HUNGRY GERALD

It’s June 3 at HG/BSK’s  oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island–BSK’s birthday. Wonder Woman is 84. Ridiculous. BSK looks half that age–and is vigorous, strong, flexible and shapely. BSK takes 24/7 care of 95-year-old HG (the geezer would be long dead without BSK’s loving attention).  Daughter Lesley and her husband, Massimo, are in Padua, Italy, so this means BSK is   in charge of the family dog companions, Toby and Pip (they  happily sleep in HG/BSK’s bedroom). BSK walks, grooms, feeds them (longest walk is before bedtime). BSK does numerous indoor chores while tending to outdoor gardens (floral, herb and kitchen).  BSK manages to make art in the studio while preparing sumptuous breakfasts for HG and lush suppers for HG/BSK (illuminated by candle light). BSK remains beautiful, the love of HG’s life, and does everything with graceful ease. 84? You’ve got to be kidding!!

Shakshuka is a simple and comforting dish—good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s a basic part of Israeli cuisine, available at gas stations, convenience stores, casual restaurants and at home, of course.  (Some form of the dish is eaten in every country in the Middle East). It is composed of poached eggs on a bed of stewed tomatoes, peppers, cumin and garlic. Spoonfuls of harissa make it picante. It’s often topped with Greek yogurt sprinkled with zaatar. Best recipe is from Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook,”Jerusalem.” Last night, BSK made an Arab version with butter beans, scallions, cinnamon, bay leaves and onions–plus much feta cheese. It was a very hearty and tasty dish. However, HG prefers the Ottolenghi version accompanied by pita and glasses of pinot noir.

In a month, HG will have been married to BSK for 62 years. Hey, that’s a lot of years. HG’s wedding day to this fabulous woman was the luckiest day of HG’s life. Let HG count the blessings. BSK was a beautiful, svelte and shapely bride (and has remained so). HG is 95. Infirm but mentally alert and still able to write. If not for the 24/7 care from BSK, HG would be dead. (Thanks, Wonder Woman). And, BSK cooks–making every supper a gourmand  and visual pleasure (candle light, nicely arranged table with cloth napkins)  Last night, BSK created a savory stew/ragout of chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, fennel, olive oil. Lots of lemon juice, much grated cheese. As always, fabulous eating and drinking (pinot noir). Another culinary wonder from BSK.

It has been a joy having a wonderful daughter, Lesley R., in Prince Edward Island with HG/BSK. Lesley’s presence illuminated every day at the family’s oceanfront home ( great sea views). Her cooking made every supper a feast. And, of course, she did the heavy lifting in getting the PEI home in order after a long, rainy drive from Rhode Island. Bad news: Lesley left for Rhody this morning. Good news: She’ll be back in a few weeks. Pip, Lesley and husband Massimo’s gentle and intelligent female dog, and Toby, HG/BSK’s Wonder Dog, are bereft at Lesley’s absence and affectionate cuddles and tummy rubs. Pets and people are looking forward to a big, jolly family reunion on the Island this summer.

Gifted daughter Lesley R. and BSK shared a long and rainy drive to their family oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island. HG/BSK and Lesley are glad to be in this green and gentle island of beautiful beaches and a population that values diversity, helpful cooperation and democratic principles.  All arrived exhausted and hungry. Lesley quickly cooked a Chinese egg drop, vegetable, noodle soup. Very comforting. On the next night, after a day of unloading the car, putting the house in order, etc., dinner was a tasty collaboration of Lesley and BSK —Spaghetti Arrabiata. Drank much red wine. The delightful doggie companions–Toby and Pip–were very good auto travelers and were overjoyed to be on PEI where they look forward to much beach romping. The human arrivals are looking forward to oysters and other sparkling seafood from Juilo, the nearby seafood merchant.

