the immediate idea that jumped into my head was: WORDS. The words my lover speaks that arouse me even before the touch of his hand. The words that channel through my fingers--from I'm not sure where--when I'm hot into writing a story. Words that weave scenes and experiences that may never happen in "real" life, that could literally never happen there, but still come alive in our minds, in our racing pulse, in our heightened pleasure.

The words have to be used in the right way--thoughtfully, but courageously. And sometimes they're sweet, but mostly more interesting when they're not. Like cinnamon?

Well, whew, I'll stumble back to the beach after I get my wits back with some coffee! Thanks so much for this amazing post.

neve black said...

What a wonderful treat to wake up to this morning!

I think you could write an entire series surrounding your enticing and gorgeous piece, Gina. I loved the raw, earthly motherly qualties of Carmelita. Of course her castaway will be forever grateful and find someway to thank her.

I'm going to ponder your delicious aphrodisiac question and come back later.

Thank you for this. I love cinnamon. I love the name, the rich smell and texture. I have made mole' sauce and fresh ground cinnamon (sans sugar) is a key ingredient.

Gina Marie said...

Hi Danielle, Thank you! I've always wanted to go to Brazil. I'm not sure why.....but maybe if I keep fantasizing about it, I'll find myself on one of those beaches someday.

Hi Emerald! I truly love cinnamon too, but it's got such a sweet reputation. I much prefer the sultry side.

Isabel! Thanks for stopping by. Please return after your thoughts marinate :)

Oh Craig, thanks for taking the time to pop in. Your a buns man, eh? Actually, when it comes to baking, one of my very favorite cinnamon-y things is "pie crust cookies." I roll out the leftover pie crust (all-butter of course) from trimming pies and sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar. They have to be eaten hot right out of the oven and they taste sooooo good.

Scarlet! Thanks so much for joining the feast. I so know what you mean about desire. It is the simplest of whisperings that totally turns me on: "I want you."

Hi Donna! Thanks so much for this wonderful spice tour that you and Marina launched. It's really cool....and the photo shoot still has me wound up :) Words! Yes! I remember you saying/writing once that you want to fuck everyone in the world -- not with your body but with your mind and your words and your stories. Words are powerful and freeing and seductive.

Gina Marie said...

Hi Neve! Thank you -- maybe I'll keep the story going....who knows what could happen! Oh, I LOVE mole sauce. Will you share your recipe? Purty pleeze?

Erobintica said...

Hi Gina. Wow. That octopus image (the second one of course) just has my mind reeling. You know how refreshingly spicy it is to see tentacles draped over a male instead of a female? Wow. Yes. Thank the mystery model for me.

Umm. Cinnamon. That's the subject, right?

Unfortunately right now the only cinnamon in my house is the grocery store bought kind - because I couldn't get anywhere to get some good stuff when I ran out before (one of those emergency last minute runs to the store) - the good new is it's almost gone!

I love to use cinnamon unexpectedly - in things like salad dressing, in marinades and dry rubs (I like to concoct on the spot), on vegetables. Oh, and of course desserts. When I was growing up, cinnamon was for cinnamon toast, pumpkin pie, some cookies and cakes - but that was about it.

My aphrodisiac? As I thought about it this morning, I realized mine is fluid - never exactly the same. Desire is a strong one for me - like Scarlet says - "seeing, hearing, feeling". Words also are strong - mine, others. Images too (umm, see above, hehe). And then there are those ephemeral things like wind and scents and sounds. But most of all, my aphrodisiac is being true to myself. I liked what you had to say.

And the second part of your question - about saying yes - well, being part of this "community" - has been an incredible force for YES in my life - to accept and embrace the erotic side of me has been one of the most freeing changes. So I have to thank all of you.

Oh, and that photo (yes, the one I'm obsessed with now) is gonna provoke a poem, I just know it.

neve black said...

Just returning from a run and had time to think about your question.

Hmmm...for me the perfect aphrodisiac is not that complicated and hidden: I like to feel wanted and special for who I am. I feel the sexiest when I'm just being me and that special someone recognizes my flaws (yes, I have many of those), but enjoys me just the same. Visa/versa too.

