Newcastle — The February 4 Economist contains an article on the ongoing difficulties that the Chinese are having with the high plains dwellers of Sichuan and Tibet.  No surprise there; we all recognize that nobody gets along with anybody of an even slightly different caste.  In particular, there is the prefecture Ganzi, bordering Tibet, where the unrest has been especially virulent, even though rural incomes increased 30% last year and are anticipated to do the same in 2012.  Why would sudden prosperity engender violence?  Who knows?  Fine; then whence the economic improvement?  Here’s the fun part; it’s “caterpillar fungus, a mushroom that grows in the bodies of dead caterpillars in high-altitude grasslands.” Somehow the Chinese have gotten it into their heads that the mushroom is an aphrodisiac.  They can’t get too much of it, and the price is soaring.

No question about it, if you can convince us that something will lift the libido, we’ll buy it.  The Asians seem particularly vulnerable and have assigned sexual powers to some of the weirdest things: tiger penis, deer penis and antler, rhino horn.  The topical Chan Su is a traditional Chinese medicine and a purported aphrodisiac.  It is prepared from the dried white secretion of the auricular and skin glands of toads, in case you’re interested.

The Portuguese swear by Dulce de Lece; the last to be pronounced like “lecher.”  Jamaicans believe in Mannish Water, a goat soup comprised of various goat parts including the head, brains and heart. Another Jamaican pick-me-up is Cow Cod Soup made with bull penis, bananas and peppers in a rum-based broth. Sounds like Voodoo to me.  I'm pretty sure there is nothing animal, vegetable, or mineral that has not been investigated for its seductive powers.

Every schoolboy has heard of Spanish Fly.  I was surprised to learn that it is actually an insect, a blister beetle rich in Cantharadin, an irritant affecting the genitourinary tract.  If the tract’s irritated, she must be horny, right?  No.  Actually the potion applies to men where the irritation causes an, um, well let’s just say not shrinkage.  (If it lasts for more than four hours, see your doctor).  A small vial of Spanish Fly is available from Amazon for about twenty-five bucks.  I would caution that it only earns one and a half stars of customer satisfaction.

It has been postulated that the earliest aphrodisiac was likely body odor.  I was pleased to read that, because I never use deodorant…well, the occasional application of some musk I picked up in Morocco.  That last is, however, only because I like its smell and there is absolutely no ulterior motive.  Incidentally, I haven’t noticed that my unhygienic habit attracts females, so I might question the body odor theory.

Turning to our local fisheries, you probably read that last spring the price of elvers skyrocketed to $950/lb.  According to the Lincoln County News:  “The last few seasons, $200 to $300 was considered a high price for elvers, and only six or seven years ago they sold for $25 per pound.”  Most elvers are shipped to Southeast Asia where they are considered..oh, take a guess.  Last year's being a bad year for elver production in Europe and Asia was quite a boon for Maine fishermen.  But don’t rush out to get a license. “There are only 399 licensed elver fishermen in Maine this year, and only those who held a license in the previous year are allowed to apply for a new one.”

You’re probably aware of the current brouhaha over bear bile.  This is drained from the intestines of caged bears as an ingredient in an occult Chinese medicine supposed “to reduce fever, protect the liver, improve eyesight, break down gallstones, and act as an anti-inflammatory.”  The extraction process is something that should not be visited on any animal, and there is proper indignation expressed by animal rights activists.  My reason for mentioning this is not, however, to argue the case, but only to say that bear bile is apparently not considered an aphrodisiac!  Unusual, but lucky for the bears.

What does our caring if intrusive government think of the sex drug trade?  Quoting theKitchen: “The FDA has stated quite firmly that sexual enhancement products that claim to work as well as prescription products are likely to expose consumers to unpredictable risks and the potential for injury or even death."  Cummon guys, lighten up; it’s Valentine’s Day.