HUNGRY GERALD

The great player, Pele, called soccer “the beautiful game”.  Yes, it is. HG had pleasure watching the England-Mexico game (England won in a squeaker). Norway’s handsome golden Viking — Erling Haaland–is a new hero (specially after sending Brazil to an early exit). Lots of wonderful moments from every team in the world championship tournament. Cabo Verde–small and unsung–gave the big boys all they could handle. And, then came the unspeakable Trump—leaning on FIFA to remove the red card suspension of Balogun, the talented striker on the USA men’s team. The cowardly officials gave in to Trump’s bluster and Balogun will be playing in tonight’s game against Belgium. Sadly, HG will be rooting for Belgium..

Hot weather on Prince Edward Island. Not comfy. However, BSK provides HG with many coolers. Most prominent is chilled sorrel soup (enriched with a dollop of sour cream). Other chilly good things are BSK’s smoothies; icy prune juice and orange juice; Greek yogurt with. a dash of maple syrup. Alas, because of throat surgery 32 years ago, HG can’t swallow green salads. BSK grows tasty lettuces (not for HG). HG’s favorite warm weather supper is sushi and sashimi. Also, soft chilled tofu flavored with pungent soy sauce and  finely chopped cilantro. (Soft tofu lightly floured and fried for moments is another treat).  Best of all is a BSK omelet—better than those found at Paris bistros .And, as always, Chapman’s salted butter caramel ice cream is the best dessert in every type of weather.

Prince Edward Island weather turned chilly  (HG/BSK are snug in the family oceanfront home—summer sun and warmth expected tomorrow). In the meantime, BSK crafted two lush and comforting casseroles. Supper was happy time at the HG/BSK dining table. One casserole was quite spicy–Molto Picante!!–medium firm tofu in a fiery Korean chili sauce.  Beer put out the throat flames. The other casserole was chopped lamb baked with much garlic, chopped onions, olive oil and a host of Middle East spices. The casserole was topped with a thick layer of Greek yogurt. The condiment was appropriate Harissa. Yogurt (or avgolemono sauce) enhances lamb —except in France where rare leg of lamb is served with tasty beans and,upon request, pungent mustard. HG/BSK drank much Beaujolais Nouveau with this dish (and would do the same when relishing leg of lamb in a Paris bistro).

 Blazing hot day–July 2, 1963. HG/BSK left their New York W.67th Street apartment and were married in the downtown chambers of Municipal Judge Postel.  Witnesses were BSK’s family —Mom and Dad, sister Noel and brother Derek—-plus HG//BSK pals Peter (deceased) Meyerson  and wife, Julie (lost track–don’t know if the’s still alive). Wedding breakfast was at Broadway branch of LONGCHAMPS–chain of excellent restaurants  (long closed). The next day (accompanied by BSK’s family), we were off to honeymoon at HG/BSK’s Fire Island beach house. After 63 years of marriage and children, and grandchildren and a new arrival, Naomi (adorable great grandchild produced by grandchild Arianna and husband, Adam.) –Sixty three years and HG is still in love with BSK. HG’s glorious wife is still chic and attractive. More than that, she has been a remarkable mother and grandmother. BSK has been a solid business and financial partner–successful in managing political campaigns; community relations and government relations. BSK, in our years in  Colorado and New Mexico, became an expert in land use issues aiding major real estate and mining companies  to gain community support while achieving their financial objectives. Happily, BSK’s professional work has been very profitable.  HG is a rickety, handicapped 97. BSK provides 24/7 care while cooking fabulous meals and handling all details concerning our PEI and Rhody properties. BSK makes sure that HG ges his daily vitamins and medications. Without BSK supervision, HG would long be dead. BSK has a spacious studio in HG/BSK’s Central Falls, RI, loft. BSK manages to paint landscapes, flowers and portraits. They are brilliant life enhancing works of art. HG believes BSK is the best person in the world and HG is very lucky to have had these many happy decades with her.

HG first tasted grits in Athens, Georgia when HG was five years old. He was fed a lush breakfast by a kind and smiling Black woman. Grits have been a favorite food for the next 92 years. HG was a happy “senior citizen” (a nasty euphemism) when BSK recently made a delightful grits supper and lunch.  Grits were perfect (using technique borrowed from daughter, Lesley R. )  Juicy shrimp in a spicy tomato/spinach sauce topped the grits for supper. The next day, BSK topped warmed grits with soft and creamy scrambled eggs and flavored the dish with hot sauce and kosher salt. HG was transported to heavenly realms.

