Who would ever indulge in garlic soup, unless of course it turns out to be a potent sex booster? Bagna càuda (aka “the hot broth” in Italian) is an iconic dish hailing from Italy’s northern region of Piedmont. It's a creamy sauce made with boiled and crushed garlic, anchovies, olive oil and in some towns even milk. It is served in a heated ceramic pot and placed at the centre of the table where family members and friends gather for a warm meal. Once the soup is ready, fresh veggies, mainly cardoons and celery, are dipped inside and then popped into the mouth. Floating bread slices, left to soak in the savoury broth, are eaten at the very end. View this post on Instagram That crudités platter could use a kick and we have just the ticket. A creamy Bagna Cauda - indulgent, umami’d, Italian - is a cinch to whip up and is a worthy companion to every veg on that plate. Happy dipping! Link in profile. . . . #bagnacauda #dip #dips #crudites #vegplatter #getdipping #easyapps #easydips #easyentertaining #thisiscrumb A post shared by Crumb (@thisiscrumb) on Feb 7, 2020 at 8:09am PST “It’s a collective dish coming from the old farmer tradition, savoured together as in a social ritual that bonds people in cold winter days,” says Tilde Frare, a Piedmont culinary expert and chef who often opens up her house to guests for picturesque bagna càuda nights. In the past it was all peasants could afford: the aristocrats would hand over their leftovers to the poor, especially garlic which they snubbed due to the bad smell, but today it’s a gourmet recipe loved by locals and tourists.” Bagna càuda days are celebrated across the region when tourists gather around huge pots of steaming garlic soup. Born in the Middle Ages, the bagna càuda fad flourished spreading from the countrysides to the towns thanks to merchants who brought back from their journeys across Europe the anchovies for the soup. Why do the Russians love ‘slut’ spaghetti? Poor families indulged in the garlic soup especially to celebrate the end of the wine harvest. View this post on Instagram Bagna cauda e bocce ! La tradizione #bagnacauda #langhe #acciughe#piemonte #bocce A post shared by Agriturismo Il Gioco Dell’Oca (@giocodelloca) on Jan 11, 2020 at 4:47am PST It is said to be a witch’s brew, first invented by a real Piedmont sorceresses dubbed Masche as a potent regenerative recipe. These ladies were good, white witches who cured all sorts of diseases and exploited their sublime culinary techniques to boost their shaman mission,” says Frare. “Food such as bagna càuda is believed to have powerful healing powers especially due to the garlic’s many reinvigorating properties that fight infertility, child mortality, cholesterol [and] stomach worms, and is good for digestion, blood circulation and reproduction. It was given as a remedy to couples as a sex booster.” View this post on Instagram Our Bagna Cauda makes a great starter • Celeriac root and anchovy puree with torn baguette will have you asking for A post shared by stmarkschoproom (@stmarkschoproom) on Feb 6, 2020 at 6:05am PST The Masche witches had deep knowledge of the magical power of all ingredients and cherished the teachings of the ancient pagan populations such as the Egyptians, who fed their slaves garlic meals to make them strong enough to build their astonishing pyramids. What are boob cakes, and why do Italians love them so much? The Greeks gave garlic to Olympic athletes while the Romans gave it to their soldiers in battle. The Piedmont sorceresses – a few still survive today in Piedmont’s wildest corners – are great cooks. View this post on Instagram Bagna cauda a casa #bagnacauda #acasa A post shared by @ so_lu_an_so on Jan 5, 2020 at 9:05am PST In remote villages during the yearly bagna càuda festivals housewives get together to clean the garlic heads, cutting tons of garlic cloves ready to throw in a big cauldron. A strong garlic scent fills the air as people come together in front of a bonfire and start spinning witchy tales as the soup is prepared in a slow, magical ritual. It’s a party, but of course one needs to be a fan of garlic. At midnight couples kiss under starry skies to show that a garlic-scented breathe isn’t that bad but can actually be quite pleasant, and maybe even a sexual turn-on. Despite common folklore saying garlic shuns evil spirits and witches, the Masche tradition proves it quite the opposite. View this post on Instagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Grilled eggplant on top of a dollop of bagna cauda. Topped with artichoke caponata and a kale fennel salad. Finished with spicy marcona almonds . . . #grilledeggplant #melanzana #bagnacauda #artichoke #kalefennelsalad #specialoftheweek #weeklyspecial #sophiascucinaenoteca #sophiascucina #sophiascucinaenotecastpete #grandcentraldistrict #keepstpetelocal #stpetefoodies #ilovetheburg #stpete #stpeteflorida #stpeterestaurants #centralavestpete #dtsp #tampabay #downtownstpete A post shared by Sophia’s Cucina + Enoteca (@sophias.cucina.enoteca) on Jan 16, 2020 at 5:16am PST “My aunt was a Masca . She taught me that garlic is alive, just like any ingredient, and can dispel negative forces and keep jinx at bay,” says Frare. “It also has a funny sexual effect: there are stories passed down across generations that after cooking up pots of bagna càuda village women would dance around the fire in fertility rituals with the men.” Who needs Viagra when you've got the sexiest sausage in the world? It comes as no surprise, then, that in Italy garlic is dubbed “the king of cuisine”, while the onion is the “queen”, as they both accompany and sex-up recipes and dishes. But the sex-triggering property of garlic is not just folklore, popular belief and old habits. Science recently stepped-in to prove that garlic does indeed have aphrodisiac powers and helps lovemaking because it contains allicin, a compound which increases blood flow to the sexual organs. According to a study jointly carried out by the universities of Stirling and Prague, garlic consumption may have positive effects on naturally hedonic male body odour, as it stimulates the axillary gland of armpits. The women involved in the test found men who had eaten garlic more attractive than those who had not. The stronger the garlic scent, the sexier the guy. So as opposed to what one may think, the release of a strong garlic-inspired body odour was actually more pleasant and a turn-on for the ladies. Italian nutritionist Antonio De Toma has also carried out extensive research into the Viagra-like properties of garlic and suggests that garlic should be consumed daily. But – surprise, surprise – to avoid the risk of having a nasty breath which could be a major turn-off for non garlic lovers, the cloves should be taken as anal suppositories. Want more stories like this? Sign up here . Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter