No, HG is not referring to the intellect or anatomy. Rather, HG is referring to a favorite Paris bistro dish: Cervelles au Beurre Noir (sautéed calf brains with black butter sauce). This is usually served with boiled potatoes dusted with chopped parsley. When HG was in the midst of HG’s Madison Avenue public relations executive career, HG ate them at twice a week luncheons at the venerable Le Veau d’Or. The lush, buttery dish was preceded by mussels in mustard sauce (a freebie), warm sausage in a crust with hot mustard and cornichons. Creme caramel for dessert. Drank hearty Cahors. Afternoon work was impaired by drowsiness. Lots of traditional Jewish restaurants like Moskowitz and Lupowitz served garlic strewn cold brains as appetizers and the small theater district French bistros featured them. Brains are not a health food (high cholesterol) and so have disappeared from New York’s health conscious menus along with the restaurants that featured the delectable dish. Had excellent flour dusted fried brains in Rome with lots of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Also enjoyed fried brains tacos at a nondescript Mexican eatery in Denver. This was also a good place for tongue (lengua) tacos and menudo (tripe stew). Innards heaven.
In HG’s post about carnivorous New York decades ago, HG forgot to mention a favorite red meat dish: Steak Tartare. Yes, spicily flavored chopped raw beef. It was a notable luncheon dish at the long closed German restaurant, Blue Ribbon, (in New York’s west 40’s). HG often ate the dish with the late New York Times journalist, Glenn Fowler, who shared HG’s passion for raw meat. The late Richard Lyman, a Herald-Tribune editor, looked at steak tartare with disdain. He called it “a police dog’s dinner.” Rivaling the Blue Ribbon masterpiece is the steak tartare served at HG’s favorite Paris brasserie, Le Stella (located in the posh 16th). It is accompanied by wonderful French fries. There are numerous recipes for flavoring steak tartare. When HG does it at home the process begins with chopping by hand a 1/2 pound of very lean tenderloin. It is mixed with some finely chopped onion, egg yolk, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, ground pepper and a dash of ketchup and hot sauce. Accompanied by pumpernickel bread and Black and Tan (half Guinness stout and half IPA). Lusty dining.
These days HG rarely eats red meat except for a once-a-month rack of lamb or rib steak. But, in yesteryear New York HG was a passionate carnivore. And, the Big Apple was world capital of perfectly cooked red meat. Center of steak worship was the east 40’s (Christ Cella, Palm. Danny’s Hideaway, McCarthy’s, Pen and Pencil, etc.). Christ Cella was HG’s favorite. In the west side theater district there was Gallagher’s; Frankie and Johnnie’s; Dinty Moore’s; Jack Dempsey’s. Cavanagh’s on 23rd Street had splendid steaks in a pleasant atmosphere. Roast beef was great at the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel and at Keen’s Chop House. Keen’s also had a giant mutton chop which is still on the menu today. HG preferred the mutton chop with corn fritters at the long closed, alas, Gage & Tollner’s in Brooklyn. The best roast beef sandwich was the French Dip at the Brass Rail on midtown Seventh Avenue. HG had many inexpensive roast beef sandwiches at McGiness on Broadway. Smoked meat–corned beef, pastrami plus lushly fatty brisket–ruled at Jewish delicatessens throughout the five boroughs. HG’s favorite: Gitlitz on 79th and Broadway. Jewish-Romanian steaks were washed down with frozen vodka in the madhouse schmaltz fueled Sammy’s Romanian on the lower east side. Also in the LES, Moscowitz & Lupowitz served a strangely named but tasty “mushk steak.” Scores of Irish taverns served corned beef and cabbage. Favorite of cops and firemen was Conolly’s on 23rd Street that had sublime open faced sandwiches of pot roast doused in an exceptional dark gravy. Yes HG managed to ingest much cholesterol but at 88 HG is still standing (slightly stooped), walking (slowly) and swimming (gracefully).
In America, unkempt is the prevailing male look. Facial stubble or untrimmed beards. Torn jeans. Sloppy shirts. Baseball caps. This was not the case when HG reached maturity in the 50’s and 60’s. (Mid to late 60’s introduced the “hippy” and “flower child” looks — things went downhill from there). Barber shops provided the ultimate in masculine grooming. The best was the barber shop in Manhattan’s Park Sheraton Hotel, Seventh Avenue and 55th Street. It was a favorite of music publishers, theatrical producers, talent agents, entertainers, night club proprietors, bookmakers, money lenders (known as “Shys”); mob bosses and a variety of big shots, legitimate and criminal. (Mobster Albert Anastasia was shot to death in the barber shop in 1957. “King of the Underworld” Arnold Rothstein was killed at the hotel when it was named the Park Central). This was the routine at the barber shop for a classy gent. Haircut. Shave (with a straight razor, steaming towel and brushed on shave cream. Talc and fragrant aftershave to finish). Manicure (by an attractive woman). Shoe shine by a skilled bootblack. Finally, a brushing of suit, coat and fedora by an aged “brusher.” After tips to all, the stylish gent (Probably wearing a suit from Leighton’s, a nearby Broadway shop. Leighton’s was on Broadway for 67 years. Closed in 1986) was off to meet the world or conduct a stealthy assignation in the hotel’s rooms.
