HUNGRY GERALD

Read Anthony Bourdain’s tribute to Mexico (on Facebook) and forwarded it to friends. Glanced at a bowl of Mexican avocados and cans of imported Mexican chipotles on HG/BSK’s kitchen counter. Contemplated the fact that everyone who provides services (construction, repairs, plumbing, electrical) for HG/BSK’s four building New Mexico complex is of Mexican origin. And, of course, HG’s three favorite neighborhood restaurants–El Parasol, Gabriel’s and Sopaipilla Factory–are Mexican/New Mexican. What all of these artisans, waitpersons, chefs have in common: Capacity for hard work, skill, honesty and cheerful good manners. It seems surreal that Trump is so eager to appease his racist, anti-immigrant “base” that he will fight for a multi-billion dollar wall and insult Mexico and its people. With appreciation and anger mingling, HG shopped at Whole Foods in Santa Fe. There was a large display of asparagus, HG’s favorite vegetable. The asparagus were from Mexico where it’s early Spring. For dinner, BSK steamed asparagus to perfection and gave them a hit of melted butter when serving (also boiled a few small potatoes). HG, a fish fry master, coated some Petrale sole filets with a mix of cornmeal and ground pepper. Quick fry (they keep cooking when moved to a warm platter). There’s still snow on the ground (and more expected) in New Mexico. However, this meal ushered in the tastes of a warmer season.

Yes, HG loves cashew nuts. When HG was very young, HG and HG’s beloved, late sister, Beulah Naomi, would often (on a Sunday morning) stroll the Bronx’s Grand Concourse, a noble and fashionable avenue. They always stopped at Krum’s (soda fountain, candy and nut shop) for a bag of cashews (15 cents) and munched as they walked. BSK’s favorite nut is the commonplace peanut (in the form of both the nut and peanut butter). BSK often eats a handful of peanuts with fruit for lunch or smears peanut butter on splices of apple. In BSK’s youth a favorite sandwich was white bread with peanut butter, mayonnaise and lettuce. (sounds like something Elvis would relish). A few days ago, BSK bought a big bag of very good cashews at Trader Joe’s. The intent was to use the cashews for Indian dishes from the Vij’s cookbooks. However, the nuts came in handy last night when BSK cut up chicken thighs and cooked a Chinese stir fry: Sesame chicken with cashews and dates. Super tasty. Give it a try. It’s a New York Times (Melissa Clark) recipe.

Valentine’s Day celebration at Ten Thousand Waves, the beautiful Japanese resort which contains lodging, a spa, and the Izanami restaurant. The resort is nestled high in the mountains overlooking Santa Fe. Glorious views. Simple, perfect architecture. Ponds and streams with giant, colorful Koi. One word description: Idyllic. Under brilliant sun and blue skies, HG/BSK relaxed for an hour in an outdoor, private hot (very hot) tub. At intervals, HG would pop out of the tub and into a private sauna. Lukewarm shower and back into the tub. There was an ice plunge. Too icy for HG/BSK. A young HG would leap into the ice plunge at the Second Avenue Baths after boiling in the steam and “eucalyptus” rooms. Now, HG is too mature for such temperature extremes. Following the poach in the Ten Thousand Waves tub, a super clean, super relaxed HG/BSK lunched at the Izanami restaurant. Three splendid dishes: Sashimi of the day consisting of lush slices of fresh tuna, wedges of ripe avocado and a mound of shredded daikon in a spicy sauce; light as a feather fried tofu; sake braised mushrooms in a tamari butter sauce. The corn fritters HG/BSK ordered weren’t fritters but mostly individual tempura fried kernels. When Exquisite Maiko, HG/BSK’s daughter-in-law and a very talented chef, made this dish during summer visits to the family sea paradise on Prince Edward Island, she would slice two or three inches of kernels off the cob before giving them the tempura treatment. Bliss. HG also had Izanami’s salad of crispy Brussel sprouts with candied pecans, pork belly, yuzu juice, and parmesan. Good but unbalanced. Needed more pork belly, pecans, parmesan, and fewer Brussel sprouts. Dessert was a dazzler. Three generous balls of sorbet: grapefruit, coconut, and surprisingly rich and creamy chocolate. Plus two complimentary chocolate truffles. Excellent green tea was served throughout the meal. HG/BSK will come back soon to try the smoked pork ribs, ramen, and shabu-shabu hot pot.

