HUNGRY GERALD

HG is fond of crisp, fried catfish. Nestled in a hamburger bun (much tartar sauce and sprinkles of Tabasco), it’s a down home treat—also nice with a bowl of grits or mac and cheese. BSK won’t eat catfish. BSK remembers catfish tasting muddy when BSK was a youngster. Today, catfish are cultivated in hygienic fish farms–the result is clean tasting catfish without a trace of muddiness. HG began eating fried catfish at casual Harlem eateries when HG was a student at uptown (145th Street) CCNY. The Harlem cooks gave the catfish much rinsing to banish muddiness, rolled them in seasoned flour and deep fried them in lard. They were served with grits (much gravy) or mac and cheese–plus smoked ham enriched collard greens. A superb dinner for ravenous, football player HG. Community fish fries are ocasionally held at Black churches in the South. Ah, if only HG could attend!!