HUNGRY GERALD

HG is spending more days in the Montague Hospital (Town of Montague—Prince Edward Island). Oxygen/ breathing have to hit the proper level. Eating horrible  hospital sludge food. Saving grace is the smoothie BSK delivers every day. HG’s daughter in law, Maiko Sakamoto is visiting with kids. When HG finally gets back to the family oceanfront home on the north shore of PEI, Maiko promises a welcome home feast of sashimi  and her superlative tempura.   This world champion tempura–greaseless, crisp–but retaining the taste of the ingredients—fish, shellfish, vegetables, etc. This is HG”s all time favorite dish. That’s why HG has severe hospital frustration.                                                              

Why do hospitals serve tasteless horror food? HG is in Montague Hospital located in the charming town of Montague. The Freeman/Riva family is having beach fun at the family oceanfront home on serene, democratic, diverse Prince Edward Island where the Canada weather has been warm and sunny. With much culinary talent in the group added to the excellence of local ingredients, HG presumes dining has had an gourmand edge. Meanwhile, HG, hospitalized with minor ailments is eating sludge. Unfair. HG has always felt airline food was tasteless. But, compared to hospital food, airlines serve gourmet feasts, Why? 

HG is a very lucky old guy (95–96 in November, fingers crossed). Despite a score of ailments and handicaps, HG remains a gourmand—eager to revel in BSK’ s super yummy suppers. Nightly, BSK delivers. For some years, BSK disdained coconut milk as an ingredient. That has changed—BSK now admires the virtues of coconuts and uses the milk to enhance dishes. Two nights ago, BSK made a sumptuous dish of haddock,cauliflower florets, onions, garlic and spices in a lush coconut milk sauce. Scrumptious. The next night , BSK turned out a sheet pan of salmon and sweet potato chunks (a creative green sauce–a BSK invention–was used generously). Fabulous BSK has mastered the Parisian bistro method of cooking salmon so the fish is silky and medium rare. There was a bonus—BSK used the leftover rice from the haddock dish to make a flavorful mushroom congee. Bless you, BSK, love of my life, and empress of the kitchen.

The Freeman/Riva family went to the five o’clock Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival. HG isn’t too fond of the event. Boring after a few minutes. So, HG stayed home in the family’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home.. Perfect weather–sunny with a light breeze that banished bugs. So, HG did much outdoor walking on the deck. Also, sunbathed and read. Music was Yo Yo Ma. Sometimes solitude can be a pleasure. HG went inside for exercise and blog writing. The Freeman/Rivas arrived home at 8PM. Everyone was hungry so something simple and swift had to be cooked. The choice was eggs.  Lesley R., HG/BSK’s gifted daughter,cooked soft and mellow (“baveuse”) scrambled eggs for HG–they were enlivened by scraps of black truffles. Celestial.  The rest of the group had Lesley R.’s spinach and egg frittatas. Murmurs of delight. Good bread. Red wine. Joyful late supper.

Yossi M., HG/BSK’s brother-in-law (he’s married to BSK’s sister, Noel) has turned 81. No longer a youth –but alert, wiry, strong. So, a birthday party at Noel and Yossi’s home, the verdant Ocean Mist Farm, near Panmure Island on the south shore of Prince Edward Island, was required. HG/BSK, gifted daughter, Lesley R., and her husband, Massimo, arrived at Ocean Mist  with much wine–Rose’, White and Red. Yes, there were to be many toasts celebrating the Birthday Boy and generous drinking with the main dish, salad and dessert.   HG had made a food request of Noel, some time ago—Cincinnati  Chile (inspired by her and Yossi’s college days in that city). The chile is served over spaghetti and has a middle eastern flavor from cinnamon and other regional spices. HG likes it. Happily, it was the main dish and HG had many portions with Rose’ wine.  Dessert was birthday cake and ice cream. Yossi blew out the candles and HG drank red wine. Excellent party.                                                                          

HAPPINESS. Three Guys from Tokyo —Maiko Sakamoto Freeman (HG/BSK’s daughter-in-law), Haru (grandson), Teru (granddaughter) have joined HG/BSK; Lesley and Massimo R (HG/BSK’s daughter and son-in-law) at the family oceanfront home on the green, peaceful democracy— Prince Edward Island. The home has spectacular sea views and is sited for colorful sunsets. Alas, son Jeremy had to stay in Tokyo to supervise his and Maiko’s busy izakaya—Freeman Shokudo. (world’s best pastrami). Teru has become a beautiful teenager and a star basketball player (Can she become a Japanese-American Caitin?)  Haru is a tall, strong man (big biceps). He is a joy to have around, extremely helpful to old HG (96 in November, hopefully). Yes, Haru is the ideal companion/bodyguard. He is enjoying college and his job at a condiment shop—a place with an international, encyclopedic range of hot sauces. Maiko is as exquisite as always–youthful and beautiful. She is a wondrous chef so the family is in for some culinary pleasures. Miss Jeremy, of course, but the Tokyo contingenent is bringing much joy to PEI.

