Blog of Frank Kermit of Frank Talks

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage & Butter

6/12/2017

Recipe for Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage & Butter

The vegetable squash (although technically a fruit) has been around for centuries, but the Butternut Squash was developed in the 1940's in the United States.

The Squash blossom is a symbol of fertility that has been used in many nations around the world including the Hopi, a Native American sovereign nation located in northeastern Arizona. Traditionally worn by unmarried women, their long hair would be twisted up into large whorls on either side of their heads to represent the squash blossom. This hairstyle is still worn by unmarried Hopi girls but due to the amount of time required to create it, the style is reserved for ceremonial occasions.

https://tinyurl.com/y9u7tm6o A photo of an unmarried Hopi Native American

This recipe also features the spice Nutmeg. Nutmeg grows on a tree that originates from the Banda Islands in Indonesia, also known as the Spice Islands.

THE BANDA ISLANDS

Used as a condiment and for medicinal purposes (sleep aid, upset stomach) it also was a popular (though not very effective) choice in the late 1800’s to early 1900 as a method to attempt to abort a child!

The most interesting qualities nutmeg possesses are in its history of use as an intoxicant. Used in the correct dosages it can create in the user a high similar to alcohol or marijuana. In fact the civil rights activist Malcolm X wrote in his autobiography, how he and other prisoners used it in the 1940s as a legal, and easy means of getting high in prison.

A low dose of fresh nutmeg (3.5 grams or 1-1.5 teaspoons) can for some people lead to feelings of euphoria, relaxation, elevated mood, laughter and enhancement of the senses.

On the island of Zanzibar, off the cost of East Africa, the Muslim religion is predominant so alcohol is banned, but nutmeg is not. Sold in markets for cheap, the spice is used by women to feel relaxed and it is often written about that women take it in their morning porridge the day of a wedding to ensure they are relaxed and sexually receptive.

https://tinyurl.com/ycbnqw8f Photo of Nutmeg

The aphrodisiac properties of Nutmeg were studied at “Aligarh Muslim University” in Aligarh, India. The findings of these studies strongly corroborate the traditional uses of nutmeg to improve sexual function and enhance the sex drive. They suggested that “nutmeg may be a safe and effective herbal remedy in treating sexual disorders.” (Tajuddin et al. 2003; Tajuddin et al. 2005).

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage & Butter

INGREDIENTS

1 1-pound butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 12- to 14-ounce russet potato, peeled, quartered
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Additional grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut squash lengthwise in half; discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut side up, on baking sheet and brush with oil. Roast until squash is very tender when pierced with skewer and browned in spots, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool slightly. Scoop flesh from squash into processor; puree until smooth.

Transfer to medium saucepan; stir constantly over medium heat until juices evaporate and puree thickens, about 5 minutes. Cool. Measure 1 cup (packed) squash puree (reserve remaining squash for another use).

Meanwhile, cook potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. While potato is warm, press through potato ricer into medium bowl; cool completely. Measure 2 cups (loosely packed) riced potato (reserve remaining potato for another use).

Mix squash, potato, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups flour, kneading gently into mixture in bowl until dough holds together and is almost smooth. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls. Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead gently but briefly just until smooth. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Sprinkle parchment lightly with flour. Working with 1 dough piece at a time, roll dough out on floured surface to about 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut rope crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll gnocchi along back of fork tines dipped in flour, making ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour. Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Working in 2 batches, cook gnocchi in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, 15 to 17 minutes (gnocchi will float to surface but may come to surface before being fully cooked). Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to same parchment-lined baking sheets. Cool. Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover loosely and chill.

Cook butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat just until golden, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sage; stir 1 minute. Add gnocchi; cook until heated through and coated with butter, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Recipe Courtesy Of: Cristina Mucciardi

CookandDate events aren’t set up to be cheesy, intimidating or plain awkward. Every event is attended by successful singles wanting to experience something new and exciting. Bars, restaurants, clubs can be fun but variety is the spice of life and our events were conceived to be fun, stress-free environment where laughs, cocktails, networking, and a little cooking take center stage.

