HUNGRY GERALD

Yes, Thanksgiving dinner is usually a family affair. It is pictured as such in a zillion ads. A nicely crisped turkey is at the center of the table—star attraction. Seated are jolly and hungry Gramps and Granny; Mom and Dad; Children (and spouses); Kiddies; Aunts, Uncles, etc. Big crowd. For HG/BSK it was dinner for two. Family was off to a feast at the spacious Colorado rental home of granddaughter Arianna and her Significant Other, Adam.  Arianna and Adam produced a happy, lush and traditional Thanksgiving repast. No, HG/BSK were not sad and lonely. BSK roasted a specialty–spatchcocked chicken. BSK brined the bird and gave it the special BSK rub of lemon juice, garlic, pimenton, etc. BSK served the juicy, flavorful chicken with mashed potatoes and roasted fennel. There was plenty of gravy to enhance the bird and spuds. Oh my, this was festive eating—better than turkey overwhelmed by side dishes. Drank a lovely, well priced red from the Chateau Laffite neighborhood. Dessert was baklava and (for HG) Tillamook vanilla ice cream. Beautiful music from Andres Segovia wafted through the air. Per usual, BSK was chic and lovely. Fabulous woman. Fabulous cook, Fabulous Thanksgiving a deux.

In recent posts, HG asked two questions. Is Virginia Diner chocolate covered peanut brittle really good (Pricier that the superb Brittle Brothers non-chocolate covered product) or is it a case of “Gilding the lily” ? Answer: It is superb and worth the price. It is now HG’s favorite after dinner accompaniment to a glass of robust red wine.  Question 2: How does BSK make the fabled “Green Sauce”, the sauce that makes almost everything  taste better. The ingredients are shallots, garlic, parsley, olive oil and a package of “Micro Greens”. It all goes into the food processor for a whirling tumble. Voila!! Heaven. Texture and proportions are up to you.

BSK’s “Green Sauce” enhances food. Great on pasta, chicken, beef, pork, etc.,etc. Last night BSK poured some over a platter of sea scallops and linguine.  BSK also added some chopped garlic and parsley; lemon juice and a discreet splash of olive oil. This was one of the great pasta dishes. So, what composes the “Green Sauce”? HG makes a guess that it involves a lot of parsley and other green herbs. Olive oil? Chicken stock? Garlic? Shallots? Have to check with BSK to get the definitive analysis. BSK has always stressed the importance of fresh, no preservatives, and no chemical ingredients foods. The big, juicy, sea scallops BSK procured at a favorite seafood shop lived up to these criteria and were delicious. Of course, BSK is expert at sauteeing scallops to a light brown exterior and a not quite raw interior. Perfectly done pasta. “Green Sauce”. Flavorful sea scallops. What did BSK produce? Superb dining marked by creativity and simplicity. And, wonderful cook BSK is svelte, soigne, chic. Fortunate HG.

HG has always been very fond of peanut brittle. Many Bronx “Candy Stores” sold the good stuff. Young HG ate a lot. Cheap. Tasty. HG’s peanut brittle noshing has become more sophisticated through the years. HG is happy to report that at age 94, HG’s peanut brittle passion is as vibrant and lusty as ever. And–HG has discovered the ulimate peanut brittle—the brand is Brittle Brothers. The Brothers are the champions of the brittle world.  Their product: Not too sweet and super generous amount of peanuts. Yes, the peanut/brittle ratio is life enhancing. HG chomps away at this taste marvel accompanied by glasses of fruity red wine. This is the happy climax to BSK’s creatively crafted dinners. Brilltle Brothers makes equally wonderful Pecan Brittle and Cashew Brittle (Also. Bacon Brittle. HG will pass). Today, HG bought some pricey Virginia Diner chocolate covered peanut brittle. HG wants to discover if this is “gilding the lily”.

Last night, BSK cooked HG’s favorite pasta dish–cauliflower with fettuccine. It was so good, HG ate a big bowl for dinner and a more moderate dish for lunch the next day. The secret to the lushness is BSK’s attention to detail. BSK blanches the cauliflower and then chops much of it while leaving plenty of florets whole and firm. The sauce is composed of Amish blue cheese, olive oil, anchovies,garlic, shallots, parsley and a robust splash of chicken stock. The cauliflower is cooked in the sauce–creating a nice blend of silkiness, sharpness (The blue cheese) and textures–the variations between the chopped cauliflower and the florets. BSK mixes some succulent cherry tomatoes with the pasta for a vegetal note. Hearty sprinkles of parmesan and much ground pepper. Red wine to accompany. Much delight in savory eating and drinking.

