HUNGRY GERALD

Los Andes restaurant in Providence, RI, was the site of a joyous birthday dinner for HG/BSK’s distinguished son-in-law, Profesore/Dottore/Ufficiale Massimo R. Following Italian custom, Massimo was the host and paid for the copious amount of food and drink. (It was Max Beerbohm who said: “Why does food always taste better when someone else is paying for it?). HG has often written about Los Andes which is a dining must whenever HG/BSK are in Rhode Island. The atmosphere is happy, festive, crowded. Service is very efficient. Often, there’s live music. (Alas, not on birthday night). The food is Peruvian. Super Pisco Sours. Ceviche. Grills. Whipped potato appetizers (unique and tasty). Much else. Big menu and big portions. Modest prices. HG/BSK and their gifted daughter, Lesley R, brilliant and beautiful granddaughters, Arianna and Sofia, Birthday Boy Massimo, tore into the food and wine with gusto. Memorable fun.

Christmas at the Rhode Island home of daughter Lesley R., son in law Massimo R.; beautiful (and brilliant) granddaughters Arianna and Sofia R., is glorious. HG/BSK are very fortunate in having a close, loving, amusing family. Some sadness since son Jeremy, wife Maiko, children Haru and Teru, are in far away Tokyo. This is the second family Christmas without the presence of children and toys. Despite that, there will be a mountain of gifts to open. The food (and wine) loving family has, as usual, dined well. Lesley R. went to a local farmers market and bought pounds of varied mushroom. They formed the basis of Lesley’s fabulous pappardelle with mushroom sauce (made HG semi-delirious with pleasure as HG accompanied it with a good Spanish red). At HG’s fervent request, the family (accompanied by young neighbor, Raphie) dined one night at Chonquing, the very good Szechuan restaurant in Providence. Favorite dish was a big platter of fish filets on a base of vegetables. Asian theme continued with a savory gyoza and crab salad lunch at Miko, a pleasant Japanese eatery in the town of Barrrington. The sweet highlight of the holiday was a key lime pie baked by Raphie. The thoughtful young man made a big bowl of whipped cream as a topping. Heaven.

“Tasting menus” have become omnipresent in Paris (featured in most of the new eateries opened by “creative” young chefs). Following Per Se’s lead, they’re catching on in New York. HG doesn’t approve. Too much food. Too many chances for tastebuds to become overwhelmed. Too expensive. HG/BSK avoid “great” restaurants with stratospheric prices. No dinner for two is worth hundreds upon hundreds of dollars (even if the food and wine are superlative). And, those Japanese sushi “omakase” places that charge insane prices for raw fish are part of the vulgar catering to oligarchs and other billionaires. HG/BSK prefer to eat at home where HG/BSK can drink plentiful wine without having to endure lofty restaurant mark ups. It helps that BSK is a master of simple food (albeit with some BSK inventive tweaks): Roast spatchcocked chicken; sauteed Petrale sole; mussels meuniere; cod, mussel and bacon seafood stew; omelets and Jerusalem shakshuka; poached eggs over cheesy grits; Texas (no beans) chile; pork chops; lamb chops; Middle East kefta (oven roasted cigar shaped ground lamb patties flavored with onions, pignolias, variety of spices). Also: pastas galore; Italian soups; many salads with pungent dressings relying on the best Italian extra virgin olive oil; multitude of in season fresh vegetables. For special occasions: rack of New Zealand lamb; pan broiled New York strip steak. Be assured. This is not nepotism. HG/BSK’s favorite NewYork restaurants are the four owned and run by HG’s daughter, Victoria F. and husband/chef Marc Meyer: Vic’s (Italian); Rosie’s (Mexican); Shuka (Middle Eastern); Cookshop (American/Mediterranean). Warm welcome to all diners. Deft service. Knowing wine assistance. Very tasty (with original touches) farm to table food (Marc has pioneered this concept) Go and enjoy. Say HG/BSK sent you.

Gifted Daughter Lesley R. is extraordinary. She has a very demanding job as communications and marketing director of a major Rhode Island hospital/health services group. Despite professional challenges and stresses, Lesley R. always manages to get home to Riverside and prepare spectacular meals for family and visiting parents, HG/BSK. Upon arrival in Rhody, HG/BSK were greeted by a dinner of Cuban pulled pork served with a savory sauce plus black beans, rice, chopped onions, pineapple salsa and fiery hot sauce sold and created by one of son Jeremy’s Brooklyn pals. The meal ended with a lush gorgonzola (from The Italian Corner, the estimable East Providence grocery/restaurant) and a sweet Armenian pumpkin condiment gifted by Diane, Lesley’s neighbor and good friend. The next night there was Clams Posillipo (four dozen fresh local cherrystones). Cheese and Comice pear climax. Happily, ten more days of gustatory pleasure (at the Riva home and in restaurants) await.

Soon off to Riverside, R.I., for holiday feasting and fun with the glorious Riva family. Daughter Lesley R. promises osso buco for Christmas dinner. That’s a zillion times better than turkey. (Viva Italia!!). Russ & Daughters will provide the traditional Jewish Feast of the Seven Fishes. And, there will be fabulous dinners at some of the superior Portuguese, Chilean and Chinese eateries in Providence. Meanwhile in New Mexico, Toby, The Wonder Dog, and HG/BSK’s property will be under the superior protection of pal/tenant Robert C. and pal/house sitter Vicki B. HG/BSK will miss their little furry buddy. Also seriously missed will be son Jeremy and wife Maiko plus very tall Haru and adorable Teru. Saving grace is there will be much Face Time with the Tokyo family. HG/BSK and the Riva family will miss Jeremy’s potato latkes. Granddaughters Arianna and Sofia will heat up a skillet and give latke construction a try.

