MEEKER | An amazing opportunity has come my way: I get to write about food and drink, in any aspect I desire—on a recurring basis. Whether it’s recipes, recommendations, history, hot topics (yes, even those pesky rising grocery prices!), or just some lighthearted banter, I get to explore it all. It will surely be a learning curve, but I’m excited for the journey and grateful to have you along for it.
This first column, I write with my 93-year-old Gram in mind. My Gram is an incredible cook and you will absolutely be the beneficiary of some of her legendary recipes. Today though, I was poking through an old 1975 cookbook from Saint Stanislaus Catholic Church in Warsaw, North Dakota, the Polish community where she grew up on a farm outside of town. A funky recipe caught my eye that I thought would be a hoot to share, just because. I called to ask her if she knew this “Mrs. Frank Gerszewski” as most of these recipes are done by a “Mrs. So and So.” I was curious about her actual first name and who she may have been in the community. Apparently, with this topic, I opened a can of worms.
Gram emphatically tells me: “I hate that book. Why would these women put their recipes out there without their own names?” Alas, she did not recall a “Mrs. Frank Gerszewski” that she could tell me about.
If you’re feeling adventurous, here’s a recipe (that, just reading it, I can tell you probably needs some level of salt… which is suspiciously absent), from a book I now know she hates. I love you, Gram.
Loaf of Heart — Mrs. Frank Gerszewski
1 lb. Heart
6 green onions or shallots
1 garlic clove
3 carrots
3/4 c of milk
1 egg
Pinch of thyme and marjoram
Wash and drain heart. Cut off tough outer membranes. Put first four ingredients through a meat grinder. Mix thoroughly, and add the rest of the ingredients. Bake in a lightly oiled loaf pan in a moderate oven for 1/2 hour.
Fun food fact: A “moderate” oven is typically considered to be a baking temperature ranging from 350-375° F (177-190°C)∘
By ALEXIS HULL-STONE
Alexis Hull-Stone is the owner of Off the Olive Branch, a specialty grocery, and On the Grapevine, offering quality wine, beer, spirits, mixers, and non-alcoholic options, at 317 E. Market St.
