I love to cook, but when things get boring, it's time to get into some of the best international dishes to make at home. Switching things up and recreating dishes helps me get over the travel blues, and you can re-imagine a great global experience through food, too. Plus, who doesn't love having a good cooking session where you relieve stress and then sit down to an amazing meal afterward? Try these 15 recipes for international food that are quick and easy or worth the effort and wait. (Thank me later.)
15 Best International Dishes To Cook At Home
From Greece: Greek Whole Roasted Branzino Recipe
Whole roasted fish and veggies features all of the flavors of the Mediterranean you never knew you'd been craving. It's especially perfect for those of us who ain't got time to be slaving in the kitchen for hours and leaving a bunch of dishes to wash. Even if you've never been to Greece, you'll love the clean, simple, yet delectable flavors of lemon, olive oil, and garlic typically used in signature Greek dishes. I prefer roasted branzino, a popular European bass---and yes, head on, please---but you can also substitute with black sea bass, snapper, or whiting fillets. This classic recipe has just six ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to cook. I also love this recipe if you want to get a bit more fancy with it and add two of my favorite ingredients for fish: white wine and capers.
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From Trinidad: Curry Shrimp Recipe
OK, so I'm a bit biased on this since I love anything curried. Sometimes curry dishes can be labor intensive---especially if you're keeping it authentic like my people do---but when you use shrimp it's a quicker process. I have my own recipes from influence, trial-and-error, and well, it's in my blood, but I love this simple and tasty curry shrimp recipe for beginners who aren't making everything from scratch. You can also add more veggies, including red and green peppers, green beans, or carrots and your meal is done in less than 40 minutes. Add the pelau, a traditional dish in Trinidad, for a break from the typical white rice. Trini food vlogger Chris De la Rosa, cookbook author and founder of CaribbeanPot, has a nice recipe for a veggie version that is gluten-free. There's an instant pot recipe that's good as well.
From Mexico: Huevos Rancheros Recipe
Tacos are a given at your favorite Mexican spots, but I love the traditional breakfast dish huevos rancheros and will eat it at any time of day. Huevos rancheros is hands down one of the best Mexican meals to make at home. All you need is a skillet and five core ingredients that you probably already have in the fridge or cupboard. Try this health-conscious recipe from Kevin of Fit Men Cook or this super-savory huevos rancheros recipe by chef Sunny Anderson that incorporates cheese and cilantro. I sometimes substitute the black beans for pinto, or use cheddar cheese and bake it in the oven, You can also add shredded pork or sausage or throw a little of the American South in there by using biscuits (from scratch or the can) instead of tortillas.
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From Japan: Teriyaki Chicken Noodle Bowl Recipe
Once you make your own Teriyaki sauce at home, you won't want anything out of a bottle or from the local take-out spot. This Teriyaki chicken noddle bowl recipe proves that it's actually easier than you think, and the just-right mixture of sweet and salty made me want to make larger batches to keep in the fridge. You can get really authentic and buy noodles from your local Chinese or Thai restaurant, or you can go the low-budget route, as I have, by using dry packs of $1 ramen noodles. (Hold the spice packet.)
From Spain: Seafood Paella Recipe
It takes just one pan of seafood paella to create a masterpiece that will make you think you're at a seaside eatery on the coast of Spain. What I like about this is that you can use the ready-made bag of frozen mixed seafood and a bag of frozen mixed veggies for a dish that comes out absolutely fantastic. Try this one-skillet seafood paella recipe that includes saffron, a healthy dose of hot spices, and mussels, or go uber-traditional with this paella recipe if your local farmer's market specializes in gourmet ingredients.
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From Nigeria: Nigerian Fish Stew Recipe
I used to frequent a popular Brooklyn, N.Y. restaurant where I'd always order grilled tilapia with extra stew on the side. The stew, made with a base of tomatoes, peppers, and onions, will for sure become a go-to in your home to add to rice, veggies, fish, or meat dishes. Here's an easy recipe for Nigerian fish stew, and you can use spices right from your pantry. For the fish, you can cook via your oven if you don't have (or don't feel like prepping) a grill. Otherwise, try this oven-grilled fish recipe by a favorite Nigerian lifestyle vlogger of mine, Sisi Yemmie. You can substitute the tilapia for snapper (whole or filet), catfish, or trout---just be sure it's a meaty variety that can stand up to the sauce of the stew.
