HUNGRY GERALD

When HG was a young New York journalist in the early 1950’s, HG was a heavy drinker. (In later years, HG was a Martini and vodka drinker. BSK put a stop to that after HG had some inebriated tumbles). In HG’s boozer days, beer and liquor were cheap and rough and ready bars were plentiful on Manhattan’s Third and Second Avenues as well as the side streets off these Avenues. As HG  recalls (Memory stretches back more than 70 years), a glass of beer was 25 cents and a shot of rye was 50 cents. It only cost a few bucks to get drunk. HG drank at Mirror Bar on E.45th (Rye and beer chaser plus nibbles of pickled pork knuckle); Murphy’s (Northeast corner of Third Avenue and 45th Street –a bowl of  heavily salted  peanuts on the bar to encourage thirst)–plus numerous bars named after their Irish owners or towns and counties in Ireland. HG’s favorite bar was Costello’s (E. 44th or E. 43rs. Memory is hazy), The star feature of the bar was a cartoon mural by the New Yorker writer/artist/dramatist, James Thurber, painted in 1935. Thurber had run up a substantial bar bill and the mural was his payment. HG often drank at Artists and Writers on West 44th (It catered to the Herald-Tribune staff, was home to “The Match Game” and had very good food including dazzling “Koenigsberger Klopse”). There were a number of gay bars clustered around Lexington Avenue all named after birds. The Golden Pheasant was prominent.

BSK is a talented and creative cook. When tired of BSK’s standard wonders, BSK improvises and the improvisations are very satisfying. (No wonder. BSK was good at “improvs” in BSK’s young actress days–and this skill has carried over to BSK cuisine). Last night’s”improv” in HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI, loft was a winner. BSK rummaged in the fridge and found chicken thighs (Marinated for 30 minutes before cooking and cut up into small pieces). There was also a leek, red peppers and zucchini, The veggies were chopped and went into a baking dish with the chicken plus tomatoes, onions, garlic, one cup of broth and a half cup of orzo–and a jalapeno for an underlay of heat. Before the cooking finished, the dish was topped with feta cheese (to melt) and a sprinkle of chopped parsley, cilantro and thyme.This  was accompanied by BSK’s green sauce of garlic, olive oil, cilantro, thyme and jalapeno. When BSK took the baking dish out of the oven, it looked like a portrait of savoriness. And, it tasted sublime–and there was enough for dinner tonight. Great double header.

Neutral Corner, a bar (long closed), was located on 8th Avenue and 55th Street close to what was once the center of  New York City boxing: the old Madison Square Garden (demolished) and Stillman’s Gym (gone). Neutral Corner was home base for the fistic community—fighters, ex-fighters, managers, trainers, sports publicists, corner technicians (cut men, etc.). A.J. Liebling, the great journalist and fan of what he called “the sweet science” was often there. (His book, “The Sweet Science”, is a pugilism masterpiece). He noted that Neutral Corner was the quietest bar in town–though many of the customers were rugged guys, voices were hushed. Tony Janiro was one of the bartenders before he returned to his Ohio home town. He was once a top flight fighter, contending for the middleweight title. He made big money and squandered it all. Managers pointed him out to their fighters: “Once a contender and now a bartender. Don’t let it happen to you.” Stillman’s training hours were noon to three; 5:30 to seven. Neutral Corner was packed during Stillman’s off hours. HG drank many a beer there when he was a young journalist.