Mole sauce: I will share, but all my cookbooks are packed away in a box somewhere. I chicken scratched the recipe after speaking to an older Spanish woman at the Spanish market in town. Somehow I just knew she'd know how to make great homemade mole. I do know that I bought about five different kinds of dried hot peppers and I had to soak them in water, to soften them before pureeing them. There was chocolate and cinnamon added to the recipe too.

Fabulouso post, as usual, Ms. hot pants!

Jeremy Edwards said...

I love the aroma of cinnamon even more than the taste, I think. (There are a number of comestibles that are like that for me.)

My first answer to the aphrodisiac question, off the top of my fedora, is "aesthetic surroundings." Elegant buildings and groovy lighting get me in the mood (if I'm not already in it—which, granted, is a big "if").

Thanks for all the cinnaesthesia, Gina!

neve black said...

Nudge me and once I get settled and un-packed, I'll find the Mole recipe and share with both you and Donna. And anyone else. Maybe I'll create a blog post about Ole'-Mole'. I made it for a party, and I think it tasted better than the authentic Mexican restaurant in town. I know that sound horribly conceited, but there's something about making sauces from scratch: love, sweat and tears get mixed into the bowl too. Yes, I know I'm re-quoting Like Water For Chocolate, but it's true!

p.s. I'm going to add new types of cinnamon to my pantry.

Alison Tyler said...

I love your question, GM. But everyone knows my answer, I think.

My #1 aphrodisiac is knowing what other people are doing. Behind the closed doors. With the octopus. I want to know what's in your medicine cabinet and which pair of shoes you wear when you know you're going to get fucked. I can't help it. I am the ultimate voyeur.

Thanks for the peek into your world...

XXX,
Alison

Isabel Kerr said...

Hm. My aphrodisiac is my imagination. Things and people I've done, things and people I'd like to do. Ideas and creativity and mutual attraction, I think are the strongest aphrodisiacs.

What do you want to say yes to? What do you say yes to that you've never revealed?

I'm not tellin, but it informs my life and writing.

Thanks Gina Marie for such a thought provoking post.

EllaRegina said...

Tentacles and testicles!

Surf 'n' Turf!

A topical musical interlude (the song is just background to the visuals but the goings-on are quite cinnamon-y).

My verification word, speaking of testicles: testshi

No kiddin'!

Unknown said...

Greaat sensual post, Gina Marie!

My an aphrodisiac is usually a combination of things: good food, good drinks, good, stimulating conversation with a sexy man or woman does it for me.

Sommer Marsden said...

ah, yum! love cinnamon. we have been eating red hot fireballs all week! (shh. no jokes) they are great.

aphrodisiacs...hmm...i will pick just a few. the man taking calm and collected care with me when am spastic and fried, bacon, and forearms! yummy ones. oh, and candy. that is a good list, yes? ;)

sorry was so short. will try to pop in later. is crazed day!
xoxo
s

Donna said...

Ah, Jeremy, you are an erotic aesthete! But reading everyone's special aphrodisiac is making me realize how many things do get me in the mood.

I'd been craving mole since this morning and it turned out I actually got to have some at one of our famous local Mexican places. It wasn't particularly spicy, alas, but it was chocolatey and good. Thanks, Gina and Neve, for making my spicy Sunday delicious!

BadAssKona said...

So, I see you caught me peering over the log at a rosemary bush! Carmelita's gonna be one happy siren, I'll tell ya that!

Aphrodisiac?? "You're gonna make me cum."

Gina Marie said...

Whew! Sorry to be so tardy getting back to the wickedness! I was out doing naughty things in the badlands. It's a beautiful, sunny day here! Which reminds me -- what have I said yes to that I've never revealed? Well, I've recently said yes to some things that I had enjoyed as a young woman -- playing out in the woods, skinnydipping....but now I realize it's more than just fun. It's about being an animal. I feel so comfortable in my own skin when I'm stripped free of societal confines....like clothes :) I feel alive when I'm pinned against the tree, the rough bark biting at my bare skin, the smell of pheromones and sweat and animal lust filling my nose. I have to earn a living, which requires me to act ladylike from time to time. But nowadays, it's no longer one or the other. Grrrrowl. Howl. Bite.

