Looking to spice up your romantic getaway? Throughout the Caribbean, you'll find aphrodisiacs sold in markets and roadside stands. Usually said to be "for the man," these potions are said to be powerful enough to "make your man as strong as a bull." You'll have to judge for yourself.

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Mannish water.

Made from goat's head, mannish water is sometimes called power water. A real rarity on restaurant menus, usually mannish water is bought at a roadside stand where you might have it with roasted yam. This spicy soup is made with goat head (some cooks include tripe and feet as well), garlic, escallion, cho-cho, green bananas, Scotch bonnet peppers, and spinners. White rum is an optional ingredient.

Ingredients

Irish Moss. One of the most unusual drinks in the Caribbean is Irish Moss, made from a seaweed extract. Reported to be a health drink as well as an aphrodisiac, this drink is typically sold "for the man." Definitely an acquired taste.

250g fresh Irish moss or 50g dried Irish moss

2.5 litres water

1 tablespoon rum

250 ml milk

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 tbs strawberry syrup - (for colour)

Sugar to taste

1. If dried Irish moss is to be used, soak it for a few hours in water.   Otherwise, clean the fresh moss of all other bits of seaweed, and wash thoroughly to remove sand and grit.
2. Simmer the moss in the water until tender.   Then top up the water to the original level and bring to boil.
3. Strain the liquid through a muslin cloth or fine sieve.
4. Add sugar to taste, then the rum, milk, nutmeg.
5. Add enough strawberry syrup to make it slightly pink in colour.
6. Transfer the liquid to a glass bowl and refrigerate until it has set.

?Cowcod soup. Another one of those infamous Jamaican aphrodisiacs, cowcod soup is usually sold at roadside stands and includes bananas, pepper and white rum.

?Bois Band? Most popular in St. Lucia, this tree is used to produce a potent liqueur that some swear by. In the Castries market, you can purchase the bark and use it to prepare a "special" tea.

?Conch. You're probably familiar with this mollusk because of its shell: a beautiful pink curl nearly a foot long that, when blown by those in the know, can become an island bullhorn. The shell covers a huge piece of white meat with a rubbery texture. Many islanders swear by its aphrodisiac qualities; even if it doesn't work, conch is so tasty it's well worth a try.

Ready to try your luck? Here are a few conch recipes designed to bring the loving feeling of the islands to your home. Conch is available in most specialty markets and large seafood shops.

Ingredients

* 1/2 liter of brown rum
* 50 grams of bark of Marbri (Bois band?
* 20 grams of powder of Damiana
* Mango juice (fresh)
* Green lemon juice (fresh

Preparation

* Put 50 grams of "Bois band?quot; bark in 1/2 liter of Brown Rum
* Let macerate in a bottle closed, far from the light during 1 month.
* Filter
* Cut out a mango, mix it and filter it.
* Extract the juice from 2 green lemons.
* To pour mango, the juice of lemon and the powder of Damania Damiana in brown rum.
* Wait 2 days before consuming.

Drink one glass 1 hour before the evening in love...

Conch Fritters

3 medium conch, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups water
3 hot peppers or to taste
2 tablespoons thyme
4 cups flour
4 tablespoons baking powder
Oil for frying

Mix all ingredients except oil. Mix thoroughly and let stand 10 to 20 minutes. Heat oil in deep fryer. Scoop batter in full teaspoons, drop into hot oil. Fry until brown.

Cracked Conch

2-3 medium conch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
3 eggs, beaten
Oil for frying

Prepare conch. Cut in half and flatten with meat mallet. Marinate in lemon juice; refrigerate for a half hour. Remove conch from lemon juice and dip into beaten eggs then dredge in flour. Fry in skillet or deep fryer until golden brown.