Noel and Yossi M. BSK’s sister and  brother-in-law, left their Ocean Mist Farm near Panmure Island and joined HG/BSK., Lesley and Massimo R., for a festive supper at the family oceanfront home (panoramic sea views and dramatic sunsets)` on the north shore of Prince Edward Island. BSK and Lesley collaborated to make a sumptuous ragout of haddock,onions, cauliflower, garlic,and zucchini in a rich coconut milk sauce (after initial reluctance, BSK has become fond of coconut milk as a culinary ingredient). This was preceded by Lesley’s appetizer of tiny Newfoundland shrimp and followed by an abundant lettuce salad with greens from Yossi’s kitchen garden. Climax was a fabulous dessert–butter tarts topped with a scoop of Chapman’s vanilla ice cream Heaven.  (the haddock dish was so good that Lesley added silken tofu ,fish broth and other things to it and made HG a tasty lunch).

The Freeman/Riva family were visited yesterday at their oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island by BSK’s cousin, Amy, her husband, Chris, and their adorable two daughters. All expressed astonishment at the sweeping, panoramic sea views. “Sorry you can’t see the blazing sunsets over the waters,” said BSK. Amy is a very talented interior designer with her work featured in many Canadian magazines. HG/BSK haven’t seen her  in many  years—still beautiful, untarnished by time. Chris is a geologist and it was a pleasure spending time with this remarkable person. The families lunched outdoors—BSK’s herbaceous Newfoundland shrimp salad and a huge bowl of pasta (farfalle) vegetable salad. Yummy.. For supper, BSK topped the farfalle with strips of   seared tuna. Super–yum–a rooney!!                                                                                               . 

HG/BSK rarely eat in Italian restaurants. Gifted, bi-lingual daughter Lesley R. (years of living, cooking, restaurant dining in Italy) is a fabulous Italian chef (and BSK is no slouch). Lesley’s husband, Massimo R., is an informed critic and a brilliant student of Italian wines. So, the best Italian meals are at the homes of HG/BSK  and Lesley and Massimo R. However, HG  retains a fondness for some New York and New Jersey Italian spots. The ultimate is the Belmont Tavern in Belleville, NJ—Stretch’s chicken, cavatelli and cheese, scungilli. Patsy’s in the west  50’s of Manhattan is upscale– quality dishes and a past Sinatra hangout. Patsy’s in East Harlem (lauded by Woody Allen)  has the best pizza. Dominick’s in the Belmont neighborhood of The Bronx is old time, old fashioned, plain spoken. It has the best spaghetti with garlic, oil and parsley plus down home tripe.(Two HG faves)  Big portions. Modest prices. You won’t go away hungry.                                                                                                                                      .

Prince Edward Island mussels are the world’s best. They are identified as such on the menus of good Canadian and American seafood restaurants. Fortunately, they are harvested in St. Peter’s Bay a few miles from the Freeman/Riva oceanfront home (panoramic sea views and blazing sunsets). Profesore Massimo R. bought pounds of mussels at the mussel factory in the town of Morell. BSK and Lesley R. made a delicious pot of steamed mussels, potatoes, onions and parsley. The mussels were big and juicy. We have been warned that the  mussels diminish in size during the warm summer months so we may have to rely on frozen plump mussels  in the near future. Vinho Verde wine was a refreshing companion. HG climaxed the meal with a dessert of French chestnut puree and whipped cream (from a spray receptacle). The next night, HG/BSK’s gifted daughter, Lesley R., was the chef and she created a delicious, innovative meal. The mussels were steamed in a white wine and chopped tomato broth. This was intensified by the addition of a lush garlicky aioli. To accompany the bivalves, Lesley roasted strips of  russet potatoes and sweet potatoes on a sheet pan. Dipped in the mussels broth they were a taste tingling sensation. (HG has become a sweet potato addict). Vinho Verde preceded red Pinot noir. Good eating on this breezy Prince Edward Island day.