Gina Marie said...

Robin, so glad you like the images! Oh, do write one of your amazing poems! That would make my day! I know what you mean about the aphrodesiac being fluid. Sometimes the craziest thing will leap out of nowhere -- like a certain tree or the smell of basil on my fingers or the way the wind is whooshing across my skin.

Gina Marie said...

Hi Neve, acceptance is such a powerful thing! YES!!!! Free to be....and be free and be me.

Ooooh that recipe sounds amazing.

Gina Marie said...

Jeremy! Thanks for dropping in again. I love your aphrodesiac of "setting" and scene. Groovy lighting....hmmmm....what, do tell, is the ultimate groovy lighting?

Emerald said...

Isabel said,
”cinnamon and oregano and lemon”

Oooh, what an interesting combination. I’ve never tried it (that I know of) — actually, it’s never even occurred to me. Thanks for the suggestion, Isabel!

Scarlett said,
”My aphrodisiac is desire. Someone desiring me”

I don’t know if I ever thought about it quite that way, but that definitely resonates with me as something I have experienced as an aphrodisiac too. Thanks for the articulation Scarlett!

Jeremy said,
”(There are a number of comestibles that are like that for me.)“

Coffee might be my number one on this list. Oh boy do I love the smell of it...for me the taste has almost never lived up to the smell. :)

LOL @ “Off the top of my fedora”!

And oh, yes, Jeremy — “elegant surroundings.” I hear you — I really love that kind of thing too. Especially if I’m dressed up to go with it.

It seems that for me a number of aphrodisiacs have been psychological. The “wanting me” one as Scarlett mentioned is one. Intellectual stimulation has seemed to be aphrodisiacal (another made-up word I think) for me as well. Intense, thoughtful or philosophical conversation — I have been known to find myself turned on by such a conversation's eliciting pondering in me (hey, that means you could have turned me on just with this question GM! ;)) and/or when I can tell someone is really thoughtfully or philosophically considering a certain topic (especially if it's one in which I'm interested) in a discussion.

I’ve also been turned on by someone else taking control. Like pulling a rug out from under me that I work so desperately to keep perfectly clean and perfectly in place and perfect in so many other ways — getting fucked hard/rough is like just yanking it right out so I don’t have to (or get to) fucking worry about it anymore (at least for the duration of the action taking place, lol).

Thanks again Gina!

Gina Marie said...

Hi Alison, thank you so much peering inside my strange little world :) As a bit of an (OK, a lot of one) exhibitionist, I find it exciting to know that someone wants to see what I'm doing with the octopus!

Gina Marie said...

Hello Ms. Isabel,

I find ideas and creativity incredibly sexy. I love being around other people who march to their own crazy beat. For me, that's what it's all about -- this existence of ours. Doing what we can for others and living authentically, boldly, and proudly, without shame.

Gina Marie said...

Hi Sommer -- fireballs & forearms. Oh, YES!

Gina Marie said...

Donna, ditto on the craving mole. I can't stop thinking about it.

Gina Marie said...

Hi T. Elle, thank you thank you! Combos are awesome....it's just so wonderful when it all comes together and then -- Laaaaaaaa! Fireworks!

Gina Marie said...

Hey Emerald!!! I love the unexpected also. Sometimes it's even really subtle and sweet like a hand holding the ankle firmly, so firm that the leg, lifted against his thigh, cannot move. Or a command. "On your knees." Makes me go weak....in the knees.

Gina Marie said...

Hey BAK, 'bout time you quit playing with your Octopussy and got over here! What? You were faking being shipwrecked?

I really, truly can't wait to see what you do with Rosemary. That sweet young herbaceous thing has no idea....what's coming.

Marina said...

Sorry I'm late getting here to comment. I popped in this morning and this had me thinking all day.

