HUNGRY GERALD

BSK is dog sitting (Toby and Pip) at the Riverside, RI. home of daughter Lesley R. and her husband, Massimo R.  HG has remained in HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI. loft. BSK is the love of HG”s life. She is missed, But, there is a compensation. HG can be self indulgent. Witness the perfection of this night: Exercise in late afternoon. Hot shower. Lounged in the living room (comfy Knoll chair). Sipped a large Negroni on the rocks. (One third bourbon. One third sweet vermouth. One third Campari. Juice of one lime.) Listened to the great Django Reinhardt on the Alexa. Loud volume the way HG likes music (BSK would turn it down). Time for dinner. Comfort dish. Egg noodles mixed with butter, cottage cheese, parmesan, salt and pepper. Dessert was French chestnut puree topped with whipped cream. First encountered this delightful sweet at The Gay Hussar, a London restaurant featuring Hungarian cuisine. The eatery was a hangout for Labor Party officials and left wing Members of Parliament. Drank Firesteed pinot noir. Time for intellectual stimulation. Read the current issues of New York Review of Books and The New Yorker (New Yorker had a nice essay by Adam Gopnik on the graphic designer/artist Milton Glaser. New York Review had a wonderful piece on the historic Viennese architect Adolf Loos. The essay was by Martin Filler, the distinguished architecture critic and historian.) If you are ever in Vienna, don’t miss The American Bar, designed by Loos and the most beautiful bar in the world. The ultimate Vienna food treats (of course) are Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz (Heavenly boiled beef); Coffee crowned with a lush tower of Schlag (Whipped cream).

Sport beckoned. Off to HG’s fabulous office/library/TV room (the larger TV is in the living room and the office TV allows HG to watch sports–at a very low volume– without disturbing BSK). NCAA “March Madness” College Basketball Tournament. Watched final moments as Florida Atlantic beat Kansas State 79-76. Then, Connecticut demolished Gonzaga 82-54. This was a slaughter. Gonzaga has always been a top  team (HG has never liked their style). The Huskies played perfect team offense and their defense was tenacious The Zags were demoralised. Game pleased HG.

One month ago, BSK cooked (from a NY Times recipe) a tasty tingling dish: “Paprika chicken with lentils, squash, yogurt and Daqua”. Headline on HG post: “NEW CHICKEN DISH.” Time for a repeat. No squash so BSK substituted sweet potato. Check Feb. 25, 2023 archive for recipe. You will know what mysterious “Daqua” is. Hint: It’s Egyptian.  Happily,  BSK made a double header amount of this chicken dish. HG/BSK will have ît for dinner again tonight. BSK is dog sitting so Toby, The Wonder Dog, and Pip, the gracious and super intelligent female, will be present. BSK will warn: “Gerald, don’t feed Toby from the table!!”.

Last night, BSK used two sheet pans and the oven to create one of the best fish dinners HG ever ate. Yes, a worthy rival to Paris specialties: Sole at Le Dome; Salmon in sorrel sauce at Le Stella; Cod with truffled potatoes at Le Vaudeville. In one pan BSK cooked seasonal asparagus and sliced potatoes (Cut into French fry shape). Olive oil, spices and herbs. In the other pan was seasoned swordfish (Robust filets). HG was transported to culinary heaven. Deft BSK made a sublime green sauce in the food processor (Parsley and other fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, spices, salt, pepper), After some whirls in the appliance, the mix,  happily, retained chunkiness. The swordfish (which was juicy, silky and succulent) was topped with this lush stuff. The asparagus were cooked perfectly. But, the big surprise was the potatoes. Crisp and spicy on the outside with meltingly soft and creamy interiors. The best French fries HG ever tasted.  (Yes, better than Paris and better than New York steak houses.) Drank much Firesteed pinot noir. Finished with Feridies dark chocolate covered peanuts (And more pinot noir). Thoughtfully and creatively interior designed by BSK, life is joyous at HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI., loft .

