HUNGRY GERALD

No seas moisten the borders of New Mexico, rightfully called “The Land of Enchantment.” Yes, the state is landlocked. However, splendid seafood is available, airlifted to Whole Foods, fresh and tasty. Yesterday, BSK bought petrale sole fillets. BSK dipped them in beaten egg, dusted them lightly with flour, and sauteed them perfectly. A bit of melted butter, lemon juice, Frank’s hot sauce. They were served with mashed potatoes and braised endive. Elegant meal. Night before, BSK topped cheesy, creamy grits with a melange of previously frozen shellfish. And, tonight there will be spicy shrimp with linguini (olive oil, garlic, parsley, anchovy sauce). In a few months, HG/BSK will be on Prince Edward Island. HG/BSK’s oceanfront summer home is minutes from local lobster, mussels, and fish. Plus world’s best oysters (surprisingly inexpensive). Pass the shucking tools, please.

Arianna and Sofia Riva, HG/BSK’s beautiful and brilliant granddaughters, are spending a week at HG/BSK’s New Mexico home. Nothing could be more joyou. Arianna brought along her regal, imperious male cat—Mintern. Though not affectionate, Toby, The Wonder Dog, gets along politely with Mintern. The young women have been missing Tex/Mex food so lunches have been festivals with tacos, breakfast burritos, menudo and other good things obtained takeout from nearby Gabriel’s, Sopaipilla Factory and El Parasol. Arianna and Sofia were active sous chefs and after dinner cleanuppers. Arianna has a high tech job (she lives near Boulder, Co.) so she had to interrupt vacation time with some lengthy intervals at her computer. Sofia, who is getting her Master’s degree in Padua, Italy, had time for hikes and church visits (Chimayo) with BSK. Upon leaving the USA, Sofia will meet up in London with HG daughter, Victoria, and Vic’s husband, Marc Meyer. They’ll be in London to explore new restaurant ideas. Lucky Sofia will accompany the New York restaurateurs to their gourmet destinations. BSK made a robust picante green chile pork stew for farewell dinner. Palates were cooled by desserts of vanilla ice cream topped with BSK’s lush raspberry puree. The dinner was enlivened by the presence of HG/BSK’s dear friend and former neighbor, Karen K. Karen now lives in Santa Fe and once more is in the process.of creating a glorious garden Happily, she brought a box of chocolates . A bite of chocolate, a sip of Jack Daniels. Perfect climax to a farewell dinner.

Happy HG is smiling–and chewing–again. Skilled Santa Fe dentist, Dr. Marc Applebaum, placed HG’s repaired and refurbished dentures into HG’s mouth. Oh,joy. HG’s first act of chewing after toothless days was savoring menudo (spicy Mexican tripe stew). Pure pleasure. Dinner was “Mariscada” (Spanish mixed seafood stew in garlicky green sauce). BSK based it on the dish HG/BSK often relished at long closed El Faro restaurant in New York’s Greenwich Village. BSK tweaked the BSK version with the addition of fresh asparagus. Functioning teeth. BSK cuisine. A tasty combination.

Thirty years ago HG had life saving surgery for throat cancer (this followed 50 years of cigarette smoking). Post-surgery there were weeks of radiation. The radiation had a destructive effect on HG’s gums and all teeth had to be pulled. Dentures were provided by a skilled Dentist in Vancouver B.C., enabling HG to eat steak, corn on the cob, etc. With the passage of time, these dentures were ill fitting and inefficient. It was time for major reconstruction. So, it was off to a dental specialist for an hour of fitting and recasting with new molds sent to a lab for finishing work. This has left HG toothless for almost four days surviving on soups, yogurt, ice cream, maple syrup, coffee and wine. Absence of teeth did not impair usual routine of pre-dinner Negronis and after dinner Jack Daniels whiskey. (BSK’s savory “green soup” was very comforting for lunch and dinner). Will get new dentures tomorrow HG will smile.

HG’s late Mom was born Cheikeh (The “Ch” was pronounced as a guttural) Kopkind in the Belorussian “shtetl” of Plestyanitz. Her first name was Americanized to “Ida” when she married Hershel Freimann (later Americanized to “Harry Freeman”). Harry, my late beloved Father, emigrated to the United States in 1904. So HG’s family has been American for some 118 years. Not a Mayflower arrival…but, still.. HG was raised on Mom’s hearty, Jewish/Eastern European cuisine. The distinguished food writer Waverley Root, in his book “The Food of France’, divided that country into three culinary regions determined by the substance that was the basis of their cuisine: Alsace Lorraine (lard); Ile de France (butter); Provence (olive oil). Mom used butter in kosher approved “dairy” dishes but her principal cooking substance was chicken fat that she rendered herself from plump chickens. New Mexico is in a frigid and snowy weather anomaly. This has made HG nostalgic for his Mom’s home cooking. Sweet and sour stuffed cabbage (“holishkes”) was her parade dish and it was a masterpiece. HG has written often about Mom’s kneidels (matzo meal and chicken fat dumplings); sweet and spicy “tzimmes”( grated carrots cooked with honey, ginger, chicken fat and chicken feet);  chopped liver (served with fiery slices of black radish). Her winter soup was called “kapusta” and contained cabbage, a mix of vegetables and a gilding of –guess what?–chicken fat. An important winter dinner dish was brisket with gravy and kasha enriched with fried onions and (nu?) chicken fat. An HG favorite was “kishka” (a chicken neck stuffed with matzo meal, garlic chopped onion, chicken fat and baked in the oven). This was a worthy companion of brisket.The best winter breakfast was Mom’s blintzes (rolled crepes stuffed with farmer cheese and fried in butter). A happy present day culinary note. Gifted BSK can be prevailed upon to make matzo ball chicken soup. BSK’s matzo balls are lush and light. Must confess. Better than Ida’s.

