Jolly dinner party at HG/BSK’s PEI oceanfront paradise. In attendance were BSK’s sister Noel M. and her husband, Yossi. Thoughtfully, they brought a load of logs to feed the wood stove during this chilly June. Another guest was beautiful neighbor Leslie F. (she brought a crunchy bar of Lindt Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel which went nicely with red wine at the end of the meal). Appetizers were smoked salmon and peppered smoked mackerel from By the Bay Fish Mart. Main dish was BSK’s fabulous stew of cod, mussels, clams, potatoes, onions, garlic and smoky bacon. Simmered in fish stock and white wine, this was a robust blessing from Prince Edward Island’s coastal waters and ponds. Dessert was pecan butter tarts with scoops of vanilla ice cream. HG augmented this with snifters of Jim Beam bourbon whiskey. All of the mussels couldn’t fit in the pot. So, the next night HG cooked twenty in the style of the excellent Paris seafood (and cognac) restaurant,La Cagouille. Known as “burn your fingers mussels”, the dish is very simple and lush. Mussels are placed in a cast iron pan and cooked over high heat until they open. They are plucked from the heated shells and dipped in melted butter enhanced with lemon juice and hot sauce. (Yes, you can burn your fingers during this process). BSK followed this up with some Island codfish cakes and sauteed mini tomatoes. The accompaniment was local mustard pickles (best ever). Fun meal.
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