Bathgate Avenue in the East Bronx is now a municipal industrial park. In my late Mother’s fractured English/Yiddish it was pronounced “Bethkit Avenoo.” In its earlier day, it was lined with flimsy storefronts and pushcarts. Fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, “appetizing” items like smoked fish and pickles; grains (groats aka kasha);  dried pasta  (Mom made her own noodles that enriched chicken soup and made a lush breakfast when mixed with cottage cheese and melted butter.) It was a long walk from the family apartment on Prospect Avenue but the reward was cheaper prices than could be found anywhere else. (This was the time of The Great Depression and saving pennies was important when feeding a family,)  “Bethkit” was noisy and crowded with much arduous bargaining between thrifty Jewish housewives and wily, often treacherous, merchants. There was a heavy thumb on the scales and sneaky substitutes of cheap ingredients and charging for a more expensive one. HG remembers a witty exchange between Mom and a fish merchant. He tried to sell Mom a dead fish.  Mom screamed  “The fish is dead!!” The smiling fish guy answered: “Dead? Ehr shluft !! ( He’s sleeping). Mom laughed as he gutted and scaled a live and fresh fish before weighing . No heavy thumb. On the way back to our home, Mom relented to pleas and bought HG a slice of pizza, Big disappointment.  Little HG thought it was cherry pie.                                                  

These are HG’s favorite choices for restaurant meals. Breakfast: Chopped oyster congee and Chinese cruller at Congee Noodle House in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Lunch: Shad and shad roe at Gage & Tollner in Brooklyn (the old restaurant before the reopening with super lofty prices). Dinner: Lobster cocktail; medium rare (on the rare side) rib steak, cognac and double espresso at end of meal and Scotch sour preceding it. This was dinner at Christ Cella on E.44 in Manhattan (world’s best steak house–alas, closed for many years). Best meals eaten at home.
Breakfast: BSK and daughter Lesley R.’s superb stone ground grits topped by poached or softly scrambled eggs. Lunch: Manischewitz jarred gefilte fish enlivened by Gold’s fiery horseradish. Dinner:   BSK’s seafood chowder or Mapo Tofu or Gumbo or any of BSK’s excellent fish dishes featuring Hake, Atlantic Cod, shrimp, scallops, lobster, etc. Tillamook French Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert. Note: For many years, HG’s favorite lunch was at Gallagher’s Steak House on W. 52nd (Manhattan) —-corned beef and cabbage. Every ingredient was state of the art. Sadness. Gallagher’s no longer serves it.The ultimate dinner was at Le Dome in Paris. It was always expensive but HG’s dinners there can now only be afforded by oligarchs. Here’s HG’s Le Dome order —Six Gillardeau oysters. Sauteed frog legs. Dover sole in lemon butter sauce (Pommes souffle as a side dish). Berthillon ice cream for dessert, Cognac and espresso. Wine was chilled white Sancerre. (Yes, HG/BSK have many joyous Paris memories).

Oh, joy!!! HG/BSK are overjoyed. We have a great-granddaughter—Naomi, an 8-pound bundle of cuteness. Arianna, our striking and talented granddaughter, just gave birth after a long labor (that’s usually the case in a first birth). Ari and husband, Adam, are ecstatic —as are all of us. Welcome to a flawed world, delightful little Naomi. We all wish for a happier world in the years ahead. In the meantime, it is a pleasure looking at internet photos of Naomi and her parents. Another beautiful female enters the family.

HG is fond of small pasta shapes—orzo, ditalini, elbow macaroni, etc. Orzo is the favorite. A hearty breakfast is a bowl of orzo mixed with cottage cheese and melted butter with a sprinkle of coarse salt. Later in the day, HG mixes orzo with feta cheese, chopped garlic, olive oil and parsley. BSK makes a splendid supper of orzo, zucchini and bacon. Often, HG lunches on a bowl of ditalini in chicken broth with tofu and parsley. A pleasant supper is elbow macaroni with butter and much parmesan. (Or a healthier version with chopped garlic, onion, parsley and olive oil).

2026 has been a spectacular championship year (after 53 years) for HG’s beloved Knicks. Beating the Spurs (4-1) wasn’t the most important thing–it was the community and unity that enveloped New York City. After each win, every street in every borough was filled with jubilant fans who celebrated all night—every color and ethnic origin was involved–differences disappeared. All was joy and Jalen Brunson was idolized. Though HG was ecstatic, old guy HG remembered the founding of the Knicks in 1946 (HG was 17). Pro basketball was a novelty–fan interest was focused on the very good local college teams—CCNY, NYU, LIU, ST. JOHN’S, MANHATTAN. Yes, there was a New York pro basketball team –New York Gothams—but it (and its league) soon closed due to lack of fan interest. New York basketball was a Jewish sport. The writer Paul Gallico (1897-1976) in his 1937 book “Farewell To Sport”noted the characteristics of Jewish players: “alert scheming minds, flashy trickiness, artful dodging and general smart alecness”.  (Book was soon removed from  school and public libraries). The NBA was formed in 1946 and the New York team was the Knickerbockers (named after the first Dutch settlers of the city). No one ever called them that—it was always “Knicks”. First team was very Jewish–Ossie Schectman (scored the first NBA goal in a winning effort against Toronto); Leo Gottlieb, Sonny Hertzberg, Ralph Kaplowitz. Only non-Jew was Mike Weber, a tall midwesterner. They faced anti-semitic taunts on their road trips.—but the Knicks kept their cool and won. The number of Jewish Knicks diminished and were replaced by stars like Bud Palmer, Carl Braun and Harry Gallatin. Today pro basketball has become a primarily African-American game.  Black players have brought artistry and fabulous athleticism to basketball. They have made the game a world wide phenomenon.