HUNGRY GERALD

When HG lived in New York and New Jersey (yesteryear), men’s bathrooms (in hotels and restaurants) were staffed with courtly and helpful attendants (presume women’s bathrooms had female attendants). The Algonquin Hotel had a very distinguished attendant (HG presumes he was an aristocrat having difficult days). The Oak Room of the Plaza Hotel also had a regal attendant. Once, HG used a sanitary facility next to actor Cary Grant. HG noticed that Grant tipped the attendant five dollars (lavish). HG was content tipping one dollar. HG’s favorite men’s room was at the long demolished Polo Grounds in Manhattan (baseball and football Giants played there–the football Giants later moved to Yankee Stadium in The Bronx). The men’s room was staffed by an old Black man. He would chant “No matter if you shake or dance, the last drop will always fall in your. pants”. Before you left he would declaim: “If you had your little pee, don’t forget to remember me–old Sam.”  He was always tipped –sometimes as much as ten bucks.                                            

 Every BSC supper is a yummy delight. Last night, there was a fabulous bowl of orzo, zucchini,   bacon and chicken broth (much parmesan); this was followed by a ragout of Italian sausage, peppers and vegetables. Wonderful food. Joyous eating on  nights at  Riva/Freeman oceanfront home on serene Prince Edward Island and at HG/BSK’s spacious loft in Central Falls, .RI.                 ,

Yes, these are the best chili peppers and essential for BSK’s delicious and warming pork green chili stew. These peppers have some heat but are not mouth numbing. BSK is so fond of these peppers that BSK bought pounds at the Santa Fe Food Market, froze them.and they went off to Rhode Island  and Prince Edward Island. Cold night at PEI. BSK beat the chills with BSK’s incomparable green chili comfort dish. Thanks, Big Jim (and BSK).

Yes, super home chef BSK made enough of this wonderful dish for two tasty suppers. BSK mixed ground chicken with chopped spinach, spices and aromatics.  BSK rolled them into balls (golf ball dimensions) and baked them in the oven. They were served with quinoa (moistened with broth) and a tangy yogurt sauce. Stupendous. This was luxury eating on a chilly night in the Freeman/Riva oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island, a serene democracy that welcomes diversity. HG could eat this lush and comforting meal every night. It’s that good. 

HG has two Taschen art books–voluminous volume on David Hockney and a more modest sized book on Fernando Botero. Hockney is still alive and productive at 88. Botero died in 2023, aged 91.These are two of HG’s favorite artists and the books give HG much visual pleasure as HG looks at them from a comfortable leather lounge chair in HG/BSK’s family oceanfront home on Prince Edward Island, where free speech and democracy rule. There are few artists as productive as Hockney–portraits (large and small) , abstract and figurative paintings, gay characterizations of friends, lovers and idols (Christopher Isherwood), landscapes (small and monumental), etchings, collages, photography, stage sets and more ,much more. HG is very fond of Hockney’s Los Angeles swimming pool paintings, but HG’s speciâl love is for his huge, magnificent landscapes–so sorry can’t travel to London to see them. Botero’s paintings have an old master sheen and his vision of a bloated and frightening world give HG chills and thrills. No, these are not “fat” people but rather ingenious creations of volume. His paintings have wit and many subversive attacks on militarism and totalitarianism. His art demands your close attention and examination. And, they often make HG laugh.

Soup, soup–Glorious Soup!! Yes, that’s what HG has for lunch every day—warming, comforting, tasty. BSK makes sure there’s plenty of variety. Big winners are green tomato soup and chickpea soup topped with olive oil (Marcella Hazan’s recipe). That’s not all–BSK makes splendid squash soup (inspired  by BSK’s beloved late aunt Beulah K.–HG’s sister), broccoli soup, escarole soup, zucchini soup, cauliflower soup and more veggie based bowls of steaming goodness. HG likes a pot of hot chicken broth, garlic, parsley and tofu. Today, HG had a bowl of lovely carrot and ginger soup from a small shop BSK discovered in the PEI town, Souris. HG often has gustatory pleasure with canned soups like Amy’s (healthy)  and Rao’s bottled soups (Rao’s wedding soup is a killer). Soup for supper should be accompanied by bread and butter, cheese and hearty red wine.

This is HG’s all time favorite dish and HG always orders it when dining in an Asian restaurant and always includes it in takeout. Last night, versatile BSK cooked the BSK version of the dish. HG  had some concerns—HG recently had some swallowing problems. Not to worry. HG swallowed BSK’s Ma Po Tofu with ease. The dish was spectacular—as good as any restaurant version. As the country song has it: “If my woman can’t do it , it can’t be done”.  BSK can do everything—with style and creativity. Ma Po Tofu ingredients: Chicken broth, ground pork, buckwheat noodles, mushrooms, slices of red pepper,garlic, onions, tofu, hot sauce and sesame oil. HG could eat it every night.

There was a time yesteryear when there was only one Mexican restaurant in New York—and it was terrible, inedible food. Then, one day as HG rambled in east Greenwich Village,  HG discovered a little hole in the wall that served delicious tacos–only taco soiurce in New York (now there are a zillion). HG was hooked on tacos. On a visit to HG/BSK’s beloved late pal, Peter Meyerson, in Los Angeles. Large Mexican poulation in that city. HG asked Peter to take him to an authenic taqueria. Peter took HG to Taco Bell. Uh, oh!!

Yes, the chicken is a noble bird. Indispensable and versatile in cooking. Low calorie when poached or boiled. Nutritious and excellent source of protein.  BSK is a talented chicken cook and displays her skills in stews (Shwarma is a fave), sheet pan bakes., traditional roasts, sautes and broils in a cast iron pan (lots of garlic, cumin, olive oil and onions for flavor–and Harissa for heat ). HG is a fan of all things “picante”. Last night , BSK made a Moroccan tagine of chicken, chickpeas, garlic, onions and vegetables. Very delicious. Tonight, BSK is roasting Bell & Evans spatchcocked chicken . HG doesn’t know BSK’s secret but this is one of HG’s favorite dishes–juicy, herbaceous and with crisped skin. It will be accompanied by just picked sweet corn.  HG is looking forward to it. Oddly, BSK never makes Southern fried chicken. BSK thinks it is fattening and greasy. 

Chilly night at HG/BSK’s oceanfront home on serene, democratic Prince Edward Island. Whitecaps adorned the sea and fierce winds rustled the shrubs and trees (cold continued the next day with the addition of a brief rainfall). BSK responded to the weather by cooking a body and soul warming casserole. The ingredients included ground lamb, eggplant, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and an unusual mix of egg and yogurt–plus cumin and other spices and herbs.While cooking, the melange was smoothed with BSK’s immersion blender. BSK served steaming bowls with picante harissa and yogurt speckled with zaatar. HG declared this HG’s favorite  casserole and hoped there would be enough for lunch the next day. Fortunately, there was.