From Canada: Easy Poutine Recipe
Canadian comfort food might be just what the doctor ordered for that work-from-home rut you've been in. If you've ever had loaded fries, you'll love this. Cheese curds may not be your thing, but you can substitute with queso fresco, fetta, or mini mozzarella balls. (I'd highly recommend the curds, otherwise the authentic taste of this poutine recipe is a bit off---good but a little left of the norm.) Use this easy 15-minute poutine recipe with a few cheats, or get your French cook on and try this made-from-scratch gravy.
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From Vietnam: Traditional Vietnamese Beef Pho Recipe
A divinely sweet and sour soup from heaven? Yep, this is it. Pho is served from street stalls to high-end cafeterias to strip-mall joints in the South (where my sister and I typically order this, with $1 sticky wings, and $5 lychee martinis). Though authentic pho takes hours to cook, you can still easily concoct this at home in much less time using this traditional Vietnamese beef pho recipe for red-meat lovers or this one for something leaner.
From Italy: Neapolitan Pizza Recipe
Don't worry sis. Nobody's asking you to spend hours kneading dough. I like Mama Mary's pizza crusts which I buy at Walmart or my local grocery store, but you can also buy pizza dough from your favorite Italian spot or order online. (Keep it in your freezer to make breadsticks, rolls, and pizza whenever you want.) One thing I like about Neapolitan pizza is that it's a bit more Italian than the cheese-saturated stuff we're used to in the States. You can either recreate this Neapolitan pizza recipe by A Couple Cooks or invest in a good olive oil and mozzarella, try fresh tomatoes and basil, and follow this marinara recipe.
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From Italy: Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe Pasta Recipe
I've always been partial to the usual red or alfredo sauces and I've refined my favorite recipes in making those. (And please don't insult me with anything in a jar. Once you make it from scratch, it's hard to back to that crap.) When I was initially encouraged to try cacio e pepe, a common Roman Italian mainstay, I immediately thought, "Ew, a spaghetti dish with no protein, no massive amounts of cheese, and no trifecta of root veggies? I'll pass." Well, I was binge-watching YouTube videos looking for easy pasta dishes I could make with few ingredients and this kept popping up. When I tell you I was shook! Just pasta (a decent one), pepper (fresh-ground of course), cheese (pecorino romano or a good Parmesan), and salt, and you've got a good excuse never to wasting time making spaghetti and meatballs again. Try the classic Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe recipe here.
From France: Quiche Lorraine Recipe
French culture is something I've studied and adored for years, and the first French dish I ever had the pleasure of enjoying was escargo, a buttery, garlicky delicacy made with snails. Now sis, I know that might not be your cup of tea, so I'm going to share my second-favorite French-originating food (other than everything the French make related to bread) I eventually learned how to make: quiche. I've always turned to it when I want to bring something other than bacon and eggs to a brunch, and this Quiche Lorraine recipe is where it all began. (OK, I cheated a bit by turning to the legendary Julia Childs, but here's a recipe inspired by an iconic French chef you can try as well.)
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From Nigeria...Ghana...Senegal: Jollof Rice Recipe
Nope, I'm not choosing. I like them all! I can eat a whole bowl of jollof rice by itself. It's savory, full of flavor, and can be paired with almost anything. (Trust me, I've had it with boiled eggs, fried chicken, stewed beef, goat, and even in a burrito). OK, I'll admit that the Nigerian version is my favorite (and you can find a good recipe for that one here), but there are others I enjoy, including this veggie-filled version by Kenyan chef Kaluhi Adagala. Thieboudienne is the Senegalese version, and here's a pretty good recipe for that as well. You can cheat and make jollof rice in an instant pot, or use canned or frozen ingredients if you don't have fresh on hand. (Yep, I've done it. It came out great. And please, Jolloff Judges, don't come for me.)
