HUNGRY GERALD

HG is fond of aspic in its many alluring forms—firm and soft; enclosing food; covering food (gefilte fish); in chunks (consomme madrilene). There were few things better in HG’s long eating history than HG’s late Mom’s gefilte fish covered in soft fish broth aspic and pungent horseradish (challah soaked up the juices). These days, HG makes do with jarred Manischewitz gefilte in fish broth. A favorite HG food is Jambon Persille, an aspic enclosed loaf of ham, parsley and herbs. HG got a first taste of this treat at the food department of Bon Marche on the left bank of Paris. A counterman was cutting samples of Jambon Persille for a lineup of elegant women. HG joined in and ate about a dozen thick slices before halting and ordering two kilos for home eating with mustard, cornichons, buttered baguette and Muscadet, (a wonderful lunch and dinner appetizer). HG also enjoyed the dish at the plain spoken Ma Bourgogne restaurant in Paris (they also had savory quenelles de brochet). HG bought the jambon delight at Oyama, the charcuterie/cheese shop in Vancouver (B.C.) Public Market. (HG/BSK had a loft in super-foody Van for some years). Alas, no JP in New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Santa Fe (and Central Falls, RI,, where HG/BSK now reside and Prince Edward Island, residence for some months in an oceanfront dwelling). Not all is lost. HG orders head cheese, tasty aspic enclosed calf head loaf from venerable Schaller & Weber in New York (a pleasant meal with the shop’s German rye bread followed by Liederkranz cheese,onions and liverwurst–dark beer is the drink). Occasionally, HG’s Mom made “P’cha”. a jellied calf’s feet dish (kosher version of JP). It was served at the old Sammy’s Romanian on the lower. east side but don’t know if it’s on the menu at the reborn Sammy’s. HG’s late father liked it and ate lusty amouunts.  HG had one taste. Hated it. Colony, the favored restaurant of socialites in the ’30’s, ’40’s and early 50’s, served many aspic dishes. Svelte ladies thought it low in calories.