HUNGRY GERALD

Rhody is a small state with a big ocean shoreline. For good reason, it’s called “The Ocean State”. And, the seas (and shore) are filled with tasty fish, bivalves and crustaceans. Gifted` daughter Lesley R. and brilliant husband, Profesore Massimo (plus HG/BSK’s beautiful visiting granddaughter, Sofia) hosted HG/BSK to a true seafood feast at their Riverside, RI, home. It was a celebration of Massimo’s latest academic prize. The group toasted his new distinction with glasses of chilled Prosecco. Modest Massimo took a bow and got busy shucking local oysters (he is an expert shucker, a skill he learned at the family oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island). HG drank white wine and savored a dozen briny, flavorful oysters. Lesley was busy at the range frying flour dusted squid–tentacles and rings–for Rhode Island’s official state dish: Fried squid with piquant little peppers. Lesley cooked the dish perfectly–tender and greaseless squid. The feast was climaxed with Lesley’s codfish cakes. Supermarket or fish market prepared fish cakes? Fuhgeddabout it!!  These were big, juicy wonders composed of the right blalance of cod, potato and herbs. A lush and lovely and local feast. Lucky to be living in Rhode Island (in HG/BSK’s Central Falls loft, a quick drive to Riverside).