From Sweden: Swedish Meatballs Recipe
Not only is this a great dish to cook when you just don't feel like putting too much effort into cooking, but Swedish meatballs are great for next-day leftovers on a cold day. This recipe can be done with simple ingredients, and you can even sub the pork or beef for turkey or ground Beyond Beef. A good quick fix I've done for this dish is using frozen meatballs and a good ole' can of Campbell's beef gravy (with my own added seasoned salt and herbs) instead of making those two from scratch. (Just be sure not to omit the flavor of sour cream or cream of mushroom soup this recipe often requires.) This is also another great dish you can make low and slow while you're cleaning the house. Eat with egg noodles, mashed potatoes or veggies of your choice.
From India: Simple Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
You gotta love the cool hints of yogurt mixed with the garlic and ginger spices of this dish. The key to this dish is the marinade, and I've even tried this with seafood and it was a hit. For starters, find a great recipe for chicken tikka masalahere, or try this one if you want to truly feel like you got the chance to take that trip to Mumbai this year. Make some homemade roti if you're brave, (which I have been in the past, starting with this recipe). You can also buy the flatbread, which goes deliciously with this dish, from your local restaurant or grocery store.
From Jamaica: Oven Jerk Chicken Recipe
People will argue that there's no such thing as jerk chicken that's not cooked over coals or pimento wood, but when you're nowhere near a Negril roadside stand or a grill, you've got to use what you got. The oven is the next best thing, and I love to make this oven jerk chicken dish when I'm yearning for food from my favorite island. Getting the right flavors truly depend on the recipe, and this one helped me when I first ventured to try this at home. You can also try this remixed jerk sauce recipe courtesy of the fab singer and chef Kelis. And you don't have to make the jerk sauce from scratch. I love the jarred wet version by Walkerswood or Grace which can be found at your local grocery store or ordered online.
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Amber Riley has the type of laugh that sticks with you long after the raspy, rhythmic sounds have ceased. It punctuates her sentences sometimes, whether she’s giving a chuckle to denote the serious nature of something she just said or throwing her head back in rip-roarious laughter after a joke. She laughs as if she understands the fragility of each minute. She chooses laughter often with the understanding that future joy is not guaranteed.
Credit: Ally Green
The sound of her laughter is rivaled only by her singing voice, an emblem of the past and the future resilience of Black women stretched over a few octaves. On Fox’s Glee, her character Mercedes Jones was portrayed, perhaps unfairly, as the vocal duel to Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), offering rough, full-throated belts behind her co-star’s smooth, pristine vocals. Riley’s always been more than the singer who could deliver a finishing note, though.
Portraying Effie White, she displayed the dynamic emotions of a song such as “And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going” in Dreamgirls on London’s West End without buckling under the historic weight of her predecessors. With her instrument, John Mayer’s “Gravity” became a religious experience, a belted hymnal full of growls and churchy riffs. In her voice, Nicole Scherzinger once said she heard “the power of God.”
Credit: Ally Green
Riley’s voice has been a staple throughout pop culture for nearly 15 years now. Her tone has become so distinguishable that most viewers of Fox’s The Masked Singer recognized the multihyphenate even before it was revealed that she was Harp, the competition-winning, gold-masked figure with an actual harp strapped to her back.
Still, it wasn’t until recently that Riley began to feel like she’d found her voice. This sounds unbelievable. But she’s not referring to the one she uses on stage. She’s referencing the voice that speaks to who she is at her core. “Therapy kind of gave me the training to speak my mind,” the 37-year-old says. “It’s not something we’re taught, especially as Black women. I got so comfortable in [doing so], and I really want other people, especially Black women, to get more comfortable in that space.”
“Therapy kind of gave me the training to speak my mind. It’s not something we’re taught, especially as Black women."
If you ask Riley’s manager, Myisha Brooks, she’ll tell you the foundation of who the multihyphenate is hasn’t changed much since she was a kid growing up in Compton. “She is who she is from when I met her back when she was singing in the front of the church to back when she landed major roles in film and TV,” Brooks says. Time has allowed Riley to grow more comfortable, giving fans a more intimate glimpse into her life, including her mental health journey and the ins and outs of show business.
The actress/singer has been in therapy since 2019, although she suffered from depression and anxiety way before that. In a recent interview with Jason Lee, she recalls having suicidal ideation as a kid. By the time she started seeing a psychologist and taking antidepressants in her thirties, her body had become jittery, a physical reminder of the trauma stacked high inside her. “I was shaking in [my therapist’s] office,” she tells xoNecole. “My fight or flight was on such a high level. I was constantly in survival mode. My heart was beating fast all the time. All I did was sweat.”
