HUNGRY GERALD

Yes, HG relishes scallops–the hearty sea scallops and the very hard to find Nantucket bay scallops (HG last tasted them many decades ago). BSK cooks many sea scallop dishes with BSK’s usual flair and creativity. BSK gently sautes them in olive oil so they are lightly browned and juicy. They are served over greens flavored with a lemon vinaigrette; in linguine with garlic, oil and parsley; in chowder mixed with cod and other ingredients. HG’s favorite is BSK’s version of shrimp and grits. (BSK substitutes scallops for shrimp). Marc Meyer, is a super chef and the husband (plus business partner) of HG’s Daughter, Vicki. (Their company owns and  runs five touted New York restaurants (Shukette, Shuka,Vic’s, Rosie’s and Cookshop). He is a very superior sea scallop cook and has served HG many memorable scallops at Cookshop. At present, Cookshop has sliced raw scallops on its summer menu.They are served in a mix of oranges, limes and pungent chili peppers. Sounds like a summer treat. HG/BSK recall a fabulous feast of Nantucket bay scallops when HG/BSK owned a house on that island. Their caretaker, a native Nantucketer whose family had lived there for many generations, had gone to Nantucket Bay in a fishing boat and returned with a bushel of bay scallops. Still in his fishing clothes, he shucked them outside his home. Lucky HG/BSK were invited. HG/BSK ate scores of fresh from the sea succulent, small morsels of heaven. Incomparable.

HG has rarely had a superior poached egg in an American restaurant. They are good in French bistros (Exceptional appetizers when poached in red wine). BSK can poach an egg to perfection. When pricked with a fork, A BSK poached yolk floods food with richness and flavor. As a bonus, the egg whites are silky. For a breakfast treat, BSK tops buttery grits with the eggs. A periodic treat is Shakshuka, the spicy pepper and onion stew topped with poached eggs. (Very popular in Israel and throughout the Middle East and very good at Shuka restaurant in New York). HG makes a Greek yogurt sauce to accompany BSK’s Shakshuka (Yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, zaatar, sumac, salt and pepper). Pita to soak up the lush eggs and red wine to drink. A happy time assured. Last night, HG cooked rice noodles in pho (From an Asian powder mix). Added lots of soft tofu. Flavored the pho with sesame oil and hot sauce. The final touch: BSK topped the steaming bowl with a perfect poached egg. Flavors galore. Ah, BSK, you enrich my life and palate every night and day as you have for 59 years.

Yes, HG was demolished by alcohol tonight. Noel & Yossi M. (BSK’s sister and brother-in-law) were at HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home for an alternate week dinner.BSK served a spectacular dish of salmon with soba noodles and scallion broth (HG wrote about it some days ago on July 12). Generous N. and Y. brought tasty small potatoes and big bunches of fragrant lavender from their verdant Ocean Mist Farm on the south shore of PEI. Unfortunately, HG was not good company. After finishing the lovely food, HG retreated to a lounge chair and then, prone, to a sofa. A silent, eyes closed HG. Victim of alcohol. A large Negroni (whiskey, sweet vermouth, campari) before dinner. Then, white wine. and a large Gahan’s Red Ale with dinner. Farblunget. A lesson learned. From now on, a modest glass of white wine before dinner. One glass of wine with dinner. Okay, after dinner some sips of whiskey flavored with Angostura Bitters. Let’s see if this regimen makes HG a reasonable dining companion.

HG/BSK dine well at their oceanfront home (spectacular sea views and sunsets) on green and serene Prince Edward Island. BSK is a kitchen star, specializing in healthy, tasty seafood. HG has often praised PEI’s mineral rich potatoes and lush sweet corn (can hardly wait for mid-August and Blum’s farm raised treats). Strawberries (and blueberries) are prolific on PEI. The strawberries explode with flavor. They are a revelation for folks who have been dependent on tasteless, cottony supermarket specimens. HG likes the PEI strawberries with sweet cream or sour cream (a dash of Canadian maple syrup is always welcome.) BSK cooks strawberries and rhubarb into a sparkling semi-smoothie. HG has a big bowl of happy health each morning. These are the ingredients: Liberte vanilla yogurt, BSK’s smoothie, sliced strawberries, granola or walnuts, a glug of maple syrup. Accompanied by cafe latte, it’s a great way to breakfast.

That’s how the late, distinguished literary critic Edmund Wilson headlined an essay on Canada. Yes, Canada is a wondrous nation much loved by HG/BSK and HG/BSK’s children and grandchildren. BSK is Canadian, of course, born there and spent childhood years in Sarnia, Ontario (BSK was eight when BSK’s family moved to Mansfield, Ohio.) The Wonder Woman has dual citizenship. HG/BSK spend many months each year at an oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island, a serene, green, peaceful democratic province. On a sunny day yesterday, HG/BSK enjoyed hours at the Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival, an annual event featuring musicians (and step dancers) from PEI and other Maritime Provinces. The Festival runs for three days and focuses on (you guessed it) fiddle music that exemplifies the Irish, Scotch, French (yes,there are still Acadians on PEI) antecedents of PEI’s population. The event is very well organized with special attention given to the aged and infirm (like HG). The audience is appreciative and courteous (very Canadian). Lots of good food is available and folks make sure they clean up their area and dump plates,glasses, and eating utensils in trash cans. Unlike the United States, there is no apprehension a madman with an assault rifle will attack and kill. Since HG has a compelling interest in food, HG is delighted by the wonders of PEI food. Fish, of course. A wide variety of top flight oysters (large Malpeques are HG’s choice.) The best mussels (identified on restaurant menus in the USA and Canada). And, from the red soil earth: world famous mineral rich potatoes, sweet corn, yellow beans, strawberries, blueberries and much else. A gourmand like HG eats well in Canada. Best food city in the world is Vancouver, B.C. Fabulous Asian food. Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Filipino, Cambodian, Malaysian, etc. There’s the best sushi and tasty ramen. This only scratches the surface. The French are not neglected. A shop in Vancouver’s Public Market is Oyama. A French-Canadian operation, it features an encyclopedic variety of home made pates, terrines, sausages. There are also hams and cold cuts (their head cheese and jambon persille are standouts.) Plus French, Italian and other cheeses (in peak condition), condiments and seasonal specials (cassoulet in winter). O, Canada, indeed.

