HUNGRY GERALD

The Celtics collapsed and the Miami Heat will face the Denver Nuggets for the NBA championship. But, before the Celtics’ dismal end, HG was comforted by lush dinners crafted by BSK. Last night (before the game) there was delicious Farfalle pasta (Garofalo) in a ricotta and bacon sauce. Creamy goodness. And, in the evening before, there was BSK’s version of shrimp and grits (Rivals N’Awlins). And, before that shrimp dinner, there was another–Middle Eastern Shakshuka (poached eggs topping stewed peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, olive oil). BSK enhanced the egg dish by adding shrimp (They were given a speedy saute). HG made the traditional sauce of Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, zaatar, cumin,salt and pepper.Harissa on the table for spicy heat. Well nourished HG awaits Nuggets-Heat.

Dinner was the prelude to game six of the Celtics-Heat battle. It was a very comfortable meal crafted by BSK. There was some leftover cauliflower pasta from a previous meal and a wondrous stew (“Fire Chicken”) of cut up chicken thighs in Korean Gochujang sauce enhanced with olive oil and garlic and topped with mozzarella and feta cheese (The cheeses tempered the “Fire” of the sauce). Brandy/Peychaud Bitters in hand, HG watched one of the most exciting (And improbable) basketball games ever. After leading by double figures for most of the game, the Celtics deflated toward the end of the fourth quarter. Jimmy Butler (Heat) finally caught fire and the Heats led by one point with four seconds left. Okay. Nice try, Celtics, but it’s over. But, wait.  The Celtics sent the ball in. Quick unsuccessful 3-point shot. But, miracle of miracles, the Celtics rebounded and scored to win by a point. Did time run out? No. Refs conferred and looked at a replay. There was a fraction of a second left and the shot–and win–counted. Derrick White made the sensational putback. Game seven in Boston Monday night. HG will watch with heart pounding.

Mischa is a restaurant that recently opened on Manhattan’s E. 53rd Street. It is not a kosher or Eastern European restaurant. (Pork bellies, shrimp, etc. are featured). But, there are some Jewish dishes on the menu  (These often appeared on HG’s late Mom’s Bronx dinner table).  Hot dog. Kasha Varnishkes. Iceberg lettuce with Thousand Islands dressing. The prices are astronomical and would not be comprehended by HG’s late Mother and Father, immigrants from Belarus. Hot Dog–$29. Yes, it’s eight inches long and composed of beef and (“Shandeh”!!)  pork. However, 29 bucks for a hot dog is crazy. But, no crazier than $19. for iceberg lettuce. And, craziest of all: Kasha Varniskes-$29. So, a meal of all three items with tax,tip and beverage would cost more than $100. HG would skip dessert. Don’t want to revel in excess.

BSK has been dog/house sitting  in Riverside, RI, while gifted daughter Lesley R. and husband, Professor Massimo, are in Padua, Italy. (They have made an offer on an apartment there. Glorious river views. Hope their purchase succeeds). So, BSK, Toby, The Wonder Dog and Pip, the gentle, brilliant female døg, came to HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI, loft in time for dinner last night. BSK brought a pot of asparagus risotto, a leftover from BSK’s previous night’s dinner in Riverside. HG was concerned that the second day risotto would not be good. Not to worry. Warmed in the microwave with a bit of broth added, it was delicious–not mushy and just firm enough. BSK added to the dining pleasure by topping the risotto with some lightly browned, plump and juicy sea scallops.  Utilizing the “”waste not, want not” philosophy, BSK created a dinner that was lush. Much appreciâted by HG. (Latest news: Lesley and Massimo’s offer was accepted and now they are owners of a beautiful Padua residence).