There wasn’t just childhood trauma to account for. After auditioning for American Idol and being turned away by producers, Riley began working for Ikea and nearly missed her Glee audition because her car broke down on the highway while en route. Thankfully, Riley had been cast to play Mercedes Jones. American Idol had temporarily convinced her she wasn’t cut out for the entertainment industry, but this was validation that she was right where she belonged. Glee launched in 2009 with the promise of becoming Riley’s big break.
In some ways, it was. The show introduced Riley to millions of fans and catapulted her into major Hollywood circles. But in other ways, it became a reminder of the types of roles Black women, especially those who are plus-sized, are relegated to. Behind the scenes, Riley says she fought for her character "to have a voice" but eventually realized her efforts were useless. "It finally got to a point where I was like, this is not my moment. I'm not who they're choosing, and this is just going to have to be a job for me for now," she says. "And, that's okay because it pays my bills, I still get to be on television, I'm doing more than any other Black plus-sized women that I'm seeing right now on screen."
The actress can recognize now that she was navigating issues associated with trauma and low self-esteem at the time. She now knows that she's long had anxiety and depression and can recognize the ways in which she was triggered by how the cult-like following of the show conflicted with her individual, isolated experiences behind the scenes. But she was in her early '20s back then. She didn't yet have the language or the tools to process how she was feeling.
Riley says she eventually sought out medical intervention. "When you're in Hollywood, and you go to a doctor, they give you pills," she says, sharing a part of her story that she'd never revealed publicly before now. "[I was] on medication and developing a habit of medicating to numb, not understanding I was developing an addiction to something that's not fixing my problem. If anything, it's making it worse."
“[I was] on medication and developing a habit of medicating to numb, not understanding I was developing an addiction to something that’s not fixing my problem. If anything it’s making it worse.”
Credit: Ally Green
At one point, while in her dressing room on set, she rested her arm on a curling iron without realizing it. It wasn't until her makeup artist alerted her that she even realized her skin was burning. Once she noticed, she says she was "so zonked out on pills" that she barely reacted. Speaking today, she holds up her arm and motions towards a scar that remains from the incident. She sought help for her reliance on the pills, but it would still be years before she finally attended therapy.
This stress was only compounded by the trauma of growing up in poverty and the realities of being a "contract worker." "Imagine going from literally one week having to borrow a car to get to set to the next week being on a private jet to New York City," she says. After Glee ended, so did the rides on private planes. The fury of opportunities she expected to follow her appearance on the show failed to materialize. She wasn't even 30 yet, and she was already forced to consider if she'd hit her career peak.
. . .
We’re only four minutes into our Zoom call before Riley delivers her new adage to me. “My new mantra is ‘humility does not serve me.’ Humility does not serve Black women. The world works so hard to humble us anyway,” she says.
On this Thursday afternoon in April, the LA-based entertainer is seated inside her closet/dressing room wearing a cerulean blue tank top with matching shorts and eating hot wings. This current phase of healing hinges on balance. It’s about having discipline and consistency, but not at the risk of inflexibility. She was planning to head to the gym, for instance, but she’s still tired from the “exhausting” day before. Instead, she’s spent her day receiving a massage, eating some chicken wings, and planning to spend quality time with friends. “I’m not going to beat myself up for it. I’m not going to talk down to myself. I’m going to eat my chicken wings, and then tomorrow I’m [back] in the gym,” she says.
“My new mantra is ‘humility does not serve me.’ Humility does not serve Black women. The world works so hard to humble us anyway."
This is the balance with which she's been approaching much of her life these days. It's why she's worried less about whether or not people see her as someone who is humble. She'd rather be respected. "I think you should be a person that's easy to work with, but in the moments where I have to ruffle feathers and make waves, I'm not shying away from that anymore. You can do it in love, you don't have to be nasty about it, but I had to finally be comfortable with the fact that setting boundaries around my life – in whatever aspect, whether that's personal or business – people are not going to like it. Some people are not going to have nice things to say about you, and you gotta be okay with it," she says.
