HUNGRY GERALD

This is a delicious stuffed eggplant dish favored in the countries of the former Ottoman Empire (Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia,  Albania, etc.). Imam Bayildi means “the Imam fainted.” Imam is a  high official and his faint was caused by pleasure when tasting the dish. The recipe–split the eggplant in half vertically. Pan cook it in much olive oil until the interiors are soft and mix the interiors with chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic, mint, parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper, dash of sugar and more olive oil. Mix and cook without breaking eggplant skins.  Add hot sauce at the table and enjoy with red wine and pita. Don’t faint when tasting.

Baba Ganoush is a delectable, Levantine eggplant appetizer. It means “spoiled old daddy.” It seems that for centuries caring daughters would make it for their old, toothless fathers. The dish is composed of chopped roasted eggplant; tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and some spicy Spanish pimenton (or harissa or white pepper). Cumin and coriander are added to the mix and it is all smoothed with the use of a hand held blender. BSK makes the world’s best version of Baba Ganoush. HG eats it for lunch and dinner so HG is a happy “spoiled old daddy.” It is an outstanding light lunch or supper appetizer. Fortunately, BSK has made a big quantity of this good stuff so spoiled old HG emulates millions of Middle Eastern eaters. Thanks, BSK, for making magic.

BSK makes the best grits.  BSK adds cream cheese as BSK simmers the grits in water or stock. This is a trick HG learned from gifted daughter, Lesley R. (a talented cook and a busy healthcare  executive). Weather is chilly but HG is comfortable at the dining table in HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI, loft. Two nights ago, BSK treated HG to a big bowl of classic southern shrimp and grits. HG was overjoyed. Nothing could be better than this dish and a glass of Pinot Noir. BSK was generous in cooking the grits so an abundance was left over for dinner last night. BSK reheated the grits and served them with a bowl of Lesley R. ‘s ratatouille. (best ever–better than any in France). Joyous eating and happy wine sipping (Pinot Noir, of course). Thanks, Lesley, R., for helping to create gourmand delight.

BSK had a worldly maternal grandmother, long deceased Rita Coombs. BSK told her that BSK was marrying a Jew.  Rita Coombs thought this was unfortunate. However, she was philosophical. Her reply: “Well, Sharon, you won’t get into any country clubs. However, Jews don’t beat their wives. They are good with money.  And, they don’t drink.” After 62 years of marriage to Jewish HG, BSK has noted that two of Rita’s assumptions are correct–two outta three is a lofty batting average. However, HG has been an excessive drinker of alcohol for most of HG’s long life.  (HG will be 96 in a few weeks and confines drinks to two glasses of wine each night—one before dinner and one after dinner).  During the early years of HG/BSK’s marriage, HG drank many Martinis—at lunch and at the cocktail hour. HG remained fairly sober (Ah, youth!!). BSK didn’t approve–but was tolerant.  As the years rolled by, BSK’s disapproval became very forbidding and intense. HG cut way back on drinking. And, that’s why HG is still alive and married to forgiving BSK.

Chicken breasts are not HG’s favorite part of the noble, nutritious bird. Unlike thighs, HG finds breasts dry and flavorless. Last night, BSK made crisp and juicy “paillards”. BSK hammers breasts into thinness. They are dipped in beaten eggs, covered in Panko crumbs and fried into crispness. A sauce of lemon juice, butter and capers makes them a treat and the Paris influenced “paillards” are delightful with a glass of chilled white wine. BSK’s exquisite timing creates a lovely amalgam of crisp and juicy. Viva chicken breasts a la BSK!!!

Many, many years ago the late actress, Shelley WInters, came to a party in newlywed HG/BSK’s one-bedroom W.67th Street apartment in Manhattan. ” I want a nosh,” she demanded in a loud voice. Young BSK was flustered—she thought Shelley wanted a pill or medicine. HG to the rescue.  A “nosh” is Yiddish for a snack. HG gave the actress a slice of ham on rye bread and a glass of wine. Peace. “Nosherie” (variety of “noshes”) were prevalent in the New York of yesteryear. An HG favorite was a slice of pumpernickel topped with chicken fat,sliced onion and kosher salt. Local delicatesses catered to “noshers” with a bowl of small chunks of garlic salami—“A nickel a shtikel”. “Candy stores” had salty pretzels and “appetizing stores” had sour dill pickles –fine “noshes”. Of course, there were sweet “noshes”. Joyva halvah bars were the best. It appears to HG that many Americans live on “noshes”—potato chips, Cheetos, Doritos, candy bars, fast food items –all washed down with Coke, Pepsi and other sugar and chemical drinks  The result:  Obesity and malnutrition.