Cauliflower is having its moment. You can find it on many chic New York restaurant menus. Whole heads. Slices. Florets. Kale has gone mainstream, too predictable for many trendy eateries. When the spring season gets underway, asparagus will take over. BSK does a lot of good things with cauliflower. Roasts florets in the oven with olive oil and garlic. Uses Vikram Vij’s recipe to maker savory Indian-spiced cauliflower “steaks”. HG’s favorite BSK vegetable dish is pappardelle with a gorgonzola (or roquefort) and cauliflower sauce. BSK blanches cauliflower florets and then chops them into smaller pieces. They go into a saucepan with olive oil, garlic, anchovies, cherry tomatoes, the cheese, lots of fresh sage and a dash of white wine. This sauce is mixed with the pasta and a bit of pasta water. Grated parmesan and a black pepper grinder on the table. Sublime eating and a perfect companion for Steak House Wine from Walla Walla, Washington.
So, Jared Kushner’s White House security clearance has been downgraded. Kushner, married to Der Trumperer daughter, Ivanka, has been a major figure in the White House. His functions include the possible brokering of a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Seems odd since the Kushner family real estate company has considerable links to Israeli financial institutions. Conflict of interest? Possibly. The FBI has been looking into these relationships as well as his numerous global voyages to spark investment interest in 666 Fifth Avenue, the money losing New York office building that burdens the Kushner family with a billion dollar debt plus mortgage. Clock is ticking. It comes due in 2019. Well, as HG knows, 666 Fifth (located on the west side of Fifth between 52nd and 53rd Streets) has always had problems. HG”s public relations firm handled public relations for the Tishman family which managed the building. Tishman Realty and Construction built the structure in 1957 and sold it to Sumitomo Realty in 1976. The first problem HG faced was the address: 666. Those learned in biblical lore would recognize that these numerals are the sign of the devil, “The Mark of the Beast.” Companies with any sort of Bible Belt connections would be loath to lease in a building with such a scary address. HG got busy getting testimony from numerous authorities, religious and secular, that any Satanic connection was nonsense. HG’s next problem at the building was “The Businessman Mugger.” This scoundrel was an elegant (but traditional) dresser. Wore expensive shoes and hat and carried a Mark Cross attache case. Every inch a successful executive. He would enter men’s bathrooms without suspicion and mug the occupants. A gentle mugger. No injuries. Just took watches and wallets. HG publicized the building’s newly installed security system and its hiring of an experienced New York detective as security chief. The goniff was caught. Peace and safety restored. Recently, Vornado, which owns 49.5% of 666, said it wants to divest its holding and Kushner may be the buyer. So, where’s the money coming from since Kushner hasn’t made payments on its portion of the mortgage in some time? HG is not superstitious. However. Hey, Jared, is there a strange horned figure hanging around the building smelling of fire and brimstone?
There is no better dessert than a ripe Comice pear paired with parmesan, roquefort or gorgonzola cheese and paired with a glass of fruity red wine. There is a cynical Italian saying: “Don’t tell the peasants about pears and parmesan.” BSK is expert at picking out the best Comice specimens at Whole Foods and bringing them home to reach peak ripeness. BSK learned about Comice delights when HG/BSK lived on New York’s upper west side more than a half century ago. HG/BSK were steady customers at a Mom-and-Pop fruit stand on 80th Street and Broadway. When shopping there one day, the Mom of the store rummaged around the pears and found a ripe Comice. “You don’t know about Comice pears, young lady. Take this home. Wash it. Eat it. You will have pleasure.” BSK followed the Mom’s instructions. Voila!! Comice rules the fruit world.