When Amber talks about the constant humbling of Black women in Hollywood, I think of the entertainers before her who have suffered from this. The brilliant, consistent, overqualified Black women who have spoken of having to fight for opportunities and fair pay. Aretha Franklin. Viola Davis. Tracee Ellis Ross. There's a long list of stars whose success hasn't mirrored their experiences behind the scenes.
Credit: Ally Green
If Black women outside of Hollywood are struggling to decrease the pay gap, so, too, are their wealthier, more famous peers.
Riley says there’s been progress in recent years, but only in small ways and for a limited group of people. “This business is exhausting. The goalpost is constantly moving, and sometimes it’s unfair,” she says. But, I have to say it’s the love that keeps you going.”
“There’s no way you can continue to be in this business and not love it, especially being a plus-sized Black woman,” she continues. “We’re still niche. We’re still not main characters.”
"There’s no way you can continue to be in this business and not love it, especially being a plus-sized Black woman. We’re still niche. We’re still not main characters.”
Last year, Riley starred alongside Raven Goodwin in the Lifetime thriller Single Black Female (a modern, diversified take on 1992’s Single White Female). It was more than a leading role for the actress, it also served as proof that someone who looks like her can front a successful project without it hinging on her identity. It showcased that the characters she portrays don’t “have to be about being a big girl. It can just be a regular story.”
Riley sees her work in music as an extension of her efforts to push past the rigid stereotypes in entertainment. Take her appearance on The Masked Singer, for instance. Riley said she decided to perform Mayer’s “Gravity” after being told she couldn’t sing it years earlier. “I wanted to do ‘Gravity’ on Glee. [I] was told no, because that’s not a song that Mercedes would do,” she says. “That was a full circle moment for me, doing that on that show and to hear what it is they had to say.”
As Scherzinger praised the “anointed” performance, a masked Riley began to cry, her chest heaving as she stood on stage, her eyes shielded from view. “You have to understand, I have really big names – casting directors, producers, show creators – that constantly tell me ‘I’m such a big fan. Your talent is unmatched.’ Hire me, then,” she says, reflecting on the moment.
Recently, she’s been in the studio working on original music, the follow-up to her independently-released debut EP, 2020’s Riley. The sequel to songs such as the anthemic “Big Girl Energy” and the reflective ballad “A Moment” on Riley, this new project hones in on the singer’s R&B roots with sensual grooves such as the tentatively titled “All Night.” “You said I wasn’t shit, turns out that I’m the shit. Then you called me a bitch, turns out that I’m that bitch. You said no one would want me, well you should call your homies,” she sings on the tentatively titled “Lately,” a cut about reflecting on a past relationship. From the forthcoming project, xoNecole received five potential tracks. Fans likely already know the strengths and contours of Riley’s vocals, but these new songs are her strongest, most confident offerings as an artist.
“I am so much more comfortable as a writer, and I know who I am as an artist now. I’m evolving as a human being, in general, so I’m way more vulnerable in my music. I’m way more willing to talk about whatever is on my mind. I don’t stop myself from saying what it is I want to say,” she says.
Credit: Ally Green
“Every era and alliteration of Amber, the baseline is ‘Big Girl Energy.’ That’s the name of her company,” her manager Brooks says, referencing the imprint through which Riley releases her music after getting out of a label deal several years ago. “It’s just what she stands for. She’s not just talking about size, it’s in all things. Whether it’s putting your big girl pants on and having to face a boardroom full of executives or sell yourself in front of a casting agent. It’s her trying to achieve the things she wants to do in life.”
Riley says she has big dreams beyond releasing this new music, too. She’d love to star in a rom-com with Winston Duke. She hasn't starred in a biopic yet, but she’d revel in the opportunity to portray Rosetta Tharpe on screen. She’s determined that her previous setbacks won’t stop her from dreaming big.
“I think one of my superpowers is resilience because, at the end of the day, I’m going to kick, scream, cry, cuss, be mad and disappointed, but I’m going to get up and risk having to deal with it all again. It’s worth it for the happy moments,” she says.
If Riley seems more comfortable and confident professionally, it’s because of the work she’s been doing in her personal life.