HG/BSK have a new friend. His name is Alfie, and he’s an adorable, frisky little Havanese. He accompanied our wonderful Colorado/British Columbia friends Antony and Claudia C. on their brief visit (cocktails and dinner) to HG/BSK’s New Mexico home. Alfie is joining Antony and Claudia’s beloved long time doggies—Genghis and Boodles. Toby, The Wonder Dog, was in heaven; three non-destructive dogs to play with. As is their generous custom, Antony and Claudia did not come empty handed: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine (an HG/BSK favorite); Stilton and other cheeses, pickled herring appetizer; beer, blueberry pie. BSK cooked savory shrimp and grits for dinner (always a jolly affair with the C ‘s). Dessert was a yummy key lime pie (Whole Foods). The blueberry pie will be saved for pie a la mode on the following evening. Yes, a visit from the C’s is always a warm, stimulating treat.

BSK cooked a lovely chicken curry with lots of savory sauce. This was a double header; that is, enough for two dinners (and maybe a modest lunch). Lovely dinner augmented by a chutney made by an inventive neighbor. On the next night, BSK had the nightcap of chicken curry plus a big raita salad. HG did not join BSK. Demanding HG wanted an omelet. Greedy HG wanted to luxuriate in BSK’s ultimate comfort food. BSK is a true Wonder Woman and a home cook that pays attention to HG’s handicaps.Because of cancer surgery (in 1992) and maturity (93 in November, hopefully) HG has problems in swallowing. (Oy Vey!!). Not the voracious fresser of yesteryear. So, thoughtful BSK obliges with easy to swallow omelets. Tonight’s was a lush creation with the perfect eggs folded around an abundance of feta cheese. HG ate this Lucullan delight with a dollop of creme fraiche. Hey, you know what heaven is like? Having BSK as a chef, wife, love of HG’s life.

The late, great Marcella Hazan is gone, sadly. She was the ultimate authority on Italian cuisine. Thankfully, her cookbooks live on. She had a recipe for chickpea soup that’s guaranteed to warm body and soul on winter nights (suggest you Google the recipe). Marcella often said that a recipe was “a suggestion”. It was up to the cook to make it personal and original. BSK made the chickpea soup last night and it was fabulous. HG saw BSK add canned San Marzano tomatoes to two cans of Goya Garbanzos, plus chopped onions, garlic, chicken broth—and what else? What made it inimitable? BSK cooked it and turned into a puree with deft use of an immersion blender. HG topped a steaming bowl with a splash of olive oil and a sprinkle of hot sauce. Happiness!! Marcella was a very good cook. HG/BSK lunched on splendid zuppa di pesce at the Hazan apartment in Venice. BSK accompanied Marcella on the fish buying at the Rialto market (BSK was allergic to shrimp at the time and Marcella was affronted by this). Victor Hazan, Marcella’s husband, was a wine authority and the luncheon wines were perfect. As for Marcella, she drank bourbon whiskey (this didn’t please Victor).

BSK is a wise, thrifty food shopper – BSK’s/HG’s freezer is always packed with delights for the days (or weeks given the travails of Covid 19) that a visit to the market is not in the cards. (Please note, she always uses fresh vegetables and herbs, of course). BSK often mines the freezer for the tasty dinners BSK cooks every night in sunny (but chilly) New Mexico. Recently, HG saw frozen haddock and sea scallops thawing on the kitchen island. HG was bemused. Typically, BSK doesn’t like frozen seafood as she feels the process renders sea creatures tasteless. To avert this BSK put the chopped haddock and scallops in the food processor with olive oil, scallions, garlic, cilantro, parsley, beaten eggs, potato starch, and a bit of panko. Formed the mix into modest sized balls. Poached them in dashi and clam broth. Augmented the steaming bowl with broad rice noodles, sesame oil, and chili oil. BSK transported HG to Asian heaven.

The Mayor of New York City during HG’s elementary school days in The Bronx was the colorful Fiorello H. LaGuardia, known affectionately as “The Little Flower.” Mayor LaGuardia awarded young HG with a history book and kind words of praise when HG won second prize in the city’s “Americana Quiz Contest” broadcast on radio station WNYC. Sunday mornings, HG would sit in front of the family Philco and listen to the Mayor read and describe that day’s newspaper comics. The Mayor often mentioned that he would be dining later in the day and sharing his favorite dish: Pastafazoole.
This is a robust, thick soup of beans, pasta, vegetables, olive oil, garlic, chicken stock, parsley, etc., topped with plenty of parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. (“Pasta e fagioli” means pasta and beans so “pastafazoole’ must spring from dialect). Anyway, no matter what you call it, BSK made the soup/stew last night and HG was overjoyed. HG’s glass was filled with tasty Nero d’Avola red wine and HG toasted the memory of “The Little Flower.”