HUNGRY GERALD

Wonderful to have Stephanie “Stevie” Pierson with us. Possibly the world’s wittiest woman, she’s the New York-based author of many books, magazine pieces, newspaper articles. Her latest book is “The Brisket Book” containing recipes for the ultimate comfort food. If you enjoy rollicking prose and robust eating, log into Amazon immediately and order this delightful work. Adding to HG/BSK’s holiday pleasures is the presence of Eric Silver, Stevie’s companion. A renowned arts expert and appraiser with years of experience as an antique dealer, you can spot the tall guy on PBS-TV’s “Antiques Road Show.”. Whether examining junk or treasure, his tone is always gentle and courteous. Pre-Thanksgiving dinner featured smoked salmon as an appetizer followed by penne with broccoli (enriched with mozzarella, chopped Kumatoes and parmesan). Stevie and Eric explored Santa Fe and brought back exquisite cheese (goat brie and dolce gorgonzola), a crisp baguette and a size XL bottle of Tito’s Vodka. The cheeses (with a dollop of New Zealand honey) made a fitting dinner climax. Stevie and HG poured the vodka for their pre-dinner cocktails. The darling woman also joined HG in after dinner snifters of fabulous Hibiki Suntory whiskey (a generous gift from Atlanta’s Viki Freeman). Since BSK does not drink spirits (but does drink copious amounts of wine), HG finds it enjoyable to have a sprightly drinking buddy like Stevie.

Two glasses of whiskey on the rocks on a wooden table

Two consummate New Yorkers, Stephanie (Stevie) Pierson. and companion, Eric Silver, have joined HG/BSK in chilly New Mexico. It will be a holiday visit filled with laughter, splendid food and great wine. Stevie is the world’s wittiest woman (in conversation and print). She has kept HG/BSK smiling for almost 50 years. An author of many books, magazine pieces and newspaper articles, her latest is “The Brisket Book.” If you like great food and rollicking prose, log into Amazon and obtain the book, a guide to many hearty meals. Eric is an antiques and fine arts expert. You can see the tall guy appraising on the PBS hit program “Antiques Road Show.” He’s hard to miss. Stevie and Eric did not arrive empty-handed. Brought a nice selection of white, red and sparkling wine. Arrival dinner was BSK’s New Mexican Green Chile Stew served with an array of toppings, condiments and warm tortillas (HG augmented the steaming HG bowl with a pint of El Parasol’s Green Chile Menudo, a Mexican tripe dish much favored by HG but disliked by most unadventurous folk). Hey, it’s mid-November. Drank copious amounts of Beaujolais Nouveau.

HG delights in BSK’s quick and simple pasta dishes. Tonight, HG roasted some tomatoes. Mixed them with onions, garlic, parley and anchovies. Added some pasta water and cooked it down to a flavorful sauce. With a dusting of parmesan and red pepper flakes and glasses of Georges Duboeuf’s 2019 Beaujolais Nouveau, you’ve got a feast. BSK also makes a perfect dish of linguine aglio e olio (oil and garlic). The garlic is browned and never burnt. Parsley is chopped adroitly. (Sometimes BSK adds anchovies, the little fish that makes everything taste better). HG is fond of BSK’s bowl of Garafolo orzo mixed with mushrooms, garlic, onions and a bit of chicken stock. (Parmesan on top, of course). Must mention that tomatoes are not in season now, so roasting them is the way to go. When beefsteak tomatoes are ripe (the best are from New Jersey), BSK cuts them into chunks and covers pasta with the raw, juicy goodness (Often adds fresh mozzarella). Top flight extra virgin olive oil. Sea salt. Ground black pepper. Quick, simple and a glimpse into heaven.