Permit HG to express fury. In a searing column, Paul Krugman of The New York Times, called the Republican Party the “party of full authoritarianism.” In its blind obedience to its leader, Der Trumper (and his lackeys), the GOP has used gerrymandering and blocking the votes of minorities (mainly African-Americans) to keep and seize power. It has echoed Der Trumperer’s war on the media and his disgraceful environmental and immigration policies. The GOP and Der Trumperer have denigrated some of the most significant American institutions: The Federal and State Courts; the Department of Justice; the FBI, the CIA, etc. Like Hitler, the GOP and Der Trumperer are trying to create a Federal government where all institutions serve the President (or Dictator) and not the people of the United States. The disaster of global warming has been denied and the use of fossil fuels has been encouraged. The changes in environmental laws favor industrial giants (and oil companies) while despoiling our air, water, wild life, wilderness, national parks and monuments. Der Trumperer’s tax laws favor the rich and the USA”s health care system is a shambles, the worst among industrialized nations. HG thinks labeling the GOP “authoritarian” is too mild. In HG’s view, the GOP is creating a Fascist oligarchy. Democracy is in danger.

The media went overboard this week in praise of the late President George H.W. Bush. HG did not share in the national mourning. As head of the C.I.A., Bush oversaw many covert programs within Central America that were intended to disrupt those countries. We are still seeing the fallout today in terms of migrant refugees fleeing the chaos of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, etc. As the Republican Presidential candidate Bush approved the infamous, racist “Willie Horton” commercial. Basically, this commercial warned voters that the Democratic Party’s more lenient criminal incarceration policies would free a horde of African-American rapists and murderers. It was racist and mean. Facts about Democratic policies were false. Bigotry won and helped turn the tide of the election. During his presidency, Bush ignored the AIDS epidemic that was killing his fellow Americans. HG believes his military interventions in Iraq and Panama were not necessary. There were diplomatic solutions. Bush was a product of the East Coast Republican establishment and the New England W.A.S.P. aristocracy. He had patrician dignity and manners. This is in direct contrast with the semi-Fascist, real estate developer boor now occupying the White House. Thus, the overpraise.

This is a vegetable that’s sometimes labeled “endive” or “Belgian endive.” Whatever. It’s all splendid. BSK sometimes mixes endive spears with Boston lettuce. HG approves of this mix but no other. HG’s favorite dressing for an endive salad is BSK’s sublime blue cheese or French roquefort dressing. With an extra hunk of the dressing cheese this is a very nice finale to dinner when accompanied by glass of a good red wine (tonight it was Chianti). Endive is versatile. It’s very pleasant when braised in olive oil and white wine. Nice accompaniment for a chicken paillard. Sometimes HG eats braised endive over garlic and anchovy enriched pasta. It’s a perfect scoop for hummus, tsatziki and other spreads. Very nice with a stir fry of ground pork, sesame oil, scallions, szechuan peppers and a splash of oyster sauce (or hoisin). Ale in hand, HG likes to scoop up this mix with crisp, cold endive spears.

First layover after leaving Rhode Island was Leiwsburg, Pa., site of a notable Civil War battle, a giant federal prison, Bucknell University (alma mater of the late Philip Roth), and Reba and Pancho’s Restaurant. HG/BSK had a spectacular meal there in 2017 (see post in archive) so that’s where the famished duo headed after swims and stretches. Sipped a very good white wine with two spectacular appetizers: A crisp “Skinny Pizza”, goat cheese topping instead of the usual mozzarella; Fundido, a casserole of melted cheese mixed with jalapenos and greens. These starters were state of the art and very filing. HG/BSK realized they had over-ordered. That’s because a platter of pommes frites, crab cake (for HG) and salmon in an unusual sauce (for BSK) were on the way. HG asked the waitperson if there had been any change in the composition of the crab cake. Reply was the crab cake was identical to the one which delighted HG a year ago (this was a lush crab cake composed of lump crabmeat). Big disappointment when HG tasted the 2018 version. Shredded crab meat, not lump, which make the crab cake taste like a very ordinary fish cake. BSK said the salmon was okay but left over more than half. These dishes were accompanied by two more glasses of the white wine. Top flight cuisine returned with two Paris bistro desserts, creme brulee and chocolate mousse. Two complaints: Waitperson deluded HG about the crab cake. Also, did not inform HG/BSK about the price of the white wine. It was $14 a glass, four glasses for $56. If informed, HG/BSK would have purchased a modest bottle. HG’s counsel to folks who want to try R & P, order Mexican inspired dishes, skip the crab cake and ask the price of wine by the glass.

Last nights in Rhody were festive. First, there was a pre-birthday (HG will be 89 November 9) dinner at Chonqing House, the excellent Szechuan restaurant in Providence. HG became an ardent Chonqing fan when it was located in quite bleak premises in a Seekonk, Mass., strip mall. Now it’s located in spacious, attractive space on Providence’s Wickenden Street. Thankfully, the cuisine hasn’t changed. HG/BSK; Lesley, Massimo and Arianna R. feasted on delicate wontons in a fiery chili oil; cumin lamb; braised eggplant, pea shoots, fried string beans, Mapo tofu and more, much more. The Chonqing tradition remains healthy. For the Rhody farewell dinner, Gifted Daughter Lesley R. prepared a pork loin braised in milk (a la Marcella Hazan) with oven roasted potatoes. Great dish on a cool night. Profesore Massimo R. didn’t join the group. He was off to play in a tennis doubles match and prefers not to have a big meal before a game. The Profesore, an aging Federer, won, of course.