After finishing up tiny tots school with my little guy, we went provisions shopping for my big guy. Figs which were on my list seemed to be an obscure item at grocery stores. Figs are commonly in season at the end of summer or during fall, so I should have been right on target. However, that was not the case this time. Perhaps it has something to do with this California heat. Once again, creative play with my ingredients needed to be utilized. I had already planned my recipe for the day and I wasn’t about to change the dish, so I thought what else could work in place of figs? Dates came to mind, dates and figs seem to go together and sweet Madjool Dates were readily available. Dates with its moist pungent flesh are the exotic fruit of the dry dessert and was considered sacred for the ancient Moors. The sacred fruit of the Arabs was a symbol of grace and elegance and often gifted to women. Considered an aphrodisiac for women, in Iran dates are reputed to be good for someone whose sex life is in a slump. So, I took a shot at it and picked out a bunch of dates for my dish of the day.
The recipe was for Creamy Stuffed Figs from InterCourses, but the plans had gone awry. I created the cream cheese stuffing mixture to the tee, then I cut slits into my dates to take the pit out and stuffed them with my mixture. They were full of flavor and pancetta has been paired with dates by many renowned chefs, however perhaps the combination of chives was too strong for dates and would have complimented figs much better. Due to the substitution of dates for figs, I can’t say that I have truly tested the InterCourses recipe to confirm it’s aphrodisiac effects, but I had fun trying it out and I did find another alternative that worked very well.
Sensual Alternative
I had a few dates left and I thought I would fill them up with a sweeter and more subtle taste. I took ½ cup of cream cheese and whipped it up with a teaspoon on honey (sweet organic raw honey is the preference) and half a teaspoon of cinnamon. Are you thinking aphrodisiac “overdose”? I’m not done yet. I then chopped up some pistachios and sprinkled them on top. Mmmmm…..that was the response from my husband while he was still chewing on the soft cream morsel. It’s a burst of many flavors in a small bite and they combine to become utterly delicious. The Arabs really know what they are doing with these ingredients. Traditionally, they soak dates in milk and cinnamon.
My Twist on Creamy Stuffed Figs – “Second Edition” was a hit and Day 6 of the Sexy Eats Experiment did not fail thanks to the variations. My husband liked the original recipe substituted with dates, but I could tell that the combination of meat with his dates, was not a favorite of his. It’s the Dates stuffed with Cream Cheese, Honey, Cinnamon, and Pistachios that did the trick. Cinnamon is an ancient spice well known for its medicinal qualities. It is known to help the sex drive over time. Its qualities lower high blood sugar, which restricts blood flow to the vagina (and the penis). With an increase in blood flow to the right regions, your sex life will be better. If you have been reading my other posts, by now you know that honey is the most ancient aphrodisiac and I have mentioned the benefits of wonderful happy inducing creamy cheese. Pistachios are nuts which are full of vitamins and healthy fats and their beautiful vibrant green color brings forth a whiff of freshness. I call it “Captivating Creamy Stuffed Dates” and they are going to appear on my dining table many more times after this is all over.