HG sees no benefit in drinking high priced vodka. The taste difference between the posh stuff and lower-priced brands is very slight, says HG. So, HG is perfectly content to drink Smirnoff, Skyy, Svedka, etc. They are the base for HG’s pre-dinner, after exercise cocktail. Lots of ice. Lots of lime (or lemon) juice. A dash of Campari. Generous pour of vodka. Happy drink. Sometimes HG has a Negroni (inexpensive Jim Beam bourbon, sweet vermouth, dash of dry vermouth, Campari). After dinner, HG sips modestly priced Presidente Brandy from Mexico (HG adds some New Orleans Peychaud’s Bitters). None of this means that HG doesn’t relish gifts of pricey spirits. With characteristic generosity, Viki Freeman (wife of nephew Paul Freeman), gave HG a memorable 90th birthday gift: Suntory Hibiki Japanese Harmony Whisky. Liquid gold in a beautiful bottle. It is HG’s once a week special treat. As for wine, BSK is the expert. The Wonder Woman manages to put splendid bottles on the dinner table. Modest prices and lush, mouth filling tastes.

Flight from Vancouver to Denver and subsequent drive to HG/BSK’s New Mexico home was smooth and efficient. Home was neat and clean (thanks, house sitter/pal Vicki B.). After feasting in Rain City, HG didn’t find home cooking a letdown. Wonder Woman BSK put tasty dishes on the dinner table. Linguine with a puttanesca sauce. Roast spatchcocked chicken. Pho with shredded chicken breast (no, not as good as Anh and Chi, but lush, nourishing and a taste treat). Big rare lamb chops (from Atkins Ranch in New Zealand) accompanied by quinoa cooked with sweet peas and HG’s yogurt sauce. With El Parasol Restaurant (and its magical green chile menudo) a few minutes drive from home, HG is a happy New Mexico gourmand.

There was joy in the beautiful agricultural valley of Pojoaque (15 minutes north of Santa Fe) where HG/BSK live. HG’s daughter, Victoria Freeman, and husband/chef Marc Meyer, own and run four of New York’s best restaurants: Cookshop, Rosie’s, Vic’s and Shuka. A fifth, Shukette, will open soon. If in New York, don’t miss them and say HG sent you. Generous Vicki marked HG’s 90th birthday by sending HG a box of wonders from Russ & Daughters, the lower east side landmark of smoked fish. One pound of Nova. One Pound of Scotch smoked salmon. One pound of whitefish/kippered salmon salad. One pound of scallion cream cheese, One pound of plain cream cheese. Two chubs (small smoked whitefish). Bagels galore. And, turn livid green with envy, a substantial tin of paddlefish caviar. HG/BSK examined all of these good things and (since they were soon leaving for Vancouver) determined that this was too much for two (albeit HG/BSK were voracious R. & D. Sunday brunch fans when HG/BSK lived in Greenwich Village). So, HG/BSK invited local friends and neighbors to a down-home New York Jewish brunch. Vodka. Beer. Cold white wine. Pickles. Olives. Capers. Lemons. Whole Foods cole slaw and potato salad. Exuberant joy reigned. There was talk of a Vicki statue or plaque honoring this splendid woman. The caviar was withheld. When back from Rain City, HG/BSK will consume it with a bottle of Gruet Brut and contemplate HG/BSK’s good luck in having a daughter/stepdaughter like Vicki. Much love to her.

Paul and Vicki Freeman’s New Mexico visit was marked by their extraordinary generosity (Paul is HG’s nephew). Gifts galore. For BSK there were excellent wines (curated by Vicki) plus a magical shower oil that leaves skin feeling like silk. Recognizing HG’s upcoming 90th birthday (Nov. 9), P. and V. gave Birthday Boy two gifts that scaled the heights of taste and luxury. A Peter Millar shirt/sweater that enfolded HG in soft, warm pleasure. (Warning: If you want to emulate, please note that Peter Millar isn’t a bargain bin). There was also a startling revelation. A beautifully designed bottle of Suntory Hibiki Japanese Harmony Whisky. Suntory describes it as: “A meticulous blend of the finest selection of whiskies.” Forget Scotland. Forget Kentucky and Tennessee. Japan crafts the ultimate whisky and this Suntory gift is the best Japan has to offer. How can HG describe the taste? Let’s just call it liquid gold. HG will, with gratitude, sip it after dinner every night. The P. and G. visit ended with a robust meal at The Compound restaurant in Santa Fe. Tuna tataki, grilled sea scallops, quail, wild mushrooms, polenta, a juicy pork chop, a tower of fried onion rings. Icy vodka and a pleasant bottle of Beaujolais Fleury. Sweet ending of the meal for HG: large portion of dark chocolate and coffee ice cream. The Paul and Vicki visit produced many joyous memories.

