HUNGRY GERALD

HG is not a hamburger fan. The burgers at Mickey Dee’s and its emulators are vile crapola. HG isn’t fond of burgers at upscale restaurants. The green chile burger at Santa Fe Bite (formerly Bobcat Bite) is nationally famous. Some food mags have called it best burger in USA. HG is unmoved. Finds it pedestrian. BSK breaks through HG’s burger bias with half pound burgers pan broiled in a cast iron pan (BSK uses 20% fat ground chuck because fat is flavor and an essential ingredient for a juicy burger.) BSK sizzles the burger until it’s pink in the middle. Melts a round of Mexican quesadilla cheese on top. The burger is the centerpiece of a hearty New Mexican dinner. BSK drenches the burgers in lush 505 Green Chile Sauce. Accompanies them with Goya black beans topped with chopped sweet onions and Mexican sour cream, On the table are sliced avocados plus pico de gallo (from Poaque Supermarket) and warmed flour tortillas. IPA ale for HG and Spanish Rioja for BSK. Joyous eating on chilly autumn evenings in New Mexico.

Catalonia (Catalunya) is in the news. HG hopes the issue of Catalonian independence can be settled peacefully. HG/BSK have had joyous times in Barcelona, the wondrous Catalan city. Renowned architecture (Gaudi, etc.). Colorful walks (Las Ramblas). The best public food market. Beaches. Tapas and every type of good food. BSK paid an homage to Barcelona last night with a rousing cod dish. BSK stewed cod with last of season tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic (lots), oregano, parsley, blazing pimenton, tomato paste, olive oil, white wine. HG/BSK raised glasses of red wine and toasted Picasso, Miro and other Catalans. May peace prevail.

HG/BSK are experiencing a wonderful autumn in New Mexico. Brilliant sun. Cloudless skies. Cool nights. Lots of color in the trees. (Alas. A big cottonwood is beginning to tilt dangerously and will have to be cut down). Yesterday, HG walked over to the fence of neighbor Mister G’s organic vegetable farm and received a gracious gift. A magnificent, fresh-from-the-earth head of escarole. BSK used the vegetable to make a big pot of escarole, beans and bacon soup. The basis was the Frankie’s Spuntino recipe. Topped with lots of grated Romano and sprinkles of hot pepper, this was a lusty dish. Fortunately, there’s enough left over for another meal. HG will add some penne or ziti to create New York’s beloved, late Mayor Laguardia’s favorite dish: “Pastafazoole.”

It was a day of mystery. It started with ingenious scammers entrapping HG via the telephone. Yes, HG, old, wise, cynical, suspicious, was trapped. The scammer pushed all the right buttons for HG: namely over-concern for the welfare of the younger members of the HG/BSK family. Fortunately, BSK took over and broke up the scam. No money lost. But, it was a close call. Once more, BSK trusted her instincts. And, once more, those instincts were reliable. Anyway, it was a most trying day and HG was ready for big time comfort at dinner time. BSK provided it in the form of a mystery soup. Why the mystery? Well, the soup started out as a good but conventional butternut squash puree liquified with free range chicken broth. But, BSK made many additions but didn’t inform HG. Other vegetables. Onions and apples, perhaps. There were light undertones of cayenne and nutmeg. The soup was topped with sour cream and sprinkles of Aleppo pepper and accompanied by cheese and tomato quesadillas. HG preceded dinner with more than usual vodka. Drank a splendid red wine (sourced by BSK, of course). Finished with Jack Daniel’s and Lebanese halva. With all tensions vanished, HG ended the day in a haze of comfortable warmth.

AC and CC arrived for a brief visit at HG/BSK’s New Mexico home. As usual, they brought a mind bending array of gifts. A lovely shawl for BSK. Two red wines (one a mind altering Chateauneuf de Pape). Two fine whites: Pouilly Fume and Pouilly Fuisse. Bombay Sapphire Gin. Italian biscuits. Dried fruit. Cheese (a lush and runny Brillat Savarin). Of course, the greatest gift is their presence. As HG has noted before, AC has the looks, bearing and accent of nobility (though American citizens, AC and CC retain their essential Englishness). AC is a noted financier with billions under his expert management. CC is in the great tradition of unique English women with outsized personalities and intellect. A journalist and author of numerous books and articles dealing with various aspects of Asian finance and industry. Formerly, a foreign correspondent based in Tokyo and Hong Kong, she is now an illuminating radio interviewer. Much to the joy of Toby, The Wonder Dog, the couple brought their enchanting dogs: Boodles, a Labrapoo (Toby’s love interest) and Genghis, a bouncy little Havanese. Lots of doggy fun. Dinner for the visit began with buffalo mozzarella and sliced kumatoes. Proceeded to a lush tagine of chicken, cauliflower, preserved lemons, onions and middle eastern spices. Served over Israeii couscous. A killer Daniel Boulod recipe. This was followed by Brillat Savarin and ripe comice pears (plus dried pears and Sicilian lemon marmalade). The lush red wines were drunk (not a drop remained). Dessert was vanilla and dulce con leche ice cream gilded with a bit of rose hip syrup. Plus Lebanese halva. AC and HG drank a lot of after dinner Jameson’s Irish Whiskey. A fabulous, animated, laugh filled evening. Plans were made to visit the couple in Colorado. HG/BSK’s hospitality gifts will try to live up to the high standards set.

