HUNGRY GERALD

BSK last night cooked a very flavorful dish, a dinner staple in many Pakistan households. It has a euphonious name: Keema Shimla Mirch. The ingredients: Ground chicken; chopped bell peppers; chopped ginger and garlic. Spices include ground coriander, turmeric, cumin, sea salt, red chile powder, green chiles. This melange is stir fried in butter and vegetable oil. When cooked, it is sprinkled with lemon juice and garam masala. Topped with cilantro. (Creative BSK added some reheated red lentil soup –it has many of the same spices as Keema Shimla Murch–to make an enriching sauce. Served with rice. This was a benefit. Leftover rice was converted to tasty congee for breakfast.

HG is a college football fan. HG was a mediocre football player at CCNY. Basketball was the sport at “The Harvard of the Proletariat” (that’s what the brilliant working class students called it). However, HG loves unpredictable, exciting college games (HG wishes the big, blaring bands and the woman-demeaning, scantily clad cheerleaders would go away). The national championship preliminary double header—Michigan vs. TCU and Georgia vs. Ohio State didn’t promise much. TCU didn’t seem to be a match for mighty Michigan. Big underdog. Well, Michigan played the worst first half ever—frittering away scoring chances with bonehead plays, etc. TCU ran up a big lead. Michigan came back in the second half to make it close. But, it was a case of too little, too late. Everyone was amazed. Next game, Georgia, the national champion, faced perennial powerhouse Ohio State. Divided loyalties in the HG/BSK home. Starting in the 1920’s, generations of HG’s family went to Georgia (Brilliant, late cousin Dr. Gustave Freeman started it, followed by HG’s late brother, Bernard, and his son, the late real estate mogul, Paul). BSK attended Ohio State and HG’s late cousin, Morris Howitz, managed the Ohio State football team in the 1940’s and died in a fighter plane accident during World War Two. The game was a nailbiter. Georgia took a one point lead in the closing seconds (a stunning pass play) and won as Ohio State missed a long field goal. HG lunched on ample tofu in mapo tofu sauce. Dinner before the tv was BSK’s Vietnamese Pho enriched with loads of rice noodles.HG had three helpings, enjoying every one. So, it looks like it is Georgia and TCU for the national championship.  Don’t count out underrated TCU.   On Monday watched lowly underdog Tulane defeat big time USC. Wow!! Then saw Penn State demolish Utah with an excellent passing attack.  Miso soup with tofu was lunch. Dinner was sushi (bought at Whole Foods by BSK).  Plus a big bowl of steaming red lentil soup. Cheesecake for dessert. Much fun. Much tasty food. Nice way to welcome 2023.

A new passion: N’duja. This is a flavorful, super hot Calabrian pork spread. Had it last night at dinner in HG/BSK’s Central Falls,RI. Not for the timid. A fiery treat. Gifted daughter, Lesley R., and her brilliant husband, Massimo R., brought it over for our Sunday night family dinner along with tapenade, terrines, cheeses, etc. Main dish was red lentil soup. Lentils are an Italian New Year’s Day dining custom. They foretell the possibility of wealth during the coming months. We all drank a lot of wine and had a jolly time. HG finished HG’s glass while chewing a tasty Ghirardelli dark chocolate square. As for N’duja, HG ordered a jar from Amazon. HG believes it will enhance pasta sauces.

BSK is a savvy and selective shopper—exploring HG/BSK’s new Central Falls neighborhood for food finds. Cod and Olive-is a nearby Portuguese market (not as vast as Fall River’s Portugalia) but with a splendid array of fresh fish, salads, cheese, sausages, etc. Their products were used by BSK for a hearty dinner last night: A stew of cod, sliced potatoes, chorizo sausages, garlic, onions, and scattering of capers. These ingredients were simmered in clam broth, olive oil, lemon juice, dash of white wine- –plus Prince Edward Island hot sauce. Magical food, perfect for a chilly night. BSK also visited the big nearby Stop ‘n Shop and bought the perfect dessert: New York Cheesecake. Oh, my!! As good (almost) as the classic served at Junior’s in Brooklyn. Not content with having a large slice for dinner dessert, HG had a smaller slice with HG’s breakfast coffee.