BSK has had a very annoying head cold this last week. This is unusual. The love of HG’s life keeps healthy and if BSK has a bodily complaint BSK is discreet and doesn’t mention it. But, the head cold’s attendant coughs and sneezes betrayed BSK. Wonder Woman (BSK is that–and more) recalled a press junket in Brazil (Varig, the Brazilian national airline, was HG/BSK’s public relations client.) BSK was hit by a head cold, upset stomach and other unpleasant symptoms. Big time restaurant feast was scheduled at a lauded Rio De Janeiro restaurant. BSK confided with the restaurant”s warm and motherly woman owner. BSK didn’t think BSK could eat. “Don’t worry, child,” the woman said, “I will cure you.” The cure was a big bowl of hearty chicken soup. Magic. BSK gulped the soup, was cured and of good appetite. BSK remembered the soup (No, it wasn’t “Jewish Penicillin”. It was better. “Rio Penicillin.”)  Miraculous. So, last night  BSK cooked a pot of rich chicken soup enriched with carrots, onions and Ditalini (small tubular pasta shapes.) Lush dinner. BSK woke up this morning feeling much better. No, not totally cured but functional and in good spirits. “Mother” knows best.

Yes, BSK is a killer home chef. Every night BSK delights HG with a fabulous dinner. HG sups and at the end of the meal, sighs, smiles and says: “That was the best ever”. HG means it and HG is a finicky foodie. HG is impressed at how BSK can explore the fridge and pantry and, being thrifty and hating waste, can improvise inventive and creative meals. Last night was an example. There were some leftover sea scallops which BSK seared quickly. Onions, garlic, and parsley were in the sofrito, A fresh red pepper was chopped into small pieces and sauteed. Vinegar peppers (They had nestled in the fridge for a few weeks), over the hill arugula, baby spinach, and a dash of tomato paste went into the food processor  (Plus the sofrito and a bit more olive oil) and then was heated. The scallops and peppers were added to the pungent sauce and served over linguine. Finally, BSK gave it a hit of lime juice. (“Best ever!!)

Congee (Chinese rice porridge) is one of the world’s most comforting foods and is on the breakfast tables of millions and millions of Asians. HG likes congee any time of the day. When HG/BSK lived part of each year in a loft with spectacular views of Vancouver, BC’s mountains, rivers, bays and skyscrapers. (Vancouver is tops for food and fun.) HG would have a late breakfast/brunch at nearby Congee Noodle House on Broadway (Mt. Pleasant neighborhood). The meal began with congee, of course, enriched with sliced fish. Then there were shrimp rice rolls, pork rice rolls, wontons in fiery chile sauce, wontons in noodle soup (the thin skinned wontons were a world class treat). HG read the New York Times between nibbles and drank many cups of fragrant tea. Wonderful way to live and eat. Sadly, the always bustling restaurant is closed. Some years ago, the hill behind Congee Noodle House crumbled, sweeping away a parking lot and a few residences. The restaurant remained, perched on top of the hill. HG presumes a blizzard of lawsuits with Vancouver government, insurance companies, etc. has prevented any reopening. Last night, BSK cooked a delicious homage to Congee Noodle House. BSK served BSK’s creative riff on congee featuring much ginger, scallops, mushrooms. Perfect texture of rice. The accompaniment was steamed pork buns from Good Fortune, a huge Asian supermarket that sells every variety of har gow, dumplings, shumai; pork, chicken and vegetable buns; rice rolls, etc. The variety of dim sum edibles (fresh and frozen) is staggering. Be assured, HG/BSK’s freezer is well stocked.

Yes, BSK’s gumbo is the best. As noted in a previous post: “Better Than N’awlins”. A dark roux, file powder thickener, chock full of chicken, shrimp, sausage, okra, onions, garlic, tomatoes, etc. Tasty and comforting. Great cold weather fare. (HG would also eat it with pleasure on blistering summer nights). Visiting friends Peter Hellman; his wife, Susan Cohen;HG/BSK’s daughter Lesley R. and her husband, Massimo R., joined HG/BSK at the dinner table and gumbo reigned.  Small bit left over and Lesley took it home for Monday dinner (Monday is her super busy work day).The group drank a great Chablis brought by wine expert Peter. A wow!! Not to be outdone, Massimo brought an excellent wine. Happy table enriched by laughter and robust appetites. Gumbo glory.