Happy to be back in The Land of Enchantment where the trees are golden, russet and red. The skies are blue. Autumn breezes are refreshing. Cool nights call for a blaze in the living room fireplace. Pals Karen K. and David F. treated HG/BSK to a dinner at La Mesita Eatery, a family owned and staffed restaurant in Pojoaque, minutes from HG/BSK’s home. Karen and David touted the fried chicken. HG was dubious when HG found out the bird was deep fried rather than pan fried. A version of the Kentucky Colonel’s crap was anticipated. The chicken arrived. Big portion. Delicious, greaseless crunch cloaked an interior of juicy, flavorful free range chicken. A revelation. Wow!! Accompanied by down home mashed potatoes topped with fried onions. HG drank a great California IPA. A true, no frills comfort meal. Blessings upon you, Karen and David.

Yes, it’s farewell to this gentle, green island with its beautiful ocean, meandering rivers and open lakes. HG/BSK (plus family and friends) have had summers of joy on Prince Edward Island. Basking in the sun. Swimming and kayaking in the sea. Collecting beach glass on long walks on the shore. Cycling on Cable Head Road. Oysters. Clams. Fish from By the Bay Fish Mart in St. Peters. Neighbors and friends (true originals). Skies filled with shore birds. Walks along the sea bluffs with Toby, The Wonder Dog. Sunsets. Dramatic moonscapes. Shopping at Farmers Markets in Charlottetown and Cardigan. Long, vinous dinners with BSK, the love of HG’s life. Next stop: HG/BSK’s New Mexico home. Hey, New Mexico is called “Land of Enchantment”. Accurate description. Lucky HG/BSK.

Strolling along the bluff outside HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home (with Toby, The Wonder Dog), HG noticed a variety of animal droppings from (presumably – HG is no scat expert) the fox, mink, raccoons, weasel, skunk and coyote that abound in PEI. In New Mexico, gophers are an unwelcome presence in HG/BSK’s meadows. Coyotes howl at night. An occasional bobcat is sighted. Big news this summer was the appearance of a black bear moseying around HG’s New Mexico neighborhood. The bruin noshed on the splendid vegetables from the organic farm adjoining HG/BSK’s home. When HG/BSK lived on their lofty horse ranch in the Colorado foothills near Golden and Denver, wild life abounded. Herds of deer would peek in HG/BSK/s kitchen windows. On their annual migration, scores of elk would gather in HG/BSK’s meadow conversing in their strange mewling voices. Coyotes were omnipresent as well as rattlesnakes, bear, raccoons, foxes, bobcats and mountain lions. Plus possums, porcupines, skunks and marmots (making their odd whistling noise). Plenty of field mice kept HG/BSK’s cats busy. No critters when HG/BSK resided in a Denver apartment and a Vancouver loft and town house. During HG/BSK’s years in Montclair, NJ, the duo saw no bears though Montclair old timers recalled bears coming down from nearby Eagle Rock Reservation and strolling the suburban streets. When HG/BSK lived on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, they shared their spacious rent controlled apartments with cockroaches. Efficient BSK would send the pesky little guys to the Roach Motel in the sky without poisoning hubby and kids.

Much joy. Our New Mexico neighbors and pals, Karen K. and David. F., have joined HG/BSK for a Prince Edward Island visit. Brilliant, life enhancing people. HG has often posted descriptions of happy dining experiences with this duo. (HG has dubbed Karen, “The Dessert Queen.”). Basking in sunshine and ocean views, HG/BSK and K/D have been enjoying the best of PEI’s produce and seafood. Malpeque oysters, sweet corn, sea scallops, cantaloupe melon, fried hake, mussels, just picked lettuces, yellow beans, blueberries, smoked salmon, potatoes with sour cream and fresh dill, lobster. And more. The quartet banished thirst with much Chilean and New Zealand red wine, Canadian sauvignon blanc and Gahan’s beer and ale, Generous K/D arrived with an abundance of good things including Hawaiian macadamia nuts, Maine hot pepper jelly, a variety of chocolates. Best of all: Maine potato vodka. Unusual. Flavors that evoke tequila and French marc. Did HG overindulge?. Indeed.

HG/BSK will soon leave New Mexico paradise for HG/BSK’s equally salubrious oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island. It will be a blessing to be in Canada, a true democracy with enlightened leadership. A delight to frolic in the sea and shore again. Eat fresh caught seafood plus oysters and clams. However, HG/BSK leave New Mexico with a modest pang. BSK adjusted the underground sprinkler system to help the extensive gardens to flourish. (yes, gardening and landscaping are among BSK’s multitudinous talents). Thus, the gardens are alive with color and fragrance. A blizzard of yellow columbine. Lush peonies. Big white roses. Lilacs. Red roses. Spirea. Flowering shrubs. Daisies. And, one majestic poppy. Of course, these delights were preceded by apple blossoms, forsythia, crocuses, daffodils, tulips and wisteria. As June approaches, towering trees are in full leaf and sunny breezes create changing patterns of light and shadow. Farewell.