HUNGRY GERALD

Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen is a long name for a modest sized Vietnamese restaurant on Victoria Drive. Had a late lunch there yesterday and enjoyed the best pho HG ever tasted. It was a fish pho and every element was perfect—flavorful broth, springy (not overcooked) rice noodles, super generous amount of tasty steamed fish. Very fresh vegetable garnishes. Vietnamese lemonade to drink. The rest of the family had various other pho variations plus lemongrass grilled meats. Hearty approval. SJ didn’t like the spring rolls. If the family visits again, HG suggests salad rolls or fried fish cakes instead of the spring rolls. Teru is making HG’s breakfasts memorable by making creative smoothies to top the yogurt. After dinner at the rental apartment, HG sips red wine with Chocolat Blanc Et Langue De Chat cookies from Tokyo’s Shiroi Koibito bakery. These are cookies in the form of a white chocolate sandwich. A gift to HG from Exquisite Maiko, they are addictive. HG follows this with a snifter of Jameson’s Irish Whiskey (savory gift to HG from SJ). HG concludes the evening with a few spoonfuls of Earnest vanilla ice cream. A BSK discovery, this expensive luxury is so densely rich that just a few spoonfuls suffice. Generous Exquisite Maiko gave HG one more gift: premium Soju. This is a Korean whiskey that is deceptively mild but delicious when served over ice with a bit of water. Beware!! It has a kick. HG overindulged with Soju and beer chasers. Result: Drunk and very dizzy. Led to a mishap but all is well except for two bruised toes.

BSK scored a winner when BSK leased an immaculate house for the family reunion. The house is located in the quiet Woodlands neighborhood of Vancouver. Some of the features: big well equipped kitchen; comfy living room with a smart tv; three spacious bedrooms and three baths; warming gas fireplace; dining table and chairs for six; two desks (upstairs and downstairs) for computers. HG/BSK are occupying the vast master suite–queen size bed and pleasant lounge chairs; lots of dresser space with smoothly functioning drawers; the aforementioned computer desk; separate room for luggage storage and clothes hanging. The big bathroom is a spa. There are separate vanities for HG and BSK plus ample counter space. A huge curved tub perfect for a leisurely soak. And then there’s the steam bath/rain shower room. Each morning HG sits on a bench and is enveloped with steam. Better than any old fashioned New York steam bath houses (and it’s private). The shower is a high intensity rain shower with a wide range of water temperatures. A perfect way to start the day. Bliss.

HG is delighted to breakfast each Vancouver morning on Liberte Strawberry Yogurt (only available in Canada and made in Montreal, HG believes). HG adds a pour of dark Canadian maple syrup on his yogurt for added splendor. Pacific Cream of Tomato soup is a pleasant light lunch (haven’t seen this product in the USA). Donald Market was a HG/BSK fave when it was located on a corner site on Commercial Drive. It has moved to Nanaimo Street and has become a huge supermarket containing everything fresh, green, frozen, packaged, canned, jarred, etc.,that a discerning gourmand might desire. For example: The sausage display includes three flavors of Italian fennel sausage, a favorite HG food. Of course, there is an astonishing array of Asian foods–fresh, packaged or frozen. The Granville Island Public Market remains a food mecca. The family went to the Market today so there will be fresh sole for dinner tonight cooked by Exquisite Maiko in her inimitable fashion. Porchetta, prosciutto,wild boar salami and duck truffle pate were some other purchases; also Winnipeg cream cheese and aged cheddar. Feasts lie ahead. Don’t want to neglect local restaurants. Dined last night at Basil Garden (short walk from rental home). Excellent pho and spring rolls. Plus a surprise: Avocado smoothies.

Yes, the wonderful Tokyo family–SJ, Exquisite Maiko, Handsome Haru, Adorable Teru–have arrived in Vancouver for a long awaited family reunion (Lesley R., Victoria Freeman and Marc Meyer will be here in a few days). Stupendous joy. Hugs. Kisses. The big surprises are Haru and Teru. Haru has become a man, Taller than Jeremy. Congratulations are in order. Because of intensive study Haru has been admitted to the high school of his choice (and he has a beautiful girlfriend). And, Teru has become very grown up. New skills are karate and hip hop dancing. She’s cute, funny and good company. Two weeks of fun are anticipated. Lucky HG/BSK.

Off to family reunion (SJ and wonderful family; daughter Lesley R.; Victoria Freeman and husband Marc Meyer) in wonderful vancouver, HG/BSK’s part time home for many years. Have rented a three bedroom, three bath home (tell you about its wonders in next post). Slept (very fitfully) at Best Western motel in Albuquerque in order to catch an early Alaskan Airlines flight to Van (highly recommend Alaska Airlines for air travel). HG arrived in Van tired and feeling poorly (last meal at Sushi Hana did not agree with the old guy). Off to Chongqing Chinese Restaurant on Commercial Drive A favorite when living nearby). Terrible. Lousy food (though BSK liked her Szechuan spring beans, a throat handicapped HG couldn’t swallow). Expensive with criminally bad service. Must be new ownership. Thoughtful BSK shopped and restored HG with spicy Thai soup and sublime soft tofu. Chilled Rose wine. Much happier and healthier HG. Off to bed and fell into deep sleep immediately. A new happy man in the morning with delights to come.