Hake is one of HG’s favorite fishes. Member of the cod family but firmer and tastier than conventional cod. HG first tasted it at an upscale Madrid seafood restaurant and became a convert.(The emperor of all fish is Dover Sole, of course, as served at Le Dome and other exemplary Paris seafood places). When hake is available at Julio’s Seafood (close to HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home) BSK buys some large filets. The Wonder Woman fried some last night and accompanied the crisp deliciousness with Jacues Pepin’s herbaceous warm potato salad. Joyous eating. HG is very fond of French warm potato salad. HG has many happy memories of eating the salad with grilled sausages and nose stinging mustard and cornichons at the long running Veau D’ Or restaurant in New York.

Some 79 years ago (Wow, that’s a lot of years. HG remembers that time perfectly. Short term memory gives HG problems now), sturdy 13-year-old HG spent a steamy Rockaway Beach summer lifting, stacking, shoving heavy boxes in the stock room of F.W. Woolworth on busy Beach 116th Street. HG interrupted labor with a meal at the Woolworth lunch counter. Each day, HG ate fish cakes accompanied by spaghetti in tomato sauce. Cost: 15 cents. (Might be overstating the price. Likely cost a dime). Probably an awful meal by today’s standard but the famished youngster loved it. These days, HG sups on BSK’s very superior fish cakes (Supermarket or frozen fish cakes are inferior and often inedible). BSK follows the recipe of gifted daughter, Lesley R.(The right ratio of cod, potatoes, herbs and Panko). Happy HG joyfully ate them last night while watching a glorious sunset at HG/BSK’s oceanfront home on green, peaceful, democratic Prince Edward Island, Canada.

BSK encountered a New York Times recipe that contained all the elements HG/BSK enjoy at dinner: “Salmon Soba Noodles With Ponzu-Scallion Broth.” These were the ingredients: Dashi broth, salmon, soba noodles, spinach, firm tofu, scallions, grated ginger, canola oil, sliced radishes, slivers of carrot, ponzu. BSK did a careful mix and followed the recipe meticulously. (Unusual for BSK who likes to deviate and add original touches. This time BSK only substituted spinach for the cabbage called for). It was a sensational dinner dish which BSK promises to repeat often. Drank an abundance of pinot noir (HG/BSK like red wine with fresh salmon; crisp white with smoked salmon, of course). Another joyous evening at HG/BSK’s oceanfront home on peaceful, green, democratic Prince Edward Island.

HG/BSK have a pleasant Prince Edward Island dining custom HG/BSK share with Noel and Yossi M. (BSK’s sister and brother-in-law). One week there’s dinner at HG/BSK’s ocean front home on the north side of PEI; the next week dinner is at N. & Y.’s Ocean Mist Farm on the south side of PEI (near Panmure Island). This week it was N. & Y.’s turn. BSK brought a hand mixed mustard mayonnaise and lemon juice shrimp salad. A succulent starter. Main dish was Noel’s green chili pork stew with asparagus (grown in Yossi’s garden) and cubes of warm mineral rich PEI potatoes. Delish. Dessert was Chapman’s Vanilla Ice Cream (topped with fresh from the vine Ocean Mist strawberries.) Chapman’s vanilla is super creamy. HG and Y. loved it. BSK and N. didn’t. Maybe it’s a guy thing. HG prefaced his meal with a generous pour of Canadian whiskey and had another slug after dinner. A most happy fella.

On a blazing hot New York summer day (July 2 1963), HG and BSK were married in the chambers of Judge George Postel. In attendance were BSK’s parents, Roy and Valerie Kent, and friends, Peter and Julia Meyerson. All are deceased (except HG/BSK, obviously, and possibly Julia for whom no information is available). Wonderful afternoon reception followed at the Library Room of the St. Regis Hotel with the late Bucky Pizzarelli providing guitar music. (It was the luckiest day of HG’s life). Celebration dinner a deux at HG/BSK’s oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island. Caviar (a gift from HG daughter Vicki) and very cool Muscadet. This was followed by mushroom ravioli in a good jarred Arabiatta sauce (BSK enhanced the sauce with olive oil, chopped garlic, chopped red pepper, onions, oregano, Italian parsley.) Drank vintage Chianti. Lovely meal celebrating an auspicious day (After 59 years, HG is still in love with BSK. Want more years, hopefully).