In HG’s mature years, HG has become very fond of animals. During the time HG/BSK made HG/BSK’s home on a 130 acre ranch high in the Rocky Mountain foothills in Golden, Colorado, HG’s beloved companions were the horses–Peaches and Twist. Miss those guys. Now HG makes do with smaller animals–Toby, The Wonder Dog; Pip, the gentle and intelligent female dog; Mintern, the handsome cat. HG  admires cows, lambs, pigs, rabbits. HG is made queasy by seeing slabs of beef. The other animals butchered and flattened for the grill create a grisly sight. Little meat in HG’s diet. Principal foods are fish and shellfish; pasta in vegetable sauces (broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, zucchini) are big winners; chicken cooked in many ways (Spatchcocked roast is the winner), Soups–:”Green” soup and sorrel soup are exceptional. HG hasn’t given up on meat. Relishes innards (offal)–livers, brains, sweetbreads, tripe, kidneys (the preparation of offal in Paris bistros has given HG much joy for many years. “More Fleurie, waiter, please.”). BSK uses ground pork in BSK’s sublime Mapo Tofu and Green chile stew. BSK’s ground beef spaghetti sauce and meatballs are noteworthy. BSK grills ground lamb kefta (served with HG ‘s middle eastern yogurt sauce). Tasty lamb dinner accompanied by eggplant. HG/BSK have made an appropriate balance between meat and other foods.

That was the lament of HG/BSK’s live-in housekeeper when HG/BSK left HG/BSK’s Montclair home for a dinner party, restaurant meal, movie or play. HG/BSK now live in a spacious (Beautifully interior designed by BSK) loft in Central Falls, RI. BSK has been house and dog sitting in Riverside, RI, while gifted daughter, Lesley R. has joined her husband and daughter in Italy. So, HG is often (All Alone). Not sad, however. Much to keep HG occupied. Exercise. Reading. NBA playoffs (Yay, Lakers!!). Internet surfing. Neck massages. Meal preparation. Dinner last night was Rao’s tomato soup (HG likes Rao products). This was followed by two softly scrambled eggs cooked with feta cheese. Dessert? You guessed it. Gay Hussar inspired chestnut puree with whipped cream Many glasses of Argentine Malbec. HG misses BSK, the love of HG’s life. But, solitary living has some virtues. Nobody monitors the volume of HG’s pre_dinner Negronis.

Market Basket is a New England chain of supermarkets. Thankfully, one is a quick drive from HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI, loft. The markets are huge and house a voluminous amount of products. Everything is fresh, high quality and well priced. BSK shops there frequently. Yesterday, BSK picked up some haddock filets and sweet potatoes for dinner. Considerate BSK also bought some jars of Rao’s Wedding Soup. This is HG’s favorite meal when dining alone. Dash of olive oil, a few drops of hot sauce, dusting of parmesan. A delight. For dinner, BSK roasted the sweet potatoes (They spent some time in the oven). When the sweet spuds were almost done, BSK dipped the filets in an egg and fish fry batter and fried them to succulent  perfection. Better than any fish and chips dish. (The filets were thick so they combined crisp exteriors with lush, not overdone, interiôrs. Deft touch at the skillet by BSK). The potatoes got a hit of  butter (for HG) and·sour cream (for BSK). There was creamed spinach for HG and a green salad for BSK.  Much Chilean red wine. HG’s traditional dessert of chestnut puree and whipped cream.  Rhody gourmands. 

While writing the recent “May Day” post, HG was distressed that the history of labor unions in the USA isn’t taught to the young people in our schools. There have been tragedies: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire was one of them–scores of young immigrant women (Some known to HG’s late Mother) died in that blaze. An early union was the  IWW  (International Workers of the World.) The union members (“Wobblies”) were often attacked by police. A number were killed and their martyrdom immortalized in song: “I dreamt I saw Joe Hill last night, alive as you and me. But, Joe, I said, you’re a long time dead. I never died, said he.”). After the “Ludlow Massacre” of 1914, one would think industrial management would abandon hiring detective agencies to battle union and union organizing. But, no. Henry Ford would not tolerate labor unions and he created his own private army to violently stop union organizing. This  army was called “The Service” or “Internal Security Department”. From the 1920’s through 1945, it was headed by a very tough guy named Harry Bennett, an ex-prize fighter and sailor. He recruited equally violent men for “The  Service”: Ex-prize fighters and wrestlers; released convicts; former policemen; street fighters. There were 5,000 men (or more) in “The Service”, the largest private army in the USA. In 1937 at the “Battle of the Overpass” Bennett’s thugs severely beat a United Auto Workers  (UAW) man who was handing out pamphlets to workers. The thugs confiscated all cameras but an intrepid photographer managed to get one plate out of his camera. When the photo of the beating was published, it swayed public opinion against Ford and for the UAW. After the UAW man was rescued from the beating, covered in blood, subsequent photos increased the antipathy toward Ford. The company was finally unionized and when Henry Ford died, his heirs fired Bennett.