In short, all you need to do is show up and enjoy the best of what this city is known to offer: great people, great food, great wine, and a true joie de vivre. This is the recipe that has made CookandDate a true success story for the past 8 years, week after week.

For more information visit

cook and date logo

*Additional Information was added by Franktalks.com**
Research sources:
http://www.hopi-nsn.gov/
http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Ha-La/Hopis.html#ixzz4irwsz5EQ
https://www.pri.org/stories/2010-11-25/wanderlust-nutmeg-sexy-spice
https://www.erowid.org/plants/nutmeg/nutmeg_article1.shtml

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Filet Mignon Served With A Chimichurri Sauce

5/16/2017

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Recipe Filet Mignon Served With A Chimichurri Sauce

Filet Mignon is a very special cut of beef that is a symbol of luxury. The name mignon means dainty or small. It is frequently served as the main course in restaurants on Valentine’s Day.

In 1904 a man by the name of William Sidney Porter under the pen name of O. Henry wrote a 25 story novel called "The Four Million" where he highlighted the luxury of Filet Mignon. He wrote about it multiple times as a representation of romance and as a decadent treat.

Filet Mignon

Argentine in its origins, Chimichurri is typically made of finely-chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano and white vinegar – though there are regional variations, with Uruguay adding red pepper flakes for an added kick.

Filet Mignon Served With A Chimichurri Sauce

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MEAT

4 filet mignons (6ounces each)
1 tablespoon of low sodium steak spice

INGREDIENTS FOR CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

1 cup of water
1 tablespoon of coarse salt
6 garlic cloves (peeled)
1 cup of flat leaf parsley
1 cup of oregano
2 teaspoons of crushed chili
¼ cup of red wine vinegar
½ a cup of extra virgin olive-oil

METHOD

To make the Chimichurri sauce

Bring the water to a boil in a sauce pan, add the salt and stir until it dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool. In a food processor, add the garlic, parsley, oregano and chili; add the vinegar and salted water mixture and pulse until liquefied, then transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil by hand. Place in a jar which seals very well for up to 3 weeks.

METHOD

To cook the Filet Mignon

Place the Filet Mignon onto a heated grill and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until your desired consistency. Half way through the cooking add the steak spice. If you add it too early it can burn. Once the Filet Mignon are cooked, let them rest for 3 to 4 minutes before plating spoon onto each filet the desired amount of Chimichurri sauce, and serve.

For more information visit

Additional information was added by Franktalks.com as well as recipe modification for clarity.
Additional sources of information and/or images:
https://tinyurl.com/k3wj993
https://tinyurl.com/mbar7oq
https://tinyurl.com/mutk8xz

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Banana Pancakes

5/5/2017

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Recipe for Banana Pancakes

The Gros Michel Banana

https://tinyurl.com/koratf2 The Gros Michel Banana

Did you know that the bananas found in most grocery stores in North America are not very disease resistant because they are all clones! They are sterile, and asexually reproduced (new plants grow from part of the parent plant.)

That’s right. Every single one is an exact copy of the other. It makes for great uniformity, but lousy disease resistance.

The bananas we eat today are a variety called Cavendish, but our grandparents ate a variety called Gros Michel. In the 1950s a fungus took out so much of the Gros Michel crops, that the plantations that grew bananas for the North American market started growing the Cavendish banana instead.*

The Cavendish Banana

Eternal Life is the symbolism of the banana plant, so in a Hindu wedding ceremony in India, (especially in Southern India) it is used as a decoration to symbolize fertility, a symbol of the birth of future generations.

Banana Plants Are Used To Create A Decorated Entrance

https://tinyurl.com/lnhyz87 Banana Plants Are Used To Create a Decorated Entrance

Banana Pancakes

Recipe makes 12 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 ripe bananas, mashed

Directions

1. Combine flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil and bananas.
2. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; batter will be slightly lumpy.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot.

For more information visit

cook and date logo

**Additional Information was added by Franktalks.com**
*Scientific info Source: https://tinyurl.com/mumbtlo

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Asparagus Risotto

4/27/2017

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Recipe for Asparagus Risotto

Rice was introduced to Italy during Middle Ages from Arab traders. Risotto was born from that introduced grain, and was used to create this creamy dish which originated in the Northern Italian region.

https://tinyurl.com/kqxzu5s Asparagus

Due to it's shape, Asparagus has been long associated as a phallic symbol, and was banned from girls’ schools in the 19th century by nuns who feared it would excite the senses and imaginations of the young ladies!