Wild life excitement during Paul and Vicki Freeman’s visit. BSK heard Toby, The Wonder Dog, barking loudly near BSK’s studio building on HG/BSK’s New Mexico compound. BSK heard a critter rustling around a corner. It appeared. At first, BSK thought it was a kangaroo. That’s because of the enormous ears. Nope. It was a Black Tailed Jack Rabbit. Biggest rabbit with the biggest ears anyone’s ever seen. Madness ensued. Toby chased the swift rabbit. Round and round the fenced-in acreage they sped. The giant rabbit bumped into BSK and almost knocked her over. Paul and BSK tried to capture Toby so Big Bunny could go his/her way. Finally succeeded. BSK carried exhausted Toby into the HG/BSK home. As night fell there was no sign of Big Bunny. Escaped to startle other folk.

Fun, food, laughter, frolics. Paul and Vicki Freeman, the prominent Atlantans, have been at HG/BSK’s New Mexico casita for a few days and it’s been a delight. Paul, HG’s nephew, is a renowned entrepreneur/real estate investor and developer. Vicki is a powerhouse fund raiser for Jewish, Israeli and education causes. Their capacity for generosity and charity is unmatched. Their visit with HG/BSK and Toby, The Wonder Dog, was so eventful, that HG will be writing about in three separate posts. First, sights and food. P. and V. went to Meow Wolf, the renowned immersive art installation, and enjoyed that intricate, magical adventure. Also, toured the shops and architecture of Santa Fe and visited Bandelier National Monument to see the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi Native Americans, the first settlers of New Mexico. Food and dining. P. and V. were greeted with luncheon bowls of middle eastern red lentil soup, a BSK wonder of flavor and modest spice. Dinner that night was BSK’s green chile pork stew, a hearty and fiery version of New Mexico’s state dish. Next day the group lunched at refurbished Santacafe Restaurant on a mix of inventive small plates and chilled Gruet sparkling rose. Highlight was a dessert of lemongrass creme brulee. A wow. Dinner was BSK’s unique fusili in broccoli sauce enriched with lots of mozzarella and chopped kumatoe brand tomato. Abundant pinot noir. Roquefort cheese, plum jam, flat bread and ruby port (V. prefers tawny) or pinot for dessert. Next post will be: “WILD LIFE” followed by “ULTIMATE GIFTS.” Keep watching.

So, HG/BSK are back in New Mexico. Sun is shining. The home compound looks great and HG/ BSK’s pond is clear and full of fish. Dear pal, Vicki B., has kept everything in tip top shape. After days of demanding driving BSK awoke early for a medical appointment. Guess what? BSK is greeted by a blizzard of thick snowflakes. Autos slip and slide as BSK drives to Santa Fe. Upon arrival, BSK gets the news that the appointment has been canceled due to a medical emergency. Okay, that’s the bad. Now the good. The blizzard ends abruptly after 40 minutes. Bright sun, dry air, high elevation (6,000 feet above sea level at HG/BSK’s home) makes the snow disappear totally. HG sunbathes and takes long swim in the HG/BSK pool house. BSK arrives home safely with good things to eat and drink. Colorful fire in the fireplace. Cold white wine for BSK. Vodka for HG. Music. Delicious dinner of steamed cod and Asian vegetables and noodles in pho broth. Let the good times roll, as they say in N’Awlins.