Joy!! Peter Hellman and his splendid wife of many years of marriage, Susan Cohen, are resident (for two days) in the guest room of HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI, loft–they are HG/BSK’s first overnight guests. They gave the guest room a thumbs up for comfy sleeping. Peter is an old friend of HG/BSK. Peter met HG many decades ago when Peter was a journalist researching a real estate story for New York Magazine. HG was a publicist specializing in the real estate and construction industries. The result of the meeting was many news tips from HG (plus New York mag cover stories). Friendship ensued (and has been maintained). Susan has had a distinguished career as a New York City agency official. (HG has written about Peter before. Check Oct. 18, 2017 archive for brief profile and May 20, 2011 for a partial list of Hellman books.) Dinner was BSK’s special penne in broccoli sauce (An HG pasta fave). Much red wine, laughter and lively conversation. Peter and Susan didn’t arrive in Rhody empty handed. They brought a big bag of breads, cookies, pastries and sweets from a bakery in Mystic, Conn. A cornucopia of pleasure. Today (Saturday) they are off to the renowned RISD museum. There will be a dinner feast tonight (Gumbo) as HG/BSK’s daughter, Lesley R. and husband, Massimo, will be at the loft for dinner. Fun is anticipated. 

Wow!! HG drank a lot in those years and didn’t get drunk, fall down or have silly mishaps. And, HG managed to do a coherent day’s work. As a publicist, HG lunched with journalists. A favorite place was Blue Ribbon, a German restaurant in Manhattan’s West 40’s. Meal started with a shrimp cocktail and two oversized dry martinis. Then a big platter of steak tartare (Better than Paris) and three mugs of dark German beer. Finished with a snifter of cognac. Another venue was the theater landmark, Sardi’s. Two martinis with lobster cocktail. Lamb chops with kidneys and French fries. Three quarters of a battle of Morgon (Left the remaining wine for the waiter). Vintage Port. Restaurant dinners were equally alcoholic. A favored restaurant was Fornos. The Spanish restaurant served exceptional Margaritas. They accompanied HG’s platter of pork chops and Spanish potatoes. (Counting the pre-food Margarita, HG managed to down at least three of the cocktails). No dessert. Instead, two banana daiquiris.  (HG must admit. HG was always tipsy after a Fornos feast). These days, HG’s favorite cocktail is the Pisco Sour served at two Rhode Island Peruvian restaurants… Sharks (Central Falls)…Los Andes (Providence). HG is a happy (Thanks to BSK) old (93) Rhody guy. HG is now cautious. One Pisco Sour (That’s right. Singular.) before dinner.

HG relished the food and fun of The Bronx many decades ago (see “Bronx Nostalgia”).  Huge changes (some catastrophic, some exemplary). One Bronx stalwart remains: Dominick’s Restaurant in the Arthur Avenue/Belmønt neighborhood. Arthur Avenue is visited by  hundreds of tourists and New York food lovers. With its big public market and surrounding shops, Arthur Avenue represents the pinnacle of Italian olive oil,charcuterie, baked goods, cheeses, condiments, etc. etc. HG wrote about Dominick’s seven years ago (check archive) so a revisit is in order. In that last post, HG noted there was no menu (“wudda want ?” asked the waiter). Payment was cash only. No paper bill or payment check. The waiter told you the amount (Modest prices). Now there’s a menu.  Don’t know the payment procedure has changed. The bare bones communal tables remain and the atmosphere is jolly and friendly, good setting for big appetites. If HG managed to eat there again HG would order the stuffed artichoke followed by linguine aglio e olio (olive oil and garlic). This is a simple pasta dish but few places get it right. Dominick’s version is soulful. Abundant lightly browned garlic. Keeps the vampires away. For BSK, there’s a generous, lush seafood linguine, May Dominick’s and Arthur Avenue remain unchanged. Viva Italia!!