That’s the Yiddish word for noodles and that’s what HG’a late Mom called them during HG’s Bronx youth. She made lots of them from her own mix of flour and eggs. Sheets of noodle dough were omnipresent in her kitchen, drying on a laundry rack. They were cut into lengths to be added to chicken soup. Cut into rectangles, stuffed with cottage cheese or kasha (buckwheat groats) for blintzes. Cut into squares for “kreplach”. a Jewish version of wontons. Mom’s kreplach were stuffed with ground beef, chopped garlic and onion, a beaten egg and chicken fat. They were boiled and added to chicken soup. HG liked them fried in chicken fat and eaten with a dollop of sour cream plus salt and pepper. (Today’s home cooks use store bought won ton wrappers for kreplach. Oy vey!!) A lusty dinner for little HG was a big bowl of steaming chicken soup filled with noodles, kasha, boiled kreplach and bits of boiled onions and carrots. A sure cure for winter blues or other ailments. An HG luncheon favorite was buttered noodles with pot cheese or farmer cheese. Best of all was Mom’s “lukshen kugel.” This was a savory pudding. of noodles, eggs, and chopped onion. Baked in the oven until the top was brown and crunchy. Jews from Galicia and Eastern Poland (“galitzyaners”) like things sweet. They mix their lukshen kugels with honey (or brown sugar), raisins and cinnamon. Feh!!

HG is very fond of ramen, the savory Japanese noodle soup. HG becomes mad with appetite and envy when he reads Son Jeremy’s blog, OishiGevalt.com. SJ resides in Tokyo with his family and often writes about ramen and other moderately priced, extraordinary meals he enjoys in that wondrous food (and drink) city. By the way, it isn’t nepotism when HG states forthrightly that oishigevalt.com contains the best writing about Japanese food and the Japanese culture you have ever encountered. Santa Fe, where HG lives, has some good Japanese sushi bars. Shoho Cafe, HG’s favorite, has tasty unagi and (for a landlocked city) very edible sashimi. Their tempura is outstanding. They also serve ramen. Unfortunately, it’s second rate. There was a foreign foods market, Talin, that had a pleasant ramen bar. Closed. In 2011, a very talented (and slightly dictatorial) chef named Eric Stapelman opened the upscale Shibumi Ramenya. HG delighted in the ramen, gyoza, and other treats. However, after some months he closed the place and moved it to Seattle. HG was almost tearful. Last night, BSK chased away HG’s ramen blues. BSK found some presentable ramen broth at Whole Foods. BSK added to the steaming broth a hearty group of ingredients: Whole wheat udon noodles; tofu; ginger; slivers of ham and sweet onion; baby spinach; scallions; basil, mint and other fresh herbs. HG poured sesame and chili oil into HG’s bowl. No, this wasn’t traditional ramen but it was very welcome on another cold New Mexico night. (Spring, Spring, come early, please!!!).

Hungry Gerald followers have been concerned about the guilty dog illustration accompanying “The Wonder Dog Wanders” post. HG’s editor and illustrator is SJ, an adroit and creative resident of Tokyo. His use of the downcast pooch led folks to worry about the whereabouts of Toby, The Wonder Dog. Cease worrying. Toby is alive and well. Below is a photo of The Wonder Dog after his return. Another clarification. In a recent post about Rhode Island cuisine, HG denigrated Rhody clam cakes. Gifted daughter Lesley R., knowledgeable about the Ocean State, pointed out clam cakes are served with Rhody clam chowder (the best of all chowders). They are used to soak up the briny broth. After the absorption, the clam cakes are tasty. Lesley R. also noted that HG omitted celery salt from the ingredients of “All the way” New York System Wieners. HG/BSK will be in Rhody this spring. HG will enjoy a favorite meal: Oysters and clams on the half shell. Rhody clam chowder. Fried calamari with hot peppers. HG might dip a clam cake in the chowda.