Asparagus Risotto Recipe
Ingredients

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
About 4 cups of chicken stock
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed, tips cut off, tough skins of the spears peeled
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Method

1 In a 3 or 4 quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon butter on medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for a minute or two, until translucent. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until nicely coated.
2 While the shallots are cooking, bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan.
3 Add the wine. Slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine. Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of hot stock to the rice. Continue to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments. Stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 20-25 minutes. With the last ladle of stock, add the asparagus. Turn off the heat.
Note the stock amount given is approximate. You may need a little more or less. If you end up needing more stock and you find yourself without, just use water.
4 Gently stir in the Parmesan cheese and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

For more information visit

Cook and Date Logo

**Additional Information was added by Franktalks.com**

What to say on first date

Cristina Mucciardi wrote the introduction to the eBook, '101 Great First Dates: What To Say'

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Apricot Souffle

4/26/2017

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Recipe for Apricot Souffle

https://tinyurl.com/lcaatnm Apricots

While Apricots have been around since 3000BC, the delicate souffle can trace it's origins back to the founder of Haute Cuisine, French chef Marie Antoine (Antonin)( 8 June 1784 – 12 January 1833)

Since Apricots symbolize female beauty and sexuality, it's appropriate that this recipe was used at a CookandDate event! The creation of a souffle requires a delicate touch and attention to detail. The addition of vanilla adds a familiar taste which is loved by so many. Did you know that vanilla symbolizes happiness, lust and love? It's one of the most popular fragrances in the world.

Ingredients for hot apricot souffles

11/2 teaspoons ground almonds or caster sugar
1 can apricot halves in natural juice, about 400 g, well drained
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons thick cream
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

To finish
icing sugar
cocoa powder (optional)

Preparation for hot apricot souffles
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C and place a baking tray inside to heat. Lightly butter four 175 ml ramekins and dust the sides with the ground almonds or caster sugar, shaking out the excess.

2 Put the apricot halves, egg yolks, cream, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

3 Place the eggwhites in a clean bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Sift over the cream of tartar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Spoon the apricot mixture over the eggwhites and use a large metal spoon to fold together, taking care not to overmix and deflate the eggwhites.

4 Divide the apricot mixture among the prepared ramekins. Use a round-bladed knife to mark a circle in the centre of each soufflé; this helps the tops to rise evenly.

5 Place the ramekins on the heated baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes, or until the soufflés are well risen and golden brown on top. Immediately dust with icing sugar, or a mixture of icing sugar and cocoa powder, sifted through a sieve, and serve at once before they deflate.

Recipe Courtesy Of:

Cristina Mucciardi

CookandDate events aren’t set up to be cheesy, intimidating or plain awkward. Every event is attended by successful singles wanting to experience something new and exciting. Bars, restaurants, clubs can be fun but variety is the spice of life and our events were conceived to be fun, stress-free environment where laughs, cocktails, networking, and a little cooking take center stage.

In short, all you need to do is show up and enjoy the best of what this city is known to offer: great people, great food, great wine, and a true joie de vivre. This is the recipe that has made CookandDate a true success story for the past 8 years, week after week.

For more information visit

Cook and Date Logo

**Additional Information was added by Franktalks.com**

101 Great Conversations For First Dates

Cristina Mucciardi wrote the introduction to the eBook,
'101 Great First Dates: What To Say'

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What Is CookandDate?

3/30/2017

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What is CookandDate?

What is CookandDate?
by Cristina Mucciardi

CookandDate is one of, if not the best way to meet likeminded singles today…

Of course I’m bias as to why CookandDate is such a great way to meet potential mates because I am the founder, however time and time again we get so much positive feedback that we can’t think otherwise.

The concept is simple, get a group of singles together (average 16) in a private kitchen, with a preset menu and have them mingle and cook together before enjoying the wonderful meal.