When HG was six years old, HG and Mom lived in an Athens, GA., boarding house. HG’s late Mom was there to help nurse HG’s older brother, Bernard, after his leg was amputated following a barnstorming plane cras). The boarding house cook was an amiable Black woman (HG played happily with her kids). She was a gifted cook and fried everything in lard. Breakfast was fried eggs with grits. Lunch and dinner featured fried fish, pork and savory stews and vegetables. Little HG’s favorite veggie dish was a melange of okra, corn kernels and tomatoes. Grits and sweet potatoes with everything. HG has happy nostalgia about this down home southern cuisine. HG/BSK share a fondness for okra. BSK usually buys fresh when it appears at markets. Happily, it’s now in season. That means it’s time for BSK’s tasty version of gumbo. The ingredients: okra, shrimp, onions, peppers, olive oil, garlic, fish broth and andouille sausage (Schaller & Weber). HG  made a sauce of mayonnaise and hot sauce and added spoonfuls to HG’s steaming bowl. Fabulous eating. BSK’s cooking sometimes has a deep south edge bringing back memories to HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI, loft.

Salty, flavorful anchovies enhance many dishes (best are jared and not tinned). HG loves them and uses them frequently. Yes, there are folks who hate them. They often ask that anchovies be eliminated from Caesar Salad (the request makes the salad insipid). A favorite HG appetizer is roasted, peeled red peppers spread with anchovies and gilded with olive oil and grinds of black pepper. This was featured in Italian restaurants (don’t know if they are on menus now). One of HG’s favorite pasta dishes is linguine with a sauce of olive oil, garlic (much), anchovies and chopped parsley.  Perfect food after a rowdy night of alcohol and loud music. The French often lard a leg of lamb with anchovies before putting it in the oven. BSK has never done that but HG presumes “gigot” in this manner is yummy.

HG first tasted hake, a lush and economical fish, in Madrid many years ago. HG recalls thick filets sauteed in olive oil and garlic, served on a bed of rice, and finished with melted butter, lots of lemon juice and a sprinkle of hot sauce. Very savory eating. HG recently observed that John Dory was HG’s favorite fish–an expensive treat—$34 at the Fearless Fish seafood shop in Providence . HG has changed HG’s mind–the new favorite fish is hake from the Atlantic Ocean bordering Rhode Island. When prepared by BSK, the hake is juicy, cut into silky slices and can be sauteed, fried, steamed, and cooked in the oven on a sheet pan. Yes, it’s versatile—and best of all, it’s affordable. BSK buys excellent hake for $11 a pound at Tony’s Seafood in East Providence. Last night, BSK made a happy meal of sauteed hake in butter sauce with sides of quinoa and delicious asparagus. Once more, BSK created a healthy and very delicious meal. Wonder Woman scores again. Dinner at HG/BSK’s  Central Falls, RI.,loft is a daily pleasure (only marred sometimes by HG’s bad temper as HG struggles with infirmities).

There are many tasty foodstuffs available through the Manischewitz brand. However, since it was acquired by Kayco (0wner of all Jewish brands–except for family owned Streit’s Matzos). HG is not sure what is actually made by Manischewitz or outsourced elsewhere and branded Manischewitz (the brand was favored by generations of Jewish mothers including HG’s beloved late Mom, Ida Kopkind Freeman).  HG is not concerned about the origin of Manischewitz gefilte fish. It is the best (comparable to Mom’s version). HG had a happy lunch today of the fish smothered in jellied broth and pungent and fiery Kelchner’s Horseradish. Alas, there was no challah available to sop up the fragrant juices.  HG’s late Mom would enhance the meal by covering HG’s challah with a layer of chicken fat and coarse kosher salt–a happy memory.

Fall River, MA (once a major whaling port), is a short drive from HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI, loft. It is home to Portugalia Marketplace, a vast market specializing in everything Portuguese–tinned fish, slabs of dried salt cod, cheese, wine, breads and more—much, much more. In size, scope and variety, it resembles Zabar’s, the New York City gourmand landmark. BSK buys tinned sardines there–the incomparable Conservas Santos (skinless, boneless, in organic extra virgin olive oil). BSK mixed the fish with fennel, onions, garlic, capers and olive oil and sauteed them to make a lovely sauce, This was mixed with fettuccine–robust eating. HG/BSK  first tasted this dish in the beautiful Italian coastal city of Taormina (a vacation destination favored by Winston Churchill). Last night’s BSK version was better.