Short Ribs are a BSK favorite so BSK braised a generous amount in red wine, garlic, herbs, etc. for two nights of lavish eating. There was lots of savory gravy and good bread for dunking. BSK served the ribs over pappardelle with a side of fine chopped baby spinach. The spinach was tasty but the pasta was unwieldy and hard to handle. The next night, BSK substituted buttery little boiled potatoes. Good choice to accompany a braise or stew. The spinach, again, was splendid. BSK enhanced the gravy with some pungent Russian mustard. The second half of the doubleheader (The Nightcap) was great. Yes, always better the second day or night. 

 Italian Corner on 10 Boyd St. in Seekonk, Ma., is a culinary Italian food masterpiece, as good as the emporiums on New York’s Lower East Side and The Bronx’s Belmont neighborhood (Arthur Avenue). It’s a delicatessen\ grocery\ purveyor of hot meals\soups\salads….and more, much more. The variety of foods is encyclopedic—the tastes are down home savory. It’s HG’s favorite hangout in Rhode Island. (Hemenway’s in Providence is another favorite–great for oysters and their Paris style Fruits de Mer tower.) Yes, we eat well in little Rhody. Today, BSK picked up a big bowl of steaming pasta e fagioli(Pasta and beans—New York’s late, beloved Mayor LaGuardia called the dish “Pastafazoole.)  HG had a big lush bowl last night enhanced with olive oil, parmesan and hot pepper flakes. Fabulous. Happily, there were ample leftovers for lunch the next day.

HG was born November 9, 1929.  The old guy was 94 yesterday. HG never expected to live to such a remarkable age. Certainly, HG would have died years ago without the dedicated, day to day loving care HG has received from the love of HG’s life–HG’s wife of more than 60 years: Sharon Kent. Svelte and chic at 82, Sharon is a powerhouse of love and skills–rising to the challenge of healing HG during HG’s painful broken hip\chipped femur period. Last night, HG/BSK’s gifted daughter, Lesley R.; son-in-law Profesre Massimo R. and brilliant granddaughter Sofia R. came to HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI, loft and launched the most stupendous birthday party for HG, the very best of HG’s long life. There was a vast array of sparkling, fresh sushi–an HG favorite food. The beverages were Cava, a refreshing gazeuse wine, and chilled Rose’. HG started with a “parade” dish–chopped yellowtail topped with tobiko, black cod caviar and a raw quail egg yolk. It was so beautiful it seemed a shame to mix it in order to eat. Shame ceased with each yummy swallow.. This was followed by unagi sushi, an HG fave. And, then tuna and shrimp sushi. Oh, my!! Heaven in each bite.  A pause. Then dessert–Junior’s cheesecake and gobs of fresh real whipped cream. Drank Honey Mead wine with this great confectôn (Wine was a gift from Allison and Matt Martonovich). Gifts were CD’s selected by Lesley and Massimo. The party was an explosion of love and HG appreciated having the best family in the world (There were joyous video chats from son Jeremy in Japan and granddaughter Arianna in Colorado).

Last night, BSK made a pot of tasty Greek avgolemono and rice soup. Superlative. As good–or  better–than any served in New York restaurants. BSK poached halibut in the soup and cut the filets into small chunks. Sounds delicious, right? No. It was inedible. The halibut was tough and dry. HG couldn’t swallow.  So, what went wrong? For some reason, HG/BSK have a problem cooking halibut. The fish is always a disaster. BSK has pan fried halibut filets, grilled them, and poached them. Nothing works. HG/BSK need enlightenment from HG/BSK’s family. Grace note. There’s leftover soup for lunch today. Silver lining.

Yes, it’s a very useful appliance. However, well into HG’s teenage years, HG prefered the iceboxes that chilled the HG family perishables. It was young HG’s job to empty the basin that held the water from the melting ice. If he forgot,  there was loud, scornful yelling (Corporal punishment was not allowed).The icebox was serviced by  sturdy Italians who carried big blocks of ice (Wrapped in burlap) up steep stairways, (Rumor had that the strong Italians also “serviced” some lusty housewives). Food (Especially cheese and charcuterie) should be removed from the fridge hours before eating. Meats (Steaks, chops, roasts should be brought to room temperature before cooking}.  Same with fish and fowl. Ice cream is better when plucked from the freezer and allowed to settle. At restaurants in Italy, a great variety of condiments, charcuterie,and cheeses bask at room temp ( This antipasto is usually chilled into tastelessness in America). In a Santa Fe restaurant HG was served a slice of fridge ice cold country pate. HG shouted HG’s complaint: “Pate ice cream !!”.