We advertise 10-15 year age categories so that people can choose an appropriate age group based on whom they are looking to meet …

Events are typically 3-4 hours long…I or another host/hostess is always present to help with the flow of the evening.

It feels like we invited you to a dinner party amongst friends, smiles & laughter a must.

After the activity if there are any interests, you can either exchange contact info at the event, or wait for us to send our thank you email with usernames from the site, you can then msg people through the chat function.

People like this option because it’s a little less intrusive and then can plan a date without exchanging any personal info before they are really sure.

We host about 40 events every year in Montreal!

Cristina Mucciardi wrote the introduction to What To Say 101 Conversations for a First Date - a FrankTalks.com book

CookandDate, offers weekly culinary and cocktail events for singles. The evening's format has guests interact by cooking several courses and a sit-down meal. Chefs cover various cuisines, including French, Italian, Mediterranean, Indian, Kenyan and Caribbean. CookandDate recently launched events in Toronto and New York City as well as an expansion across Canada and the United States.

What is CookandDate?

Cristina Mucciardi is a 30 something year old entrepreneur that always had the dream of starting her own business. In the past she has tried importing clothing lines from Europe, starting a chain of tanning salons and investing in a small beauty company out of Ohio.

At one point, she stumbled upon a chef in France that had his own cooking school where once a month he would give cooking classes as a singles event, and she thought, “WOW she would do that!!! What an unintimidating way to meet other singles without feeling desperate or spending time in the “bar scene” which never seemed to work out right…”

She launched her site www.cookanddate.com in Jan 2008. The service has now expanded to include personalized matchmaking, appearance and etiquette coaching to name a few. CookandDate has appeared in the media including On television: Entertainment Tonight Canada, CTV, Global Television, TVA, Radio-Canada, CJNT, In print: The Gazette, La Presse, Clin D'Oeil, Summum Girl, On the radio: The Score Toronto, Virgin Radio 96, CKOI, Q92, CHOM, CJAD, On websites/blogs: MSN, About.com, FranceTop, Canoe, SingleEdition, Watchmojo, Sweetspot.ca

Cristina is getting married MAY 2107 to a great man and more importantly her best friend…

Contact for more information or to schedule an interview about CookandDate:
Cristina Mucciardi 1-888-702-2633 / 514-664-5991
cristina@cookanddate.com
CookandDate Founder & Project Coordinator
www.cookanddate.com

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Mexican Mom, Mexican Style

3/13/2017

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This is a guest post.

CREAM CHEESE CORIANDER DIP
created by Alejandra Cabrera

http://www.yotexplico.com/ Recipe for CREAM CHEESE CORIANDER DIP

Today we are going to prepare a delicious dip of coriander, in Mexican food we used it a lot, we can find it in many dishes such as sauces, meat, fish, chicken…. and of course, on dips and
… Do you know how do we say dip in Mexico?

This is a very simple recipe all you need is:

Unflavored gelatin (3 bags)
250 ml of chicken broth
1 hand fresh of coriander
1 half of a small onion
1 garlic clove
250 grams of cream cheese (one box)
1 cup of sour cream

*Editors note: each individual package of Gelatin weighs 1.8grams (0.06 ounces) or 5.4 grams (0.19 ounces) total for 3 packages

Preparation time: 15 min.
Ready to eat: 3 - 4 hrs.

THE BEST PART!

We just put all the ingredients in the blender we mix and…. IT’S READY!
Then you put a little bit of oil on the walls of the mold (you can use the ones for cakes) and then you put everything you mix, keep it on the fridge for 3 -4 hours (just until is hard) when its ready take it out put it on a plate with some crackers and ENJOY.

… Do you know how do we say dip in Mexico?... Botana

https://tinyurl.com/haehvxm Coriander or cilantro

Additional Info

Coriander or cilantro is a wonderful source of dietary fiber, manganese, iron and magnesium as well. Coriander leaves are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K and protein.

Author

Alejandra Cabrera is a Mexican mom who lives in Canada. She has both Spanish and English Youtube channels where she shares her delicious recipes, fun ideas and other family friendly videos.

SPANISH YOUTUBE CHANNEL

ENGLISH YOUTUBE CHANNEL

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