Wow, GM, your story is hot, as are the pics!! Would love to hear more of the story - and see more pics! Thanks, mystery model! ;)

I still don't exactly know how to answer the questions, though. My life has been in a bit of an upheaval lately. After a long marriage, I find my self out in the world on my own again, trying to find my way. The people I am meeting fascinate me. I agree with Isabel - mutual attraction is a big aphrodisiac. I'm really struck by how overpowering it is when the chemistry just seems right with someone. It's been such a long time -- I'd almost forgotten -- and damn! I really like it! The electricity, the tension, the possibilities! That life is full of so much potential turns me on!

And, as far as these questions:
"What do you want to say yes to? What do you say yes to that you've never revealed?"

You know, even though I'm really shy and getting out in the world is really new to me, I think I'm pretty inclined, at this point in my life, to say yes to a wide range of things as long as they're not a threat to life and limb!

Thanks, GM, for this celebration of the spicy life!

Danielle said...

i thought abou my personal aphrodisiacs now for a while.ö..music..nothing can put me as easily in the mood as some good music...followed by words..no matter if its a story i read..or something a lover tells me...lightning is important..i totally go for candlellight in the bed room...like jeremy i love aesthetic surroundings...bauhaus designs really give me uhm..a lot..laughs*...plus being outside by night..the empty streets..the lake..the forests..for example last night..it was about 1 in the morning...the rain just had stoped..it was warm...an dthere were thos etrees which startet to smell so intense...aromatic...so seductive.....perfect...

Jeremy Edwards said...

Glad you had some fun in the naughtylands, GM!

Groovy lighting....hmmmm....what, do tell, is the ultimate groovy lighting?
**

For grooviness, per se, my favorite effect is the fluorescent lighting technology where the color of the light constantly shifts through the spectrum. I especially ooh and ahh when it hits the aqua to violet to magenta zone. This type of lighting seems to be getting more and more common in restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, and I can't get enough of it!

Donna, ditto on the craving mole.
**

Haha, sounds like you're talking about a lover with a big sexual appetite, burrowing under the covers.

Unknown said...

Great post, Gina Marie! Thanks for this.
I was actually just thinking about this over the weekend. The idea what makes you say yes to something you might not otherwise say yes to. And the first thing that came to mind was the idea of having a secret. Having something you've done, or are willing to do (or simply want to do) that makes you different. Makes you feel brave or daring or whatever. I get that from writing this stuff, too. Whenever you walk into Borders of Barnes & Noble or whatever and see someone browsing the erotica section...that gets me big-time. And I don't mean in a ego-stroking kinda way. I mean it in a "I've got a secret" kinda way. Secrets are a powerful aphrodisiac.
Great post!

Gina Marie said...

Hey there everyone -- thank you, thank you for stopping by and for offering such wonderful, enthusiastic comments and commentary. I love these bloggy discussions. The world can be really, really small....infinitessimal, if we are only willing to open our minds to others' views.

Marina -- I am out in the world after a long marriage too (something in the water?). You are strong and brave and beautiful inside and out. Lots of love to you.

Hey Danielle -- I have a thing about rain and streetlamps late at night. Hmmmm....one never knows, but you just gotta go with it!

Jeremy -- I'm going to have to go out on a light hunt now! Aqua. Ooooh. I also need to get out more. I had no idea.

Hi P.S. -- thanks for coming to the party. I know what you mean about secrets. I am a small person (4-foot-10) and most people wouldn't think I'm anything but just a sweet, innocent person. He-he. I've got secrets.

Thanks all! I love you! You're all just so wicked cool. I hope we can all meet in person someday. BTW -- Anybody going to Burning Man?

Erobintica said...

Anybody going to Burning Man No, but I wish. It's fascinated me for years. I go vicariously via online stuff. Maybe one of these years. Hey, we could have an erotic writers theme camp!

Gina Marie said...

Hi Robin, I haven't been before. This will be my first. I've had it on the list for a long time. An erotic writer's camp would be a blast. Literally. I'll be at the "Vomiting Sparrows" camp, famous for its bloody mary bar.

Danielle said...

ah ..i wanted to go to the burning man since years!! must be totally awsome!

i had forgotten the rain...i love rain and thunderstorms..i even collect cds with thunderstorm sounds on it ...i also love the sound of hard rain against my window...


@ero...the writers camp idea sounds great...i imagine it like boy scouts and girl scout..just with less cookies and with more alcohol..:-)