HUNGRY GERALD

Easter Sunday was a culinary extravaganza. HG/BSK left their Central Falls, RI, for a blockbuster dinner hosted by their gifted daughter, Lesley R., and husband, Profesore Massimo R. (generous wine selector). The venue was the outdoor deck (warm, comfy, spectacular water views) and indoor dining area of their Riverside, RI, home. With  Aperol  Spritzes in hand, the outdoor treats included deviled eggs topped with red salmon caviar; a tapenade like dip of tuna,olives, capers, butter, olive oil. In a bow to the late Julia Child, Lesley served radishes and butter. Massimo provided a remarkable Chablis. The indoor main dish was a tender boneless leg of lamb–butterflied and marinated. BSK brought a sumptuous Greek Avgolemono sauce for the lamb. The sides were oven fried potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes (for HG), plus seasonal asparagus. The Massimo wine selection was  Amarone  (Its lush, mouth filling qualities remain in HG’s memory bank). Cheese course was an aged Parmesan and a rich blue (French? Italian? Danish?). More Amarone. An Italian Panettone like cake for dessert. Chilled Limoncello for HG. Wonderful dinner and HG/BSK expressed their happiness in living close to Lesley and Massimo after being thousands of miles apart for so many years. Took leftovers home and HG  enjoyed Avgolemono soup in a bowl filled with rice and chopped spinach. (BSK had some lamb slices and helped HG finish the blue cheese). Next night was linguine with BSK’s sublime sardine sauce (BSK buys quality tinned sardines at Portugalia, the Zabar’s-like Portuguese food market în Fall River, MA.) As the late Gerald Murphy said: “Living well is the best revenge.”