The bustling, noisy, fragrant Fulton Fish Market on Fulton Street and the East River in lower Manhattan is long gone. Together with the produce market that flourished on the lower west side of the borough. Both moved to Hunts Point in The Bronx. Yes, there’s better refrigeration facilities there plus transportation advantages. However, the Fulton Fish Market had a certain ambiance that was unique. Joseph Mitchell, the late New Yorker Magazine writer, liked to hang around there. He captured its essence in “Old Mr. Flood” and “Up in the Old Hotel” (about the building that housed the Sloppy Louie’s Restaurant). Close to Louie’s was the venerable Sweet’s seafood restaurant (Founded in 1845 and closed in 1992). HG dined there often circa 1959-1962 when business brought HG downtown. One dozen oysters on the half shell. Fried smelts and cole slaw. Martini before lunch. Bass ale and Guinness with the food. Cost: Six bucks. Yes. Check out the 1960 menu on the New York Public Library website and be dazzled. Louie’s was plain spoken but not sloppy. (Opened in 1930 and shuttered in 1998). The owner, Louis Morino, served very fresh seafood at low prices. There were some surprises. HG had his first taste of sea urchin roe (Uni) there. Old fogey HG mourns the transformation of the meatpacking district into a high fashion zone. (However, HG loves Daughter Victoria’s Cookshop Restaurant on Tenth Avenue, the lovely High Line promenade and the wondrous Whitney Museum). The gritty Bronx Terminal Market in the shadow of Yankee Stadium still bears the name but has become a vast shopping center with the usual tenants and dining highlights like Subway and Applebee’s. Before its dread metamorphosis, HG was the battling public relations spokesmen for the wholesale fruit and vegetable merchants that occupied sprawling stalls there. The merchants were fighting displacement. HG fought the good fight but dubious “Progress” won out. And, another colorful, lively bit of New York was erased.
New York has changed so much that HG/BSK have little desire to live there (even part time). However, great to visit (stated like a true “out of towner”). HG loves eating at daughter Victoria’s downtown restaurants (Rosie’s, Cookshop, Shuka and Vic’s). Of course, there are the wonderful museums (and sharing a plateau de fruits de mer with Victoria at Balthazar). And, Chinatown. But, when HG becomes nostalgic, HG longs for the oyster pan roast at the Grand Central Oyster Bar. Oysters, butter, half-and- half, clam juice, celery salt, Worcestshire sauce, Heinz Chili Sauce (might be missing an ingredient) cooked in a unique steam kettle and served over white bread toast. Sprinkle of paprika. IN HG’s day, the steam kettle was utilized by an aged, unsmiling Italian. HG would often precede the pan roast with a dozen shucked oysters, drink Ballantine’s IPA and have Nesselrode Pie for dessert. Yesterday, while the East Coast shivered, HG/BSK enjoyed typical New Mexico winter weather: 50 degrees, blue skies, brilliant sun. Gets colder at night so BSK made a pot of comfort: the BSK oyster pan roast. Used big, plump, Pacific oysters (modestly priced and sold in containers at Whole Foods). Most of the traditional ingredients but substituted whole milk for the cream mixture. No, it didn’t quite reach the heights of the Grand Central version, but it was very tasty. Cold Pouilly Fuisse was the right accompaniment. Cambazola cheese with ripe Comice pears for dessert, With this kind of food and this kind of weather, Noo Yawk nostalgia is blunted.
SJ has discovered the pleasures of lunch. That’s what he reports in his enlightening blog, OishiGevalt.com. (The blog is a must read for anyone interested in food, sharp writing, Tokyo and life). SJ lives in Tokyo after years in New Jersey, Chicago, Manhattan and Brooklyn. SJ finds lunching in Tokyo a wonderland of treats. Every variation of fresh fish, meat, noodles. Best of all, these quality lunches are cheap. In SJ’s lunch post on Oishi Gevalt (“The $5 Lunch Special”, SJ mentions HG’s breakfasts of long ago consisting of black coffee and numerous Marlboro cigarettes and HG’s four-martini lunches (Those were the days when HG was a New York/New Jersey public relations biggie). No, SJ, four-martini lunches are suicidal. HG had modest two-martini lunches (plus wine or beer and post meal brandy). And where did HG lunch with alcohol loving journalists? Three places near the Times, Herald-Tribune, Newsweek and Business Week: Blue Ribbon (German food and world’s best steak tartare); Artists & Writers (German food with a specialty of konigsberger klops, a savory dish of meat balls in a cream and dill sauce); Sardi’s (lamb chops with a grilled kidney). Lunch with clients was at the Bar Room of the Four Seasons (Pool Room was for tourists). Other client lunch spot was Christ Cella, the great steak house (This was also convenient for lunching with journalists from the News, Mirror, Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine and Barron’s). These days HG has a lusty breakfast, a spartan lunch and a lavish dinner. BSK, interested in keeping HG healthy and reasonably sober, has prevailed upon HG to substitute white wine for pre-dinner vodka martinis.