She’d previously spoken to xoNecole about becoming engaged to a man she discovered in a post on the site, but she called things off last year. For Valentine’s Day, she revealed her new boyfriend publicly. “I decided to post him on Valentine’s Day, partially because I was in the dog house. I got in trouble with him,” she says, half-joking before turning serious. “The breakup was never going to stop me from finding love. Or at least trying. I don’t owe anybody a happily ever after. People break up. It happens. When it was good, it was good. When it was bad, it was terrible, hunny. I had to get the fuck up out of there. You find happiness, and you enjoy it and work through it.”
Credit: Ally Green
"I don’t owe anybody a happily ever after. People break up. It happens. When it was good, it was good. When it was bad, it was terrible, hunny. I had to get the fuck up out of there. You find happiness and you enjoy it and work through it.”
With her ex, Riley was pretty outspoken about her relationship, even appearing in content for Netflix with him. This time around is different. She’s not hiding her boyfriend of eight months, but she’s more protective of him, especially because he’s a father and isn’t interested in becoming a public figure.
She’s traveling more, too. It’s a deliberate effort on her part to enjoy her money and reject the trauma she’s developed after experiencing poverty in her childhood. “I live in constant fear of being broke. I don’t think you ever don’t remember that trauma or move past that. Now I travel and I’m like, listen, if it goes, it goes. I’m not saying [to] be reckless, but I deserve to enjoy my hard work.”
After everything she’s been through, she certainly deserves to finally let loose a bit. “I have to have a life to live,” she says. “I’ve got to have a life worth fighting for.”
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Take orgasms, for example. Since I’m well aware of the fact that vaginal orgasms (especially) can be a real challenge for a lot of women, I’m constantly on the hunt for what can help to “bridge the gap” in that arena.
And that’s why I decided, this time, to forego science articles, vlogs, and online data and instead ask some women for myself about some of the things that they do to make having an orgasm, improving their orgasms, and their sexual experience overall something that is so much better for themselves.
So, grab yourself a light aphrodisiac snack (check out “Eat Your Way To Better Sex With Aphrodisiacs”) and dig into what 15 Black women told me gets them off, in a mighty big way, just about every time.
*As always, middle names have been used so that everyone can feel comfortable giving up the goods…umm, so to speak*
1. Rochelle. 37. Married for 11 Years.
Giphy“While y’all be out here talking about some kegels, what I’m into is my man giving me a hip massage. The key is to make sure you use some sort of massage oil that has menthol in it. Between the tingling of the menthol and him rubbing on your hips, not only is it really relaxing, but the ‘minty feel’ opens your body up so that once intercourse begins, you’re less tense, and that makes having an orgasm so much easier to do.”
2. Karmyn. 27. Single.
“Kiss him the way you want him to penetrate you. Literally, use your tongue as if it were a penis and move it in his mouth like you want him to move inside of you. The kissing will turn you both on, and if he follows your instructions, you should be able to orgasm with no problem."
"I learned this trick when I asked an ex of mine to explain what p — sy feels like, and he said the best way to explain it is what a tongue feels like inside of [the] mouth. He should’ve never told me that, boy! It’s been hell in these streets ever since!”
3. LaChelle. 43. In a Serious Relationship for Two Years.
“If you’re self-conscious about your body, get some lingerie that has cutouts in them. There is a lot of sexy stuff out here that can have you covering up the parts you’re not comfortable with while still giving him access to the ‘main events.’ My man loves one of my lace one-piece teddies that has no crotch, and it’s easier for me to orgasm because I’m not overthinking the entire time.”
4. Trinitee. 27. Married for One Year.
Giphy“We’ve only been married a year, but we weren’t exactly abstinent when we were just dating. So, we like to find ways to keep it fresh. One thing that we do is go ‘hotel hopping’ once a month. We find a new hotel and meet each other there. We try and do different hours of the day and come with a surprise in hand. Like he might bring a new sex toy, and I might have on some lingerie that he’s never seen before. Then we text each other beforehand to talk about the best part of the sex we had from the last hotel we visited. The anticipation is foreplay.”
