HUNGRY GERALD

Fathers Day. HG thought about late father, the beloved Hershele Zvi “Grisha” Freimann (this was anglicized at Ellis Island to just plain “Harry Freeman”). Harry was born in the Belorussian town of Smulovitch (HG wears with pride the lapel pin of the Smulovitch soccer team, a thoughtful gift from Antony and Claudia Cragg). An excellent horseman, young Harry raced to taverns delivering his family’s brewed vodka. (Harry never drank vodka. He had seen its devastating effect on the local peasants). While sipping a pre-dinner Negroni, HG recalled his father’s love (in moderation) of alcohol. He always had a big shot of Park & Tilford rye whiskey when he returned from work. This nip of P&T was always accompanied by a chunk of pumpernickel bread (and sometimes a bit of schmaltz herring). Harry would buy buckets of ripe cherries and brew Vishniac (cherry brandy) in the bathtub. Leftover cherries were soaked in the brandy and jarred. (young sneaky HG ate a handful one afternoon and was drunk for the first time. Alas, this wasn’t the last time alcohol in excess overwhelmed non-moderate HG). HG wishes Harry was still here to share love, whiskey and vishniac.

BSK’s sister, Noel M., and her husband, Yossi M., at HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island north shore oceanfront home for traditional alternate Sunday dinner (N/Y’s Ocean Mist Farm is on the south shore of PEI). Meal started with shrimp sauteed by HG in piquant miso/chile. (Crustacean allergic BSK was content with chopped salad). BSK made a wonderful pan broil of thick skin-on salmon filets. These came from Julio’s Seafood in nearby St. Peters. Farm raised in Nova Scotia, this is the best salmon ever. Yes, it’s even better than the wild salmon HG/BSK ate when living (part time) in Vancouver,B.C. Go figure. Salmon (like most fish) is tasteless when overcooked. HG likes salmon cooked almost rare. With exquisite timing, that’s the way BSK cooked it for HG. Sublime. (and the healthy skin, a taste treat, was crisp). The salmon was topped with generous scoops of BSK’s buttery, slightly acidulous sorrel sauce, the perfect salmon counterpoint (HG’s beloved late sister, Beulah Naomi, raved about the sorrel sauce at Le Vaudeville, the Paris brasserie. BSK’s is better and BSK grows sorrel since it can’t be found in supermarkets). Al dente Israeli couscous was the perfect side. Followed by leafy salad. Climax was BSK’s dessert: Pears baked with butter and maple syrup. Topped with French Vanilla ice cream. Inspired by French chef Jacques Pepin, the pears were not cooked to mush but retained a firm bite. The meal was another culinary triumph for BSK. Wow!! HG (family and friends) are lucky to sup with the Wonder Woman.

Sunday dinner at HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home with BSK’s sister, Noel M. and her husband, Yossi M. BSK found an interesting David Tanis recipe in The New York Times. Tanis is always reliable and the fish dish proved to be fabulous. “Moroccan Baked Fish With Onions” was how the dish was tagged and it brought HG/BSK back to the culinary delights they sampled in the magical Moroccan city, Marrakesh. BSK marinated haddock filets (from Julio’s Seafood at St. Peters Landing) in garlic, cilantro, cumin, coriander, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. After an hour of marinating, the fish went into a pan of sauteed sliced onions (cooked until they were soft), butter, and olive oil. Preserved lemons were added. Dusted with turmeric, cumin, coriander and some cayenne Topped with kalamata olives. Baked for 15 minutes (400 degree oven). Served over steamed rice. Heaven. BSK made the dish for six people. The hungry quartet left not a drop.

BSK’s sister, Noel M. and her husband, Yossi M. were at HG/BSK’s home for Sunday dinner. N. and Y. live on the south shore of Prince Edward Island, a 40 minute drive from HG/BSK’s oceanfront home on the north shore of PEI. N.. and Y.’s home, Ocean Mist Farm, is a verdant paradise of fruit trees and a large vegetable garden. There are also horses and livestock. A nice family custom. HG/BSK and N. and Y. dine at each other’s homes on alternate Sundays. And, this Sunday BSK created a memorable sea feast (with modest help from HG). To begin, HG shucked some plump and briny Brackley Beach oysters followed by HG’s specialty: Shrimp sauteed in olive oil, garlic and sriracha. Main dish was a BSK masterpiece: A magnificent chowder of cod, PEI mussels, garlic, onions, potatoes, Parma coppa, spices, herbs and rich clam broth (salvaged from a previous dish of steamed clams). Cod came from Julio’s local seafood shop and was cooked to flaky perfection. The mussels drew applause. Big, fat, flavorful bivalves. Mussels can vary. They have been scrawny for the last few years but these mussels were winners. BSK had a surprise for dessert. The fabulous woman baked pears in butter and maple syrup (inspired by French chef Jacques Pepin). Topped with vanilla ice cream and a splash of maple syrup, this was the perfect sweet ending of a spectacular meal. And, the ingredients featured the best of PEI.

