HUNGRY GERALD

There are few things better for lunch than a bowl of steaming, fragrant. soup.  It’’s great in every type of weather—a four season fave. Jeremy, HG/BSK’s, talented son,  made a hearty Lentil soup today. This is a filling treat–full of healthy goodness. Zucchini. soup, broccoli soup, “green soup” (a puree of all sightly over the hill veggies in the fridge). All of these are cooked by BSK and Jeremy. However, only BSK can make sorrel soup. Great hot. Even better when ice cold (it’s called “schav”—and served with a boiled potato). HG fancies a very simple soup–chicken broth, tofu and a beaten egg swirled in the broth.  A Chinese fave is “hot and sour” soup. Yums.

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Son Jeremy is a splendid cook. He makes the most mundane dishes special treats. His mashed potatoes are dreamy. Of course, he. has the best raw material–mineral rich Prince Edward Island potatoes. Don’t know Jeremy’s magic. But, am sure it involves butter, yogurt and lots of vigorous beating. The result is silky gooodness–the perfect companion for proteins and roast veggies. Tonight, Jeremy made a Marcella Hazan. recipe of chicken, sausage and lots of tangy tomato based sauce, The mashed. spuds absorbed. all the spicy goodness.

This was the endearing, gentle nickname of a murderous Jewish “Mob” killer of the. 1940’s/50’s: Philip Cohen Kavoilck. There was another Jewish gangser of the era also nicknamed “Little Farfel”.  HG can’t find his identity. In any case, Farfel is a small, egg noodle (much like couscous) used in Ashkenazi Jewish cooking. Manischewitz brand Farfel is much loved by HG (emphatically not a murderer). HG mixes the cooked Farfel with chicken fat, garlic, kosher salt and ground black pepper. Oh, my:!!  Yumarooney!!  As a very little boy, HG lunched with an aged maiden who was a friend of HG’s beloved late Mother.  Her name was Adele and she served HG a memorable lunch of buttered, salted and peppered Farfel with a tall glass of icy chocolate milk. It’s lodged in HG’s memory.

Maiko and Teru are back in Tokyo.   Safe and sound. They are missed.  Maiko is a classic Japanese beauty. Her portrait should replace the Rising Sun. Teru is the perfect mix of East and. West. A movie star.!!  And, she’s funny and helpful. Maiko is the best cook in the world. Her tempura makes HG tiptoe into heaven. Her down-home stews are sensational. They banish. hunger in a jiffy. However, Maiko is more than an outstanding. wife, mother (Haru. and Teru), cook. She is super intelligent—an astute business partner and manages finance, administration and household, She is a partner with son Jeremy in Freeman Shokudo, the  Tokyo izakaya she and Jeremy own and operate.. Mako not only keeps the. books, she makes the menu sing with her creative and efficient cooking.

Happy! Happy! New York City based daughter Victoria Freeman has arrived at the family waterfront home on the serene Canadian province, Prince Edward Island. She looks beautiful, chic, fit—and. years younger than her age. She has been in the food business for more than 45 years and is a partner in The. Bowery Group ((owner and operator of five busy New York restaurants: Rosie’s, Cookshop, Vic’s, Shuka and Shukette). Gazing at sea views has calmed Vicki and she has brought laughter and a good appetite to family meals. Yesterday, all ventured out to Double Hill Cidery. As the name suggests, Double Hill make a variety of European style ciders–from extra dry to sweet. The ciders are accompanied by food — during the weekday, simple but lovely dips and charcuterie; on weekends (when HG and family visited) sweet and savory crepes and oysters. Yes, on this lucky visit our ciders were served alongside lush smoked salmon crepes and perfectly chilled and shucked Colville Bay bivalves. All agreed. These were the best oysters ever. Generous Vicki picked up the tab. We owe her.

