Old Farmer’s Almanac weighs in on aphrodisiacs, beauty trends

WASHINGTON — Denim overalls, aphrodisiacs and grape facials might not seem as though they belong together — but there’s more to the 2015 Old Farmer’s Almanac than weather forecasts and planting schedules.

People looking for love, for example, may want to explore habanero fudge, according to the 2015 Old Farmer’s Almanac.

“Put chocolate and spice together — what a night you’re going to have,” says Old Farmer’s Almanac Senior Associate Editor Sarah Perreault.

One article in the 2015 Old Farmer’s Almanac called “Hungry For Love?” informs readers about scents and foods that may help attract a partner.

“Everyone loves chocolate. Dark chocolate especially is good and you want to make it spicy chocolate because chili peppers also are good for increasing your libido,” Perreault says.

Now that autumn is underway, pumpkins are out of patches and into everything from lattes to doughnuts. Perreault extolls the potential stimulating effect of pumpkin pie spice.

“It may not be a coincidence that August has the highest birth rate of the entire calendar year,” Parrault calculates by adding nine months to the ubiquitous pumpkin pie period around Thanksgiving.

In another article called “Beauty On a Budget,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac details numbers of home remedies.

The juices of various fruit are widely recognized as having skin-friendly acids that promote cell turnover and aid exfoliation.

The 2015 Old Farmer’s Almanac wrinkle relaxer recipe uses green seedless grapes. To make the relaxer, wash six to eight grapes, cut them in half, gently massage them onto your face and neck, let it dry 20 minutes, rinse and repeat as necessary.

“There are tons of things in your cabinets you can turn into beauty regimens,” according to Perreault.

Good cooks commonly make what they believe to be suitable substitutions when needed, but Almanac readers failing to use the recommended turmeric for the “chickpea facial” will get quite a surprise. Regular turmeric will temporarily stain skin a ghastly orange-yellow.

In the 2015 Old Farmer’s Almanac “What Are The Odds” article, readers will learn there’s a one-in-eight chance that someone trying to avoid interacting with them will pretend to be having a cellphone conversation.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac was founded in 1792 and is the oldest continuously published periodical in North America.

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