HUNGRY GERALD

BSK encountered a New York Times recipe that contained all the elements HG/BSK enjoy at dinner: “Salmon Soba Noodles With Ponzu-Scallion Broth.” These were the ingredients: Dashi broth, salmon, soba noodles, spinach, firm tofu, scallions, grated ginger, canola oil, sliced radishes, slivers of carrot, ponzu. BSK did a careful mix and followed the recipe meticulously. (Unusual for BSK who likes to deviate and add original touches. This time BSK only substituted spinach for the cabbage called for). It was a sensational dinner dish which BSK promises to repeat often. Drank an abundance of pinot noir (HG/BSK like red wine with fresh salmon; crisp white with smoked salmon, of course). Another joyous evening at HG/BSK’s oceanfront home on peaceful, green, democratic Prince Edward Island.

HG/BSK have a pleasant Prince Edward Island dining custom HG/BSK share with Noel and Yossi M. (BSK’s sister and brother-in-law). One week there’s dinner at HG/BSK’s ocean front home on the north side of PEI; the next week dinner is at N. & Y.’s Ocean Mist Farm on the south side of PEI (near Panmure Island). This week it was N. & Y.’s turn. BSK brought a hand mixed mustard mayonnaise and lemon juice shrimp salad. A succulent starter. Main dish was Noel’s green chili pork stew with asparagus (grown in Yossi’s garden) and cubes of warm mineral rich PEI potatoes. Delish. Dessert was Chapman’s Vanilla Ice Cream (topped with fresh from the vine Ocean Mist strawberries.) Chapman’s vanilla is super creamy. HG and Y. loved it. BSK and N. didn’t. Maybe it’s a guy thing. HG prefaced his meal with a generous pour of Canadian whiskey and had another slug after dinner. A most happy fella.

On a blazing hot New York summer day (July 2 1963), HG and BSK were married in the chambers of Judge George Postel. In attendance were BSK’s parents, Roy and Valerie Kent, and friends, Peter and Julia Meyerson. All are deceased (except HG/BSK, obviously, and possibly Julia for whom no information is available). Wonderful afternoon reception followed at the Library Room of the St. Regis Hotel with the late Bucky Pizzarelli providing guitar music. (It was the luckiest day of HG’s life). Celebration dinner a deux at HG/BSK’s oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island. Caviar (a gift from HG daughter Vicki) and very cool Muscadet. This was followed by mushroom ravioli in a good jarred Arabiatta sauce (BSK enhanced the sauce with olive oil, chopped garlic, chopped red pepper, onions, oregano, Italian parsley.) Drank vintage Chianti. Lovely meal celebrating an auspicious day (After 59 years, HG is still in love with BSK. Want more years, hopefully).

Whatever you want to call them, clams are a treat. When younger, HG would gobble up dozens raw and on the half shell at the great Lundy’s Restaurant in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn. They were accompanied by light buttery fresh from the oven biscuits. Beverage was Piels Beer. Ah, those were the days. When resident at HG/BSK’s Fire Island dune house (two decks so gazed at sunsets and sea views while drinking Martinis) clams were a staple food. HG and pals filled buckets of clams from Great South Bay. No rakes or other implements–just poked with our feet. BSK made the ultimate linguine with white clam sauce (an abundance of clams and garlic). Today, BSK picked up quahogs at the local Prince Edward Island seafood store. So, linguine with white clam sauce was dinner. BSK has not lost BSK’s magic touch. A great dish. Tender clams. Briny sauce. Pasta cooked to a perfect texture. After dinner, watched a spectacular sunset. Glad that the front of HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island home has many feet of windows. Watching the sunset is a big screen TV show.