For many years, HG was an avid Martini drinker—after work at the cocktail hour or upon arrival home before dinner. HG had affectionate names for this potent (slightly lethal) beverage–“white lightning” or “icy steely.” Cocktail venue was Michael’s, a bar in Manhattan’s East 50’s. Customers were advertising industry men and women from the “Mad Men” era. Hard drinking folks. An extra dry Michael’s Martini was served in a dangerously huge goblet. The very strong drink led to many mishaps and misdemeanors. (Dorothy Parker put it this way: “One Martini. Two at most. Three Martinis. I’m under the host.”) At home HG followed a ritual. Pitcher and glasses in the freezer. Vodka or gin in the fridge. Pitcher was filled with ice. Alcohol poured with a slight trace of Noilly Prat dry vermouth. Quick robust stir. Then: Ice cold heaven. (No olives, tiny pickled onions or lemon peel. When offered at a bar, HG commented: “I didn’t order a salad.”))  BSK vigorously objected to HG’s Martini habit. BSK stressed the unpleasantness and dangers of falls and glassy eyed, thick tongued inebriation (Drunk? Hate that word.) So, sometime ago HG switched to Italian Negronis. HG’s Negroni is free form. Mix is a modest amount of bourbon or rye. Dry vermouth. Sweet vermouth. Campari. Lime or lemon juice. Served on the rocks. (The very best Negroni was served at a classy restaurant in Vancouver, B.C.’s W.Broadway.) Now, HG only has a Martini when the brilliant, effervescent Claudia Cragg is having one. A gentleman doesn’t let a lady drink a Martini alone

Yes, there’s joy in the HG/BSK Prince Edward Island home. That’s because Julio’s Seafood Market has opened in nearby St. Peters Landing. This replaces the sadly missed By The Bay Fish Mart which closed two years ago. Now a quick seven minute drive takes HG/BSK to Julio’s where pescatorian delights await. HG/BSK have dined on salmon, cod, haddock, hake, mussels,oysters, steamed soft shell clams. All have been sublime. The salmon, farm raised in Nova Scotia, was remarkable, as flavorful as wild caught. Julio’s has a lobster tank (you can buy lobsters live or cooked) and carries a full line of Maritime Madness sauces (locally made). There are also PEI potatoes, spices, local breading for fish fry, local frozen fish cakes and frozen lobster meat. For convenience, Julio’s also stocks milk, butter and eggs. And, typical of PEI, Julio Sanchez and his colleague are warm and friendly gents.

HG is saddened and angry about the continuous loss of American lives (and those of other countries) in futile, destructive failed wars and invasions. Before the invasion of Iraq (because of the non-existence of “weapons of mass destruction”) Iraq and Iran balanced each other in mutual hostility (they had a bloody war). The Iraq invasion empowered Iran. it left Iraq in ruined chaos. Syria unraveled. A bloodbath leading to a flood of refugees into western Europe giving rise to threatening right-wing leaders. The USA presence in Afghanistan continues. More death. Over the centuries, the British and then the Russians have tried to conquer the country and bring order (of varying political types) to the Afghans. Failure. Now it’s the American turn. Good luck, Uncle Sam!!

Sometimes you want a quick and comforting dinner. Little chopping. Few ingredients. Ingredients from the freezer and fridge. Ravioli “stracciatella” with vegetables is the fix. Here’s how you do it: Boil chicken broth. Swirl beaten egg into the broth to make “egg threads.” Add some baby spinach (from the fridge) and ravioli (from the freezer). On Prince Edward Island, HG favors Ziggy’s Cheese and Spinach ravioli. Toss in some frozen peas (from the freezer, obviously). When all is done, pour into heated bowls. A sprinkle of Parmesan is optional, A grind of black pepper and a sprinkle of sea salt are essentials. Healthy, convenient dinner. Try it and enjoy.

Yes, if you’ve got a can of beans, you’ve got a meal. In the early days of courtship and marriage some 57 years ago, super lovely young (22 years old) BSK would open a can of Campbell’s Baked Beans. BSK would enhance them with fried onions and ketchup. The beans were served with grilled kosher frankfurters. Besotted with love and lust, HG would pronounce the dish a gourmet treat. Last night on cold and snowy Prince Edward Island, BSK made a side dish of cannellini beans mixed with onions, garlic, finely chopped baby spinach and lots of herbs and spices. Lush. BSK says that a similar stew with garbanzo beans, carrots, spinach, etc., is in the future. When living in New York many years ago , HG consumed many bowls of Moros and Cristianos (savory back beans and rice). These days (when in New Mexico), a favorite HG/BSK meal is Trader Joe’s pork chops, flavored with Goya Adobo spice and fried. The chops are accompanied by a melange of sauteed peppers and onions. Obligatory is a bowl of Goya black beans topped with chopped raw onions and a dollop of sour cream. Pass Frank’s Hot Sauce.

HG/BSK have almost 50 feet of windows facing the sea (like much of Prince Edward Island the sea is presently covered with a sheet of ice and snow). HG has the perfect vantage point to watch sunsets as the sun continues to move to the northwest. The colors fascinate. The sun becomes a blazing orange disc.Then, there are shadows of violet with glimpses of tiny bits of blue sky. Pale green shadows appear. Intense pink takes over that is very similar to the French designer Elsa Schaparelli’s “shocking pink” (Yves St. Laurent called it “warrior pink”). Gradually, the skies fade to a very gentle pink before fading into darkness. Fortunate HG, pre-dinner cocktail in hand, watches this color cavalcade almost every night (rain, snow or heavy cloud cover can eliminate the viewing). Sunsets are better than TV. Can’t beat Mother Nature.