Anxiety. Tension. Grief. These were some of the emotions that swept through HG/BSK a few nights ago. Toby, The Wonder Dog, had disappeared. Usually, he romps on HG/BSK’s verdant New Mexico five acres (entire perimeter is fenced). Like clockwork, Toby appears at the front door of the HG/BSK home between 4:30 and 5 PM, vigorously barking for dinner. But, this evening there was no Toby. Thorough search (joined by pal/casita tenant Bob. C.). No Toby. BSK, in BSK’s auto, searched nearby roads and the neighborhood. No sign of The Wonder Dog. As hope receded (HG was about to get tearful), Toby appeared at 7 PM. Nonchalant, happy and hungry. So, where had he been? Subsequent search the next morning revealed a hole in the fence at the south end of HG/BSK’s properly. BSK and Bob C. did the necessary repairs. HG calmed down with a vodka/Campari on the rocks. First vodka in months since HG has been in the grips of dread moderation.

Lots of dining diversity in Santa Fe. Yes, a stunning number of Mexican/New Mexican/Tex-Mex restaurants doing splendid things with green chile and other peppers ranging in heat from numbing to hot. There are more than a dozen high-end restaurants serving French, Spanish, Italian, and locavore specialties. A good Indian restaurant, Paper Dosa. Central American joints serving pupusas. Japanese sushi bars galore. Nice Vietnamese (Saigon Cafe, an HG favorite). A quasi Noo Yawk corned beef and pastrami deli. Vegetarian (feh!!) places. But, here’s the mystery. There are no top flight Chinese restaurants. HG has always believed that if there’s a Chinese population and/or a Jewish population, there are good Chinese eateries. Santa Fe has a negligible Chinese population. The beautiful, art-filled town isn’t exactly a hangout for Hassidim. However, there are plenty of Jews (two synagogues thrive). So, what’s gone wrong?

Headline in Santa Fe New Mexican sports section: SUPER SNOOZE. Yes, Like most of America HG watched the Super Bowl. But, HG differed from the majority. HG thought it a fascinating and exciting game. There are two parts to football. Offense and Defense. Patriots coach Bill Belichick (and his coaching aides) fashioned a superb defensive plan and the Patriots players executed it flawlessly. American pro football fans want to see lots of scoring. Thrills galore. Americans don’t share the worldwide passion for soccer because there’s little scoring. Basketball of course, is non-stop scoring. HG, who has much football expertise, enjoys defensive maneuvers as much as aerial derring-do and long dashes by running backs. This Patriots-Rams Super Bowl was a game for grid experts. who appreciate action on both sides of the ball. Read Bill Barnwell on ESPN for the best (and most thorough analysis).

BSK has an innovative method of pan broiling steak for HG/BSK’s infrequent red meat meals. BSK uses an old cast iron pan, weathered and seasoned by many years of use. The pan is pre-heated to a high temperature. The room temperature New York Strip (Whole Foods, BSK’s source for beef and chicken) sizzles and sears in the hot pan. Then, BSK BSK turns the heat a point between medium and high. BSK then begins turning the steak over, letting it cook for no more than forty seconds on a side. The result is the best steak ever. Rare for HG. Medium rare for BSK, The steak is nicely browned but not charred. BSK believes cooking steak at sustained high heat results in a charred piece of meat. And, char is almost pure carbon and not good for you. Many New York steak houses melt butter over the steak but HG prefers heated olive oil flavored with lightly browned garlic HG’s side dish is canellini beans heated with oil and garlic (yes, HG is a glutton for garlic). No beans for BSK, but HG is happy to share BSK’s endive salad with a blue cheese vinaigrette. Malbec, Cahors, Beaujolais or any other potent red wine is the chosen beverage. (The mystery of this meal is BSK’s impeccable timing which remains a secret known only to her).