BSK used Greek cuisine techniques to make a fabulous dinner dish last night—Youvarlakia Avgolemony. Translation: Meatballs (made of ground chicken) floating in golden soup featuring lemons and beaten eggs. BSK mixed the ground chicken with cracker crumbs, herbs, olive oil and spices. Poached in the soup they were light and flavorful. On the menus of Greek restaurants in the USA, the soup is called “avgolemono” and is usually served in a bowl with rice. Avgolemono can be thickened into a sauce. BSK serves it over grilled leg of lamb.The lamb is marinated and butterflied. This procedure means there is a choice of rare, medium rare or medium slices of lamb. Everyone is pleased. The avgolemono adds a zesty, silky layer of flavor. (For those, like HG, who like a bit of spicy heat, a minimal dusting of cayenne can be employed).

BSK today lunched on Russ & Daughters matzo ball soup. Unlike HG, BSK had no problem in swallowing the matzo ball. However, BSK thought it bland. Very unlike the light as a feather matzo ball that BSK creates. BSK’s matzo balls contain much chopped dill and some other flavor enhancing ingredients. Far better than HG’s Mom’s matzo balls or any Jewish delicatessen versions. BSK does other excellent Jewish dishes such as kasha varnishkes (buckwheat groats with fried onions and sour cream) and tender stewed brisket awash in lusty gravy. BSK doesn’t make blintzes. But, BSK does make crepes topped with red salmon caviar (and sour cream, of course). Not so shabby. Mystery. How can a Canadian/Midwestern woman babtised in an Episcopal church cook with such Jewish soul ? The mystery has been solved, BSK’s sister, Noel M., had her ancestry checked online. Turns out there’s a healthy amount of Ashkenazi Jewishness in her background (BSK’s would be the same). Welcome to the tribe, BSK.

For some obscure reason, Mexican avocados couldn’t be exported to the land of the free, brave and crazy. Thankfully, they are back in abundance. A further blessing, they are very inexpensive at HG/BSK’s local New Mexico supermarket in Pojoaque (minutes from HG/BSK’s home). The mystery is how something so delicious can also be so nutritious and life sustaining. At dinner, BSK often serves a salad of sliced avocado and Kumatos (juicy brown tomatoes). Goes with everything–meat, fish or fowl. Avocado toast is the best breakfast. However, avocados achieve spicy splendor in guacamole. BSK makes guacamole with a chunky texture and adds local green chile salsa (Young Guns brand) or tomatillo sauce, or pico de gallo made by local women. Lots of lemon juice. Best guac is at a nearby restaurant, Gabriel’s. It’s made tableside and pounded in a traditional bowl with a host of savory ingredients. Sip a Margarita, eat the guac and be happy.

BSK shopped at Santa Fe’s Whole Foods this afternoon. Picked up ingredients for the perfect dinner: Wild salmon filets, first spring asparagus, sweet potatoes. BSK marinated the salmon in a spicy Korean sauce and pan broiled the fish into medium rare succulence. The asparagus was steamed to the right texture and gilded with a butter and lemon sauce. The sweet potatoes got a long bout in the oven. HG likes to put big chunks of butter in the sweet spuds. BSK just gives them a sprinkle of sea salt. Excellent bottle of Chianti accompanied. Weather was delightful. Temp in the 60’s. Blue skies. Bright sun. So, this climaxed a perfect day. However, Salmon is a fatty fish and cooking it on a gas range creates an aroma. HG doesn’t mind. But, BSK has sensitive nostrils. Exhaust was put in motion. Candles were lit. Matches struck. It took a while, but the aroma diminished. BSK sighed with relief.

The landmark New York “appetizer store”, Russ & Daughters, delivered a tasty package to HG in New Mexico. Scallion cream cheese. Red salmon caviar. Chopped liver. Schmaltz herring. Two quarts of matzo ball soup. Pumpernickel bread. To start dinner, HG poured vodka on the rocks plus a beer chaser. Ate chunks of the herring with slices of the bread and washed them down with the alcoholic beverages. Heated a bowl of the matzo ball soup. Refilled the beer glass. Sipped the broth and ate the boiled slices of carrot (both very good). Time to bite into the piece de resistance: The matzo ball. Disaster. Perfectly soft and light ball. However, matzo ball grains lodged in HG’s surgically constricted throat. Uncomfortable evening dislodging them. Is HG doomed to a non-matzo ball life? Sadness.