"Before I was born my mother was in great agony of spirit and in a tragic situation. She could take no food except iced oysters and champagne. If people ask me when I began to dance, I reply, 'In my mother's womb, probably as a result of the oysters and champagne - the food of Aphrodite.'" - Isadora Duncan, American dancer (1878-1927)
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, sensuality and all great passions. She is appropriately invited to any feast celebrating these things and food is, of course, an appropriate offering to Her. Aphrodite reminds us that not only are many foods considered aphrodesiac, but food should be a sensual experience, from the kneading of bread to the juicy pop of a plup summer tomato as your teeth break the skin. Aphrodite says, love what you eat, eat what you love and bring all your senses to the table! She is a very appropriate tutelary Goddess for the sensual Kitchen Witch.
Aphrodite is especially associated with apples due to the story of the golden apple: Eris tossed an apple into the crowd of Goddesses with a note that said "for the fairest". Paris was selected to choose which Goddess got the apple, and he chose Aphrodite (really he was choosing the instrument of his doom… ) and as a reward he won the love of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, Queen of Sparta who was already married to a warlord, or rather the brother of a warlord, thus the Trojan war began.
Some moder scholars insist that the golden apple was in fact a quince.
Some foods associated with Aphrodite:
(You may also wish to honor Aphrodite with foods associated with Her planet, Venus)