Full Disclosure: HG/BSK’s gifted daughter, Lesley Riva, is Director of Communications at Lifespan, a major health care provider. And, nepotism is not a factor in HG’s post about the company.  At HG’s advanced age (93), HG needs many medical services, including monitoring of HG’s  COPD condition. HG has lived in New York, New Jersey, Colorado, New Mexico in past years. HG/BSK now live in a spacious Central Falls, RI., loft and summer at HG/BSK’s oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island  So, how does HG rate medical services in these locales? New York: Fair. New Jersey: Good. Colorado: Poor. New Mexico: Abysmal. Prince Edward Island: Very Good. Rhode Island: Excellent. HG has used Lifespan in many Rhode Island (and nearby Massachusetts) locations. The service has been very responsive, makes convenient appointments. The doctors and other medical personnel are very professional. They are also friendly and seem to take personal interest in their patients.

Yesterday, HG had HG’s COPD condition analyzed. Lifespan’s Dr. Curtis Mello did the examination. Very, very thorough (More thorough and professional than the sketchy New Mexico procedures). He made an appointment for lung X-rays when HG/BSK leave PEI. Chatting with Dr. Mello post-exam, HG learned that he is of Portuguese lineage and his family had a lengthy history of operating restaurants and diners. A veritable foodie, he kindly wrote down the names of the best Portuguese restaurants in our area. (Can hardly wait to try them). 

May Day has come and gone—quietly. This wasn’t the case in HG’s New York youth. It was the occasion for big. loud labor union rallies. It was the day when all leftists (Socialists, Communists, Trotskyites, Democrats like the late Vito Marcantonion and late Leo Isaacson) screamed insults at each other with resulting fisticuffs. The most fiery orator of the day was Ben Gold, the Communist leader of the Fur and Leather Workers Union. His speeches were in Yiddish and a target of his sharp voice was the Yiddish socialist newspaper, the Forward (“Furvertz”). HG’s beloved late father read and loved that paper. He was a Socialist` and in his Russian youth, a member of the  Jewish Labor Bund. Upon his arrival in America he —like his “landsman” David Dubinsky—was a stalwart battler for the ILGWU (International Ladies Garment Workers Union.). At one point, my father’s (sometimes violent) efforts put his life in danger and he and family left New York (via horse and wagon piloted by my father) for the Ohio farm of HG’s maternal Aunt Fanny. They returned to New York when things cooled down.(his year on the farm gave him and my mom a lifelong affectiôn for square dancîng). My father despised Ben Gold. He labeled Gold with an obscene Yiddish insult. He called Gold “Ah Stalin tuchis lecker–A licker of Stalin’s ass”) The FBiI tried to imprison Gold but failed. He retired. Lived quietly in Miami Beach, among many old Jews. Wrote poetry and novels. No politics. The Ludlow coal mine site is 18 miles northwest of the city of Trinidad, Colorado. This was where “The Ludlow Massacre” took place on April 20, 1914. Striking coal miners and their families were living in tents. The mine owners hired a detective agency that raked the tents with rifle and machine gun fire. Most of the miners were of Greek origin. Many strikers were killed as well as a number of women and children. The site is now owned by the United Mine Workers, and a granite monument has been erected honoring the strikers. When HG/BSK were living in Colorado they passed the site on their highway travels. HG/BSK belonged to labor unions—HG (Newspaper Guild) and BSK (Actors Equity). When they came to Ludlow they raised their fists and shouted: “Solidarity, brothers and sisters!! Solidarity forever!!”.