This was the best Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa holiday celebration ever. The family–HG/BSK; Lesley and Massimo (HG/BSK’s gifted daughter and her brilliant husband); wondrous granddaughters Sofia (from Italy) and Arianna (from Colorado) made it to L. and M.’s Riverside, RI. home safely despite the dangerous frigid weather, And, Ari bro.ught her special friend, Adam. Exceptional, talented, helpful man. And, thankfully, a fan of good food and drink. Honoring the family tradition, Christmas Eve was the Jewish version of “The Feast of Seven Fishes”. New York’s venerable Russ & Daughters delivered in timely fashiôn a box of caviar (red salmon and tobiko);smoked salmon, sable, whitefish salad, scallion cream cheese; two varieties of herring; bialys and pumpernickel bread. Sl/iced onion, lemon edges and celeriac salad (thanks, Lesley for the salad and the crepes you made). White wine. Beer. Guinness stout. Opened some presents. The gift deluge began Christmas morning—and, believe HG, it was a deluge. Sadly missed was the Tokyo contingent–SJ, Maiko, Haru and Teru. And, HG’s daughter, Vicki and  HG son-n-law, Marc Meyer. They were in New York tending to their restaurants. HG/BSK had happy dreams in their beautiful Central Falls, RI. loft and were back to Riverside at a civilized hour to open gifts. Won’t enumerate them but they were thoughtful, original and generous. Lunch/brunch for HG was perfect scrambled eggs (thanks BSK) topped with red salmon caviar and a scoop of sour cream. Heavenly. Afternoon activities preceded the sumptuous Christmas dinner: Lesley’s lush osso buco  (veal shanks) swimming in a voluptuous sauce. This dish calls for risotto to soak up the sauce. Massimo is not only an ornament of Italian culture, he can cook (when necessary). His risotto was the best HG ever tasted. In addition, the wines he poured to accompany the osso buco and the subsequent cheese course were grand. (Sofia managed to smuggle  cheese and other treats from Padua including the wonder cheese, Robiolla). Chocolates and other sweet things for dessert plus snifters of superlative Madeira, a gift to the family from Adam. There was an abundant amount of Russ & Daughters treats leftover from Christmas Eve so dinner the next night focused on caviar, smoked fish, etc. Culinary wonders didn’t cease. Lesley made a big platter of potato latkes (hey, Hanukkah wasn’t forgotten). Peerless. Lesley’s secret: Putting the chopped potatoes in a cheesecloth and squeezing out every bit of moisture. Makes a difference. She also made fine blini plus crepes. Sour cream and creme fraiche accompanied. Much chilled Prosecco. If HG’s good fortune persists, HG hopes to repeat the holiday with family next year.

It’s so great living in Rhode Island and enjoying the closeness of my wonderful family. Yes, SJ and family are thousands of miles away in Tokyo but they seem to have created a good life. The USA is semi-Nazi with absurd medical and education costs. However, HG/BSK continue to live in that flawed country with gifted daughter Lesley R. and her husband, Massimo, in the nearby town of Riverside (spectacular views of the Providence River and Narragansett Bay). Beautiful, brilliant granddaughter, Sofia, has arrived from Italy and equally extraordinary granddaughter Arianna (with special friend, Adam, are on their way from Colorado (stormy weather permitting). So, this looks like a jolly Christmas celebration–fun, feasting, abundant presents. Meanwhile, Lesley, Massimo and Sofia, joined HG/BSK for a magnificent family dinner at the candle lit dining table in HG/BSK’s wondrous loft. BSK scored. Pot of pork and green chili stew (best HG ever tasted–tops anything in Santa Fe eateries). Local guacamole, pico de gallo, tortillas. All superlatively tasty. Cold beer. Fruity red wine. Life doesn’t get much better than this.

