HUNGRY GERALD

Yes, that’s how Palestinians spell Palestine (no “P” in Arabic). And, “Falastin” is the name of a wonderful cookbook that celebrates the food and traditions of Palestine food. Recipes sharpen the appetite. The author is Sami Tamimi (with Tara Wigley). Sami is an Arab Palestinian who grew up in Jerusalem and became head chef at a top restaurant in Tel Aviv. Later, he moved to London where with Yotam Ottolenghi, an Israeli, he collaborated in opening the celebrated Ottolenghi restaurants (there are now four and two food shops) plus authoring two cookbooks with Ottolenghi. Sami is head executive chef of all the Ottolenghi locations. BSK was fascinated by the “Falestin” recipe for pan sheet lemon chicken. BSK made it last night. Marinated skin on-bone in chicken thighs in chicken broth, olive oil, and plentiful amounts of lemon juice, garlic, onions. Spiced it up with zaatar, sumac, turmeric, paprika and jalapeno salt (for heat). Topped it with many lemon slices. When the pan came out of the oven the chicken was beautifully browned and happily afloat on vegetables and flavorful sauce. BSK served it with fluffy couscous and harissa. One of the great chicken dishes. Thankfully, there were leftovers so there will be an easy repeat. Many thanks, Mr. Tamimi.

Big eggplant in the fridge. HG peeled the big boy and cut it into chunks. Spicy Chinese eggplant was dinner tonight. Here’s how HG did it. Browned the eggplant in sizzling canola oil. Removed the eggplant chunks when they browned and slightly softened. More oil in the pan. Added two thinly sliced onions. When they softened added chopped garlic (much) and ginger (much). When they cooked slightly, it was time to add soy sauce, oyster sauce, some water, dash of maple syrup (classic recipe calls for sugar but HG prefers maple syrup). Lusty spoonfuls of sambal oelek (HG likes it a bit mouth burning). Put the eggplant back in the pan to simmer and absorb all the flavors. When all was soft and lush, HG topped it with a film of sesame oil and grinds of black pepper. This was served over sushi rice (rinsed thoroughly by BSK before cooking). Fabulous eating. There was leftover rice. Congee in the future?

HG is a very old guy (91 in November, hopefully). Despite all of the infirmities of advanced years, HG is a very happy man, Why not? HG lives in beautiful places (New Mexico and Prince Edward Island); HG is in the 58th year of marriage to the best woman in the world, the beautiful, caring, talented BSK. And, HG has the endearing companionship of Toby The Wonder Dog (miss the little fellow who is happy with glorious granddaughter Sofia in New Mexico while HG/BSK frolic by the sea in PEI). Culinary highlights: Oysters and seafood in PEI and green chile menudo and enchiladas in The Land of Enchantment (New Mexico state description). Despite so many delights, HG’s spirits lag at times (Trump-induced). HG chases the blues away with music. Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald bring joy. Jackie Cain and Roy Kral riffing on “Mountain Greenery” always lift the spirits (and bring back good memories of these HG/BSK pals). Yo Yo Ma, the cello genius, is a pleasure and when in need of laughter, nothing beats watching W.C. Fields on Youtube. Godfrey Daniel!!

Surprise (a happy one). Prince Edward Island’s Atlantic Superstores in Prince Edward Island offers sublime, perfectly aged gorgonzola cheese–both “dolce” and “picante”– imported from Italy. This is a favorite cheese and HG/BSK use it in a variety of ways. HG likes to climax dinner with gorgonzola spread on crackers with a side of local strawberry jam. Goes nicely with a glass of robust red wine. HG/BSK like to spread the cheese atop a pan-broiled steak or hamburger. BSK adds it to BSK’s sublime cauliflower sauce for pasta. HG adds gorgonzola to softly scrambled eggs. Also, mixes the cheese with melted butter and many grinds of black pepper into a bowl of egg noodles. BSK adds gorgonzola to BSK’s green salads (they taste much like the Roquefort salad that accompanied HG’s rare steaks at New York’s legendary, long closed, Christ Cella steak house). Gorgonzola enhances life.

HG was famished last night but stomach rumbling was quieted by BSK’s big pot of flavorful chowder. It is a dish focused on the glories of life by the sea on Prince Edward Island. So, what was in the “chowda”? Mussels from St. Peter’s Bay. Cod from the North Atlantic. Local bacon. Clam broth from a previous meal of local steamed soft shell clams. Dry white wine. Saffron, Thyme. Potatoes. Onion. Garlic. Cherry tomatoes. A melange of herbs and spices. HG looked at the savory pot of goodness and murmured: “Huge. We’ll never finish this dish.” HG/BSK each had three helpings. All gone except for a few scraps. HG finished the meal with the ultimate Canadian dessert: A pecan butter tart topped with much vanilla ice cream. Life is good in the Canadian democracy (not led by a lunatic neo-fascist).

