HUNGRY GERALD

Few things are more symbolic of the grim 1930’s depression years than HG’s Mom’s reliance on unidentified A & P cans whose labels had been washed off or torn off. (HG called them “mystery cans”). The A & P store manager displayed them in a big barrel–they were cheap–five cents or less for a can. The late beloved Ida Kopkind Freeman bought them for dessert. She thought contents like peaches, pears, pineapple or prunes could be determined by shaking a can near her ear. Surprisingly, she had a very good batting average and most family meals in The Bronx ended with a canned fruit dessert. However, sometimes Ida missed. A  can was opened and revealed lima beans or brussel sprouts or something equally unpleasant. These contents were served for dinner next night with boiled chicken or stewed meat (“gedempte fleisch”). Waste not. Want not. However, there were times when we ate, under protest, cold brussel sprouts for dessert. “Eat, eat. It’s a vegetable. It’s good for your health,” Ida insisted.