5. Wren. 33. In a Serious Relationship for Six Years.
“What works for me is doing afterplay as foreplay. What I mean by that is, taking a nap naked with my boo before any sexual activity is one of my favorite things. Being up under him, especially if he’s spooning me, feels really good, sleeping together is very intimate, and — there’s something about being awakened outta my sleep with kisses on my neck and back that almost makes me want to cum right then and there.”
6. Bevalyn. 40. Living with Her Partner for Four Years.
“Get on your back and have him kneel in front of you."
"Put your legs over his, and when he penetrates you, ask him to use one of his hands to apply pressure on your pubic bone — the area right above your clitoris."
"As he’s gently pushing down while he’s inside of you…if you don’t cum from that, I don’t know what else to tell you, sis.”
7. Sophia. 38. In a Serious Relationship for Two Years.
Giphy“Shower sex can be a bit much, and I don’t trust a used jacuzzi. What we do is fill up our own inflatable pool and get it on inside of it. It’s perfect during the summer, late at night, because we have a tall fence. Just make sure that you bring some silicone lube to keep things slippery down there. An inflatable pool has been one of the best sex investments that we have ever made!”
8. Averie. 35. Single.
“Wanna know if your man is as into giving you head as he claims? Right after he goes down on you, ask him to immediately penetrate you. If he’s hard, he’s totally into it, and if he catches you soon enough, you’ll be in the perfect position to have a multiple orgasm. Don’t say I didn’t give you the ultimate cheat code.”
9. Victoria. 40. Married for 11 Years.
“Shellie, you actually got me on the cinnamon kick when I read one of your articles that talked about applying cinnamon oil to my clit before oral sex. Since [then], I’ve been doing some research, and it says that cinnamon is also an aphrodisiac because it stimulates blood flow. So, I’ll also drink cinnamon tea throughout the day or share a cinnamon cocktail with my husband. Works like a charm.”
Shellie here: She’s right. I did say that. LOL. You can read for yourself: “Here's How To Have Some Really Great Fall-Themed Sex.”
10. Daniela. 28. Engaged for Six Months.
Giphy“Ever been fingered backward? What I mean is, get on all fours and have him insert a finger or two from behind with his palm being flat. That way, the space in between your anus and your vagina will get a massage while your vagina gets penetrated. There’s nothing quite like it.”
11. Saven. 32. Single.
“Ice. Have him rub a little bit of ice on your clitoris and then immediately warm it up with his tongue. There is something about the drastic changes in temperature that gets me every time. And I mean, EVERY time.”
12. Ferynn. 30. Living with Her Partner for Five Years.
“I don’t know about you, but my man loves to put my legs up in the air. It was never really my favorite move until I read that behind the knees are an unsung erogenous zone. Whoever found that out was onto something because if he rubs back there while talking real crazy to me in a deep voice? Here I come…HERE I COME!”
13. Vivienne. 30. Engaged for One Year.
Giphy“Never underestimate the power of a foot massage. Just make sure that he applies pressure in the middle of your foot where your arch is. It instantly makes me wet. I asked my doctor why and he said that it’s probably because foot massages tend to increase blood flow, including where the vagina is. Either way, it’s always a good night if I get a foot massage first.”
14. Michelle. 24. Single.
“I’m a doula who owns my own exercise ball…for sex. When I first started showing couples the positions that women can get into to make labor easier, it got me to thinking that some of those positions could work for sex too — and they do."
"Something about the movement of the ball takes the pressure off of the back for both men and women. It also makes getting into certain positions a lot easier so that you can enjoy sex for a lot longer.”
15. Carol. 31. Married for Five Years.
“My husband and I have bets. If he wants me to make some of his favorite meals five days in a row, he’s gotta make me cum five times in a row. If I want him to get me something that’s not in our budget, I’ve gotta attempt one of his sex fantasies. We’re both competitive as hell, so it works for us because honestly, even when we ‘lose’…we win!”
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Listen, I don’t know about y’all, but this was definitely worth my while. After all, ain’t nothin’ like some Black women who can speak from very-personal-and-up-close experience about what makes them happy — especially if it can increase the odds of bringing some sexual satisfaction your way too.
Speaking of, if you want to share the wealth, drop some of your own orgasm-related tips in the comment section. The more of us who can woosah on the regular, the better, chile. Straight up. #havefun #lotsofit
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Featured image by Giphy
