HUNGRY GERALD

HG is fond of stuffed vegetables. Last night, BSK made a happy supper—fresh red peppers stuffed with ground pork,onions, garlic, spices, herbs all moistened by a rich stock. Super yummy. (BSK makes a similar lush dish using zucchini). HG’s introduction to tasty stuffies (No, not referring to stuffed Rhode Island clams) happened when HG was a toddler. HG wouldn’t eat spinach, a proven healthy vegetable. HG’s clever late Mom made balls of buttery mashed potatoes and stuffed them with the hated spinach. The little fellow ate them with a good appetite. At this time, HG loves every type of stuffed dumpling, Japanese gyoza and shumai, Chinese dim sum. Ravioli and pierogi are also favored. Best of all stuffed dishes was the stuffed cabbage cooked by HG’s late Mom. In Yiddish, they are called “holishkes.” They had a unique sweet and sour spicy flavor. They were loved by the HG family and relatives—cousins, aunts and uncles-. All would show up at Mom’s Bronx kitchen when Mom was making holishkes. When the great German/Jewish poet and writer, Heinrich Heine, ate  holishkes at a Vienna restaurant, he exclaimed: “What a noble religion we have!!!).