Long quarantined HG/BSK finally had a night out and it was glorious. It was dinner at the farm/equestrian center of BSK’s sister, Noel M., and husband, Yossi M. Located on the southeast area of Prince Edward Island (not far from Panmure Beach), their property is verdant, colorful, beautiful. Five years of hard work have made the barn, livestock areas, vegetable gardens functional. And, there are cherry trees, blueberry bushes and much more. Dinner was delicious local lobster for HG (plus salad and mineral rich potatoes). Crustacean allergic BSK had juicy PEI sea scallops. Generous Noel and Yossi gave HG a lobster and a bnunch of lobster claws to take home. Deight will continue. The meal ended with lavish helpings of vanilla ice cream. HG sipped Bagaco marc distilled on PEI. A jolly night with family.

Quarantine is over and HG/BSK went shopping in Charlottetown. HG had been in self-isolated quarantine for almost four months–first in New Mexico and then on Prince Edward Island. (BSK, with great care, shopped weekly in New Mexico). So, for HG, a shopping day was exciting (and tiring). The day began with a visit to the fish store (soft shell clams, cod, haddock, mussels, smoked salmon, chunks of cooked lobster knuckle and claw meat). Then, banking followed by a long session at Atlantic Superstore. Followed by wine purchases at the liquor shop. Last stop was at Atlantic Shellfish in Morell where HG paid an accumulated bill and bought 36 big oysters. Dinner was a tribute to the sea. Steamed clams with butter and clam broth. Fried haddock with steamed asparagus. Early bedtime after dining enhanced by a blazing sunset.

There are few fish dishes better than fried filets of hake. This is a dish rarely seen on American restaurant menus. It’s a staple in Paris bistros. In the USA and Britain, other fish are used for the omnipresent “fish and chips.” HG is a master of the celebratory fish fry, so fried hake seemed an appropriate nod to Juneteenth. BSK’s sister, Noel M., brought the fish to the door of HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home. (HG/BSK are still quarantined). HG gave them the following treatment. A light dusting of flour. A dip into a bowl of beaten egg. A roll in bread crumbs. Then, into a cast iron pan of sizzling canola oil. From long experience, HG’s timing is precise. The lightly browned filets emerged from the pan, cooked to a crisp but still firm. BSK served them with delicious little Canadian potatoes and a salad of chopped tomatoes and sweet onions. That was tonight’s happy meal and, fortunately, there was enough fish to repeat the dinner tomorrow. Joy!!

Murmurs of pleasure emanated from HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home as HG ate the best oysters HG ever ate. HG asked Cindy Dockendoff, the wonderful manager of Island Shellfish, Morell, PEI, for large oysters. (Yes, size matters). And, that’s what HG got. Big, briny, meaty, full of flavor Malpeques. Yes, better than Paris, Reims, Brooklyn, Rhode Island, Maine. Even better than the oysters at New York’s Oyster Bar in Grand Central and Rodney’s Oysters in Vancouver, B.C. HG plucked the oysters from the fridge and devoured them when appropriately cold. (Too cold, oyster flavors diminish). Pinot Grigio was the drink. BSK usually likes smaller oysters but BSK acknowledged these big guys were the best. Oyster Lovers: Look at the photo of HG shucked Malpeques HG ate last night. Try to control your envy.

BSK is very choosy and discerning about chicken. When in New Mexico, BSK selects special chickens (free range, no chemicals or additives, etc) at Whole Foods in Santa Fe. BSK has the butcher spatchcock (remove the backbone and flatten) BSK’s selected chicken. The chicken then gets a soak in BSK’s special marinade and is roasted into succulence. Since HG/BSK are in 14-day mandated self-isolated quarantine on Prince Edward Island, BSK’s sister, Noel M., and husband, Yossi M., (they live on the Island are not quarantined) filled the HG/BSK refrigerator before HG/BSK’s arrival. So, a few nights ago, BSK removed a plump chicken from the fridge. The bird went through the usual program of spatchcocking, marinating and roasting. HG/BSK did not have high hopes for the supermarket product. Happy surprise. Turned out to be super juicy and flavorful. HG/BSK, lovers of dark meat, ate the thighs and wings. The ample breast meat got other uses. One use was a very good salad of homemade curry mayonnaise with chunks of chicken, walnuts and raisins. The other was BSK’s innovative Vietnamese pho with chicken and wide Chinese rice noodles. Much pleasure from an underestimated supermarket bird.