HUNGRY GERALD

HG/BSK’s thoughtful daughter, Lesley R., knows HG’s lust for Chinese food (real Chinese food, not Panda or P.F. Chang corn starch laden junk). No good Chinese restaurant in Santa Fe. Surprising in that gourmandizing city. So, when HG is visiting Lesley (and her brilliant husband, Massimo) in Rhode Island, Lesley makes sure HG has a Chinese extravaganza. There’s a good Chinese place in North Providence. Lesley picked up a feast there. Mapo Tofu (an HG fave); Szechuan sliced fish; garlic eggplant, dumplings (one order in chili oil and the other in a less assertive topping); pea tips; giant deep fried prawns (largest HG ever encountered). Oh, my!! HG heaven. Lots of steamed rice. Red wine. White wine. Dessert was a fabulous flan made by Lesley’s once-a-week housekeeper. Portuguese delight. HG is super lucky to have a Lesley daughter.

The two day trip from Prince Edward Island to daughter, Lesley R. anc son-in-law Massimo’s Rhode Island home, was the worst ever. Started well with colorful landscapes through PEI and New Brunswick. Then came heavy rains plus fog interludes. Finally arrived at the Senator Hotel in Augusta, Maine. Rude treatment at check in. Dirty room. Extra charge of $30 for Toby, The Wonder Dog (at alleged “pet friendly” hotel). Cloud 9 restaurant closed for “private event” (restaurant is top reason to stay at Senator). And, the cost of one night stay was expensive. Never again. Ate at Five Guys fast food. Good burger but too noisy, crowded and tumultuous. Second day of the trip started nicely. Clear, sunny weather. But, roads were jammed and became impossible once in the Boston area. Despite the “big dig”, super congestion remains. Short trip seemed endless (Yes, there was a Patriots game in Foxboro, Mass.). Arrived in Riverside, R.I. HG,BSK were tired and grumpy. Wonderful Lesley did magical restorations. Bowls of steaming pasta e fagioli soup, Later, dinner was swordfish in a tomato based sauce over linguini. Viva, Lesley and Italia!!!

Before dinner, HG enjoys freshly shucked Prince Edward Island oysters (Malpeques and Red Heads). Briny treats. White wine. Sea views from HG/BSK’s oceanfront home. Yes, PEI life has many culinary pleasures. However, when oysters are not available, HG likes a buttered radish with sea salt and white wine. This was Julia Child’s favorite nibble. She often remarked that there are few things better than a fresh radish. The excellent author and restaurant critic, Alec Lobrano, first met Julia Child at the Chez Georges bistro in Paris. She was eating a buttered radish, of course. Lobrano joined her in drinking white wine. With others, they had an epic meal of traditional French dishes. Though prices have become lofty, Chez Georges remains HG’s favorite Paris bistro. Love to start a meal there with their north sea delight of pickled herring with onions and slices of potato.

Philip Johnson had a long life (1896-2005) and a distinguished 75-year career as an American modernist architect and architectural influence. His residence in New Canaan, Conn., “The Glass House” is a National Trust Historic Site. Built on 49 acres of greenery, there are a number of other structures including an art gallery, a sculpture gallery, a library, etc. Frank Lloyd Wright visited the glass house and remarked: “Am I inside or outside?”. His career was flawed by a 1934-40 interval when he praised fascism and made anti-semitic statements. He later disavowed this and was forgiven by many (but not HG). Another flaw, much more minor, was his belief that ocean views were “boring.” HG, surrounded by ocean views in HG/BSK’s oceanfront Prince Edward Island home, finds these vistas exciting and ever changing. Sea is calm but quickly changes into rough waters with spectacular rolling waves. The whitecaps are beautiful in both sunny and grey weather. Clouds (cumulus, mackerel, etc.) are reflected in the sea. Birds (gulls, cormorants, osprey,eagles, starlings) soar above. Sunsets turn the shores and horizon into blazes of color. Johnson’s beliefs about ocean views were possibly based on the architect’s desire to control the environment. Yes, you can control New England acreage but you can’t control the seas. Johnson’s personal appearance was dramatized by large, round black framed eyeglasses. HG found a source for these reading glasses and wears them. Fittingly, they are called “Architect” glasses.

Canadian Thanksgiving Day dinner at Ocean Mist Farm, the verdant Prince Edward Island home (near Panmure Island) of BSK’s sister, Noel M. and her husband, Yossi M. Besides HG/BSK, also present at the dinner table were N. and Y.’s neighbor and friend, Murina, and Murina’s son, the handsome Daniel, who just received his MBA from Prince Edward Island University and has already snared an excellent job. Amram, husband and dad, is in Uzbekistan working on an irrigation project. Festive, traditional meal. BSK supplied the starter of silky squash soup (from the recipe bequeathed by HG’s late, beloved sister, Beulah Naomi). Thoughtful BSK also brought a big jar of homemade turkey gravy. Noel was busy at the oven roasting a turkey, making lush mashed potatoes, sausage stuffing, and concocting a splendid cranberry and citrus sauce. Murina utilized her Russian ancestry with bowls of startlingly good eggplant stew (spicy) and potato salad. With a glass of red wine in hand, HG splashed the turkey-potato-stuffing plate with much BSK gravy. Heaven. Dessert was ice cream and all at the table noted that they were thankful that they and their family were healthy. Hopefully, let’s keep it that way.