BSK often makes a large amount of one of her savory dishes. This means the same dish for dinner two nights in a row. Easy. No cooking, just reheating. Last night, dinner was the second half of a double header—BSK’s fabulous Fire Chicken. This is a dish of juicy chicken thighs cooked in a melange of fiery Korean spices. When cooked, the skillet is topped with mozzarella and popped under the broiler for a moment until the cheese melts. This addition mellows the dish. The meal continued with two soft cheeses–goat creme and traditional bovine camembert. A dollop of fig jam. Yo Yo on the boombox. Life is good.

Zucchini is a summer season joke. The vegetable grows so abundantly in home gardens that the gardeners try to give it away to neighbors (who themselves are battling overload). Very large zucchini are watery and lack pungency. Best use of them is zucchini soup. BSK makes the soup with chunks of zucchini, olive oil, aging lettuce, onions, garlic, chicken broth and spices galore. When cooked, BSK applies the immersion blender and the result is smooth and comforting . HG likes to apply a dollop of Greek yogurt to a steaming bowl plus a dash of cayenne. Blissful. When living in New Mexico, BSK often bought baby zucchini at the local Trader Joe”s. Sauteed gently with chopped garlic, these morsels were a worthy side dish for meat or fish. Unquestionably, the ultimate treat is zucchini blossoms. In Colorado, HG would buy sweet corn at a roadside stand and farm. The generous owner (a very devout Christian who had hopes of converting HG to her faith), would invite HG to forage in her zucchini patch and pick armfuls of the blossoms. BSK would dip them in a light batter, stuff them with mozzarella and anchovies, fry them to a crisp succulence. HG/BSK would sip chilled white wine with these. Ecstasy. Last night, BSK mixed pappardelle in a zucchini, ricotta and bacon sauce. Oh, my!! Another BSK savory dinner.

Dinner last night was a lively contrast of textures and mouth feel. Quite tasty. The crunch came from thin pork cutlets. No flour in the pantry so BSK rolled them in cornmeal after dipping in beaten egg. Developed the kind of crust usually found on fried catfish in soul food restaurants. Yummy!! One semi smooth accompaniment was an unusual white sweet potato. After baking, the interior was scooped out, mashed with lots of butter (HG’s choice). BSK used only salt and pepper. Very smooth was BSK’s improvised Baba Ganoush, a Middle Eastern dish of mashed eggplant, tahini, garlic, olive oil and spices. No tahini. Used chickpeas instead. All went into the blender and the result was spectacular. Just as in BSK’s theater days, BSK’s improvs are impressive.

First dinner party at HG/BSK’s at HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI., loft,—and it was joyous. A family extravaganza. Lesley R.and Massimo R. (HG/BSKs daughter and son-in-law) plus Noel M and Yossi M. (BSK’s sister and son-in-law) were present. N. and Y. were visiting Rhody on their way to friends in Virginia. BSK made a big pot of chicken curry. Silky, spicy. Best ever. Plenty of hot sauces and chutneys on the table to add piquant notes. Radish and cucumber Raita for coolness (Thoughtful Lesley made a special Raita for HG: Yogurt, crushed garlic, squeeze of lemon and no pesky vegetables that HG finds hard to swallow). Nice surprise from inventive BSK: Saag Paneer. This is one of HG’s favorite Indian dishes–a puree of creamy spinach mixed with spices, herbs and chunks of Paneer, an Indian cheese. BSK consulted “Indianish” (A gift cookbook from L.) and substituted Feta for the Paneer. Fabulous creation that HG could eat every day. Plentiful white wine, beer and red wine was drunk, of course, and there were happy toasts to past and present family events. Dessert was a warmed store bought blueberry crumble with rich vanilla ice cream. HG/BSK want to host many more magical family gatherings like this one.