Thanks to the proliferation of outrageously popular TV food shows, Americans have grown to appreciate the aesthetics of a meal almost as much as its flavor. We've discovered our chefs are artists as well as cooks and bakers, and their colorful salads and abstract chocolate sculptures are works of art as well as good things to eat.

But there is yet another dimension to food to be explored, says Italian-born Chef Tiberio Simone, a James Beard Award winner and author of a provocative new coffee table book, La Figa: Visions of Food and Form (www.LaFigaProject.com). Shot by Matt Freedman, it features full-color, artistically rendered portraits of the naked human body decorated with fresh ingredients.

Incorporate food in your love life, he says, and you'll discover the sublime.

• Choose fresh, natural, organic foods. Sexy food still has the taste nature gave it, and there's no better choice than organic food because it's grown with love. A farmer's market is a great place to shop because you can touch and smell the produce.

• Watch out for food allergies - even if you don't plan to eat the food. If you're planning a sensual meal for your lover as a surprise, be aware of any food allergies or sensitivities he or she may have. Also, foods can cause irritation, burning or rashes when placed on the skin, if a person has a sensitivity. This can be especially true for certain delicate body parts.

• Bring your lover on your food-shopping excursion. View it as a bit of sensual foreplay. You can have a lot of fun caressing and gently squeezing the foods, and inhaling their aromas. The conversation should be entertaining, too.

• Taste the sensuality of the food while you and your partner eat. This sounds obvious, but it's not. Seduce your senses by breathing in the aroma of the dish. Close your eyes and inhale slowly so you can analyze and take in the ingredients. Take a small bite, roll the food around your tongue and in your mouth and make small sounds of pleasure. You might feel ridiculous, but it's fun, especially on a romantic date.

"Food and touch are truly the basic ingredients of life. If done properly, they will not only provide pleasure, but also engage and delight the senses," says Simone.

Adds photographer Freedman: "Any food can be beautiful and sensual if it has qualities that appeal to what you and your lover find sexy and enticing."

Take a peach, for example.

"Start by looking at its shape and colors," Simone says. "Press it just hard enough to feel the firmness and the touch of velvety skin, just like when you touch the skin of another person. I believe that fruits and vegetables respond to touch by releasing beautiful aromas for us to breathe in."

Simone says his Italian heritage and his culinary fluency heightened his awareness of the sensual similarities between fresh, organic foods and the human body. Like the human body, every food in its natural state has beauty in its lines, shape, color and texture. And like the human body, food gives us exquisite pleasure on a primal level.

"Spend a little time looking for the sensual aspects of food, and I guarantee you will become a pro at enjoying the sensual side of life," he says.

About Tiberio Simone

Born in southern Italy, Tiberio Simone is a James Beard Award-winning chef.  He has been cooking for as long as he can remember, beginning in his mother's kitchen. Tiberio started his career at an Italian restaurant in Seattle. He eventually became the pastry chef at Seattle's Four Seasons Olympic Hotel. He now runs his own company, La Figa Catering.

About Matt Freedman

Matt Freedman is a professional freelance photographer and technologist who combined his photography, writing and technical talents to produce the first iPhone app about the Burning Man festival. He is also the former staff photographer and director of technology for the bi-monthly magazine JUST CAUSE. His photographs have been published in "Trekking Nepal: A Traveler's Guide" and the French book, "Artivisme: Art, Action Politique et Résistance Culturelle."

It was a love for the loyal customers and savory Mexican cuisine found at the popular local chain that motivated business owners Mike and Cassandra Kehl to open up their third Rudy's Tacos location on Elmore Avenue in Davenport, just across from Lowe's and neighboring the recently relocated Active Endeavors. With more than 54 years of combined experience and involvement with the franchise, the Kehls have witnessed first-hand the chain's rapid development into a community favorite and Quad Cities landmark.

"Rudy's offers a laid back atmosphere and a diverse clientele," said Mike Kehl, who also owns Rudy's restaurants at West Kimberly Road and West 4th Street in Davenport.   "This new location will probably be a great attraction to the active customer who wants to grab some good food and then head next door to check out the new gear," said Cassandra Kehl.

The impressive, newly-constructed Rudy's facility offers patrons a fun, family-friendly dining experience and an array of tasty menu options that can make choosing just one a difficult feat.  "I'm thrilled to see our company continue to expand in the Quad Cities," said Kevin Quijas, Vice President of Rudy's Tacos Corporation. "I feel honored there is such a high demand for our food."

What started in 1973 as a tiny restaurant in the Village of East Davenport seating only 15 to 20 people, has since expanded to include 13 different locations in Iowa and Illinois. The chain continues to grow and prides itself on remaining locally owned and operated. Rudy's Tacos offers dine-in, carry-out, private party and catering services.

"I chose this franchise over others because they're easy to work with," said Mike Kehl, "And it helps to be part of a corporation that's already well-established."

The Grand Opening will be Thursday, February 2nd from 4pm to 6pm. A ribbon cutting will kick off the festivities at 4:30pm, with free appetizers and soft drinks to follow. Patrons can take advantage of food specials all week long at the site in celebration of the restaurant's commencement.

The amount of food stamp benefits known as LINK redeemed at Illinois farmers markets and from direct marketing farmers increased by nearly 69 percent between 2011 and 2010, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sales in federal fiscal year 2011 totaled $69,320, up from $41,146 in 2010 and $11,146 in 2009. (The federal fiscal year is October 1-September 30.)

Simon attributes the increase, in part, to better access. Currently 49 markets and direct marketing farmers in 20 counties are certified to accept LINK, which is up from 35 in 2010 and 15 in 2009. The only constitutional officer from Southern Illinois, Simon chairs the Governor's Rural Affairs Council, which is focused on expanding access to local foods.

Simon will detail the numbers at the Downtown Springfield, Inc. annual awards dinner. Downtown Springfield, Inc. is a non-profit that works to preserve, promote, and enhance Springfield's historic central business district, and runs the Old Capitol Farmers Market.

EVENT: Downtown Springfield, Inc. annual awards dinner

TIME: 7 p.m.

PLACE: Hilton Hotel, 700 East Adams Street, Springfield

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