Another great family feast at HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home. The emphasis was on seafood and produce–all locally caught, harvested, etc. BSK’s sister and brother-in-law, Noel and Yossi M., their son, Erik, and his wife, Lisa. were all at the dinner table. (Erik and Lisa, stars and impresarios of their equine extravaganza, “Gladius,” are based in Las Vegas but are visiting at Noel and Yossi’s Ocean Mist Farm). Starter was oysters (PEI Tuxedos and South Lakes). Expert HG shucked dozens of these briny beauties in record time. Main dish was BSK’s lusty cod (from the waters off PEI) and mussels (harvested in St. Peters Bay) chowder. Other ingredients in the “chowda” were garlic and potatoes (both from Ocean Mist Farm) plus local bacon, onions and clam broth. Another savory BSK culinary masterwork. No leftovers; not with powerhouse Erik armed with silverware. Erik’s appetite is as massive as his muscles. Dessert followed the local theme. PEI ADL French Vanilla ice cream topped with fruit jam made by Nabuur’s, a local garden and produce shop. Another meal proving that PEI is a glorious food island.

When HG was 15, the young man visited his elder brother, the late Bernard Freeman, in Atlanta, Georgia. HG was shocked by the “Whites Only” racist signs and a first glimpse at a chain gang. Made a vow to do all in HG’s power to do away with this injustice. However, the southern food was tasty. Favorite lunch was Brunswick Stew and fried green tomatoes (sprinkled with a fiery vinegar condiment). HG also developed a fondness for slices of icy watermelon sold from carts. BSK did some nice things with green tomatoes last night. Battered thick slices and fried them to accompany braised cod and yellow beans. Prefaced this with a tangy bowl of green tomato soup. Happy meal in decidedly diverse and non-racist Prince Edward Island. Suggest readers google recipes for Brunswick Stew. It’s a four season treat.

Delightful family feast at Ocean Mist Farm, the verdant Prince Edward Island home of BSK’s sister and brother in law, Noel and Yossi M. Besides HG/BSK, the other attendees were visiting N. and Y.’s son, Erik, and Erik’s wife, Lisa. Newly bearded Erik is massively muscled. Lisa seems to be composed of curved and feminine marble or granite. They are the impresarios and star performers in “Gladius,” their equine extravaganza featuring acrobatics on swiftly moving horses plus Eric on a chariot controlling a team of a number of huge horses racing around an arena. Yes, you’ve got to be almost unimaginably strong to control these big guys. Don’t miss “Gladius” if it’s appearing in a city near you. Dinner started with tasty baba ganoush (middle eastern eggplant spread) which topped Noel’s home baked pita (dusted with zaatar). This was followed by Noel’s version of Cincinnati chili served over spaghetti (one of HG’s favorite dishes). Erik barbecued slices of herbaceous zucchini to accompany it. Dessert was vanilla ice cream topped with fruit compote. Much wine was drunk. Plentiful joy and laughter. Viva famiglia!!

“Schnorrer” is a very evocative Yiddish word. English equivalent might be “mooch.” HG prefers the Yiddish. Essentially, a “Schnorrer” is a person, uninvited, who manages to get things for free, primarily food, drink and housing. Ace housing schnorrer was Harold “Hal” D., a Fire Island friend. He would ask for a one night stay–but it stretched. At HG/BSK’s home, then in Montclair, NJ, his lodging stretched to two weeks before he was asked, forcefully, to leave. He thought that was unfair because he managed to get free meals at Chez HG/BSK. From HG’s New York days, HG recalls a champion schnorrer: A creative guy, he carried photo equipment and identified himself as an assistant to the photographer recording the event. This gave him access to the vast buffets at Jewish weddings, bar mitzvahs, etc. He managed to put away staggering amounts of smoked salmon, chopped liver, gefilte fish, sweetbreads in sauce, etc. Yes, those buffets were lavish. At BSK’s first visit to a Jewish buffet event, BSK ate baby lamb chops and slices of rare tenderloin (among many other delicacies). BSK was shocked at the loudspeaker instructions: “Ladies and Gentlemen. Please take your seats. Dinner is served.” “They must be joking,” exclaimed BSK. “Nope,” replied HG.

HG’s daughter, Vicki Freeman and husband/chef Marc Meyer have another winner: Shukette. Add it to their four other New York restaurants–Shuka, Cookshop, Rosie’s, Vic’s–as culinary musts if you live in the city (or are visiting). Shukette’s chef is the irresistible Ayesha J. Nurdjaja. She’s also the chef at Shuka, the outstanding middle eastern restaurant.(spectacular shish kebab, shakshuka and other delights). Shukette is a spinoff of Shuka. Nurdjaja has let loose all of her unlimited creativity and the result is a joyous, original, delicious restaurant. Who says so? Pete Wells, the restaurant critic of the NY Times, in his rollicking rave review today (Wed. Sept 22). Read all about it. Wells calls Shukette “The Bright Side of the Mediterranean.” The food descriptions will enliven your taste buds. HG/BSK look forward to a New York jaunt next year and plan at least two (or three) Shukette meals. (Shukette is in the Chelsea neighborhood—9th and 19th).