Gifted daughter, Lesley R., and her husband, the eminent Profesore/author Massimo R., came to the  HG/BSK Central Falls, RI, loft this weekend for a jolly family dinner. Lesley and Massimo brought a lavish amount of Vietnamese food with them. There was pho, congee, salads, pork belly buns and more–much more. The group ate a lot and drank a reasonable amount of wine and beer. Since there was an abundance there were leftovers. Fortunate HG had a big bowl of steaming leftover congee and tofu for lunch today. Very comforting and tongue tingling with a splash of hot sauce. Leftover pho (with plenty of rice noodles) for HG lunch tomorrow. The good times roll on.

Lucky, lucky HG/BSK. Glenn is our upstairs neighbor and a fabulous cook. He cooks in abundance–with great skill and a reliance on fresh ingredients. He is very generous. Each night he has been gifting HG/BSK with a lush container of chicken and broccoli soup/stew. Last night he outdid himself–a bowl of pulled pork. Brilliant barbecue flavors. Yum. Thanks, Glenn.

Jewish kashrut laws forbid mixing dairy products with meat. So, “fleisich” (meat) restaurants are the hearty opposite to “Dairy Restaurants”. These meat oriented (some kosher and some not) spots serve steaks, brisket, chopped liver, broiled calf’s liver, chicken in the pot, sweetbreads, brains, duck, turkey, etc. There are plenty of kosher meat restaurants in New York but HG finds them pedestrian and lacking the verve of their predecessors. Sammy’s Roumanian, the schmaltz and vodka temple of Jewish drunkenness, garlic, noise and music still exists—original location closed and now it’s on Stanton Street (Lower East Side). It isn’t cheap to get drunk at Sammy’s—ice enclosed vodka costs $169-$150 a bottle. Many, many decades ago, HG and beloved late father, Harry Freeman, ate at cheap hole in the wall “Roumanian Broilings” eateries. These served garlic and schmaltz drenched “karnatzlach” (cigar shaped hamburgers), chopped liver, beer and whiskey. (Favorite hangouts of Italian mobsters). Best white tablecloth restaurants were Moskowiz and Lupowitz on the Lower East side, Lou G. Siegel in the Garment Center and Gluckstern’s on W. 46th Street (all but Sammy’s are long closed.) All of these restaurants encouraged alcohol overindulgence. Nothing better than an appetizer of cold garlic and schmaltz brains with Jack Daniels and a beer chaser. Vishniac and strong Russian tea at the end of the meal.

“Dairy Restaurants” were once abundant in New York—and HG enjoyed them. They were kosher–no meat. Specialties included kasha varnishkes, blintzes, pierogies, kreplach (stuffed with cheese); gefilte fish, soups (ice cold summer beet borscht and schav). Schav was sorrel soup and both soups were accompanied by boiled potatoes and sour cream. Almost every dish was enhanced by sour cream (“smetana”). Breads were fabulous–onion rolls (“pletzels”); bagels, bialys, sliced pumpernickel and Jewish rye bread. There was lots of cream cheese, pot cheese, cottage cheese, farmer cheese and, sometimes, roquefort. The two best “Dairys” were Ratner’s and Rappaport’s on the lower east side. The upper west side had the “Famous” on W.72nd (superior gefilte fish). Steinberg’s on the west side catered to classy customers. Sadly, all of these restaurants have vanished. One splendid dairy remains; B & H Dairy at 127 2nd Ave.(Yes, there are eateries called “Dairy” but they are not traditional–they serve pizzas, Mexican food, Italian food, etc.). B & H is the real deal–fabulous soups and challah. An innovation–a healthy and tasty vegetarian chili. There’s a very good book–“The Dairy Restaurant” by Ben Katchor. Informative and funny.