HG loves and admires son Jeremy’s ‘wife (and HG/BSK’s daughter in law)–Maiko Sakamoto Freeman. She is Japanese and lives with Jeremy in Tokyo (two children–Son Haru, 20, and daughter, Teru, 14). She and Jeremy have been married close to 25 years and she is a devoted wife and outstanding Mother.  In addition, she and Jeremy own and run a successful izakaya restaurant–Freeman Shokudo (specializing in. Brooklyn barbecue–pastrami is better than any in New York). Maiko is diminutive. Beware. She is incredibly strong. Happily, the Tokyo family is with us (plus HG/BSK daughter Lesley R and her husband, Massimo R.) at the family waterfront home on Canada’s serene Prince Edward Island. Eight for dinner every night. But there’s no strain because the family has many talented and efficient cooks. My favourite is Maiko. Every summer when she visits, Maiko makes a celestial tempura–possibly the best food in the world. Tonight, Maiko showed  another side of her culinary art by making a robust, down home dish: kakuni.  HG is sure many Tokyo Moms make this  when they want to nourish their kids. Maiko simmers chunks of daikon radish, slices of pork belly, eggs in a broth enriched with soy sauce and mirin. Adds cooked rice and serves miso soup with tofu as a side. The eggs are not hard boiled–the yolks are jammy. The The daikon become soft, chewable and packed with flavor when cooked and the pork belly becomes unctuous. Maiko serves the dish with a very powerful Japanese mustard. Warning: A tiny dab is sufficient.

HG has been rereading Phlip Roth’s long novels. “The Counterlife,” once an HG favorite, put old guy to sleep last night before he could finish it. Conclusion: Roth’s long novels are boring–sleep inducing. HG is very, fond of Roth’s Short fiction—“Goodbye, Columbus “, etc. Somebody must agree— that’s why no Nobel. Architects–HG favors south of the border geniuses.. Mexicans and Brazilians use color wonderfully. No fear—more vivid the better.  They are enraptured by the natural atmosphere—shared generously with their clients. Their focus is not in making sculpture, Rather, they make homes that are comfortable and convenient for the occupants. Artistry helps to achieve these results. 

Son Jeremy and his family (wife Maiko; son Haru, daughter Teru, are visiting from Tokyo). This means fabulous food (Maiko’s incomparable tempura among the dishes). Much helpfulness from Haru and beautiful radiance from Teru (she has grow into fashion model beauty). Dinner last night was Jeremy’s shrimp with rice. Each ingredient cooked into succulent perfection. It was sauced with fiery spices and herbs. Molto piccante!!! HG cooled throat with IPA beer—went on to further pleasure with ice cream dessert. Yes, life is a delight with family at the waterfront home on Prince Edward Island, a serene Canadian democracy,

Lesley’s  birthday. Super celebration at the family waterfront home on the serene Canadian democracy—Prince Edward Island. It started with Pol Roger champagne toasts  (the great champagne was a gift from HG/BSK’s pal, Donald Kitchen (recent visitor). This was followed by (unquestionably) the best dish in the world—Maiko Sakamoto Freeman’s Tenzaru Soba: Cold Soba noodles that were dipped in a smoky-savory dashi broth. This was served alongside an array of tempura. Greaseless. Crisp. Succulent. Light as air. Started with seafood –Hake, scallops and shrimp.  Followed by vegetables—Eggplant, zucchini and mushroom. Finished with tofu. This was food ecstasy.

When New York nostalgia hits HG, the old guy doesn’t ruminate about restaurants. Instead, HG focuses on the hand held, mobile, tasty treats that were omnipresent on New York streets of yester-year. Hot chestnuts in winter. Italian sausage sandwiches sold from trucks in Greenwich Village. Pizza, of course, in all neighborhoods–slices folded over to save the contents.  Sabrett hot water hot dogs . Pot roast in brown gravy from Conelley’s bar on E. 23rd. Hot dogs with sauerkraut at the frankfurter stand in the Port Authority Bus Terminal.. Tacos in the east 30’s side streets. Pastrami sandwiches from main shopping streets (Mt. Eden, Burnside, Kingsbridge, 161st St.,etc.) in The Bronx.