HUNGRY GERALD

Some years ago, HG/BSK toured Sicily with daughter Lesley R., her husband, Profesore Massimo and Granddaughters Arianna and Sofia (then little girls but showing signs of their future brilliance and beauty). HG/BSK had the very good fortune to have Massimo as the tour leader and guide. Professor of Italian Studies at Brown University, he is learned in almost every aspect of Italian culture. And, he grew up in the Sicilian city of Siracusa. Best of all, in HG’s point of view, Massimo combines learning with a good appetite and a knowledgeable appreciation of Italian cuisine. Thus, the group combined visits to the spectacular ruins of Greek temples and other architectural and natural sights, with extraordinary dining. In raucous colorful Palermo, HG tasted voluptuous linguine with sea urchin roe at a seaside restaurant. In a smoky hole in the wall in the center of the city, HG was introduced to the wonders of fried brains, spleen and other innards. And, in the teeming streets HG tasted mysterious treats dispensed by itinerant vendors. While driving, there were many roadside lunches under the Sicilian sun on the outdoor terraces of hillside trattorias. The pasta dishes with eggplant sauces were a revelation. Instead of customary cheese and fruit, the group ended some meals with an array of the justifiably famous Sicilian pastries. In Massimo’s hometown of Siracusa, a trip to the wonderfully preserved Roman amphitheater was followed by bowls of spaghetti with seppie (cuttlefish) plus grilled seppie with peppers and tomatoes. Siracusa is a 2,700 year old city. It was one of the most important cities of Europe during its Grecian period, rivaled only by Athens. Romans, Arabs and other occupiers left their marks on Siracusa. A wondrous city, indeed. After Siracusa, HG/BSK left the family behind and journeyed to the spectacular city of Taormina and its scenic location atop a hillside overlooking the Ionian Sea. On the east coast of Sicily, it has long been one the world’s most favored summer vacation destinations (much loved by Goethe and scores of other poets, novelists and painters). Its colorful art colony and its many gay visitors (Truman Capote, Jean Cocteau, Jean Marais, Tennessee Williams, etc.) gave it a reputation of being “Sodom by the sea.” Today, it’s know for its luxurious hotels and chic shopping promenade. The architectural gem of Taormina is Teatro Greco, a horseshoe shaped theater (built by the Greeks and Romans) that seems suspended between the sea and the sky. Woody Allen used it as the setting for a Greek chorus in his 1995 movie, Mighty Aphrodite. The sea view from HG/BSK’s hotel room terrace was unforgettable as was the pasta with sardines HG/BSK happily consumed in the hotel dining room. The pasta — which contained raisins, pignolia nuts and saffron in addition to sardines — was a living illustration of the Arab influence on Sicilian cuisine. Last night, BSK brought a touch of Sicily to New Mexico by making a stunning platter of linguine with sardines. The dish started with a sofrito of olive oil, anchovies, garlic, shallots, capers, chopped parsley and tomatoes plus a squeeze of tomato paste and a dash of wine vinegar. When the sofrito had simmered into mellowness, BSK mixed it with the al dente linguine and a bit of pasta water. The dish was then topped with chopped, raw and ripe tomatoes plus black Kalamata olives and Portuguese sardines. The tinned sardines, ordered online from Zingerman’s, the renowned Ann Arbor food merchant, are the best sardines in the world. Thick, meaty, flavorful filets. BSK’s dish topped the Taormina version.

Eggplant is the utility infielder. Eggplant is the sixth man. Eggplant is the triple threat. Okay, you get it. Eggplant is versatile. Best of all, eggplant is delicious. Eggplant is found in all of the world’s great cuisines–French, Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Russian, Italian, Spanish, etc. Last night, BSK did a Franco-Italian riff with eggplant. Cubed three small eggplants, Gave them a solid hit of olive oil and garlic and roasted them in the oven. Sauted tiny tomatoes. Warmed olive oil, anchovies and more garlic in a stovetop pan. Cooked some fusili (spiral shaped pasta) and when the pasta was just about done, put it in the pan with some pasta water and French goat cheese. While cooking on a low flame, gave it an active swirl to create a creamy sauce. Added the tomatoes and eggplant for a final mix. Dusted it with grated parmesan and hot pepper. Wonderful eating. Yes, it’s a variation on traditional Sicilian Pasta a la Norma. So, let’s dub this dish a la BSK. As part of a Chinese meal (maybe one involving a pork or chicken stir fry) HG likes to cook super spicy eggplant the Szechuan way. This involves oyster sauce, hot chili sauce, soy sauce, onions, sesame oil and crushed Szechuan peppercorns. Cooked stovetop for about 20-30 minutes. Rice and cold ale will tamp down the heat. HG does simple Japanese eggplant. Cuts small eggplants in half. Scores the fleshy tops with a knife. Brushes the eggplants with olive (or peanut) oil. Tops them with mucho finely chopped garlic. Roasts them unit mushy soft. When done, gives them a squirt of Japanese Bulldog sauce. Nice with fried fish. And, then there’s Baba Ganoush. HG scoops the soft flesh out of long roasted eggplant. Mixes it with olive oil, garlic (Can you sense a passionate love affair between HG/BSK and garlic ?), cumin, sumac. Aleppo pepper, zaatar (Middle Eastern spice), smoked Spanish paprika, sea salt and a dash of tahini. Chops it all up so the mix has integrity and isn’t a puree. HG/BSK often makes Baba Ganoush an integral part of a meal involving lamb kefta (cigar shaped barbecued or pan fried lamb burgers), Bulgarian feta cheese, Kalamata olives, scallions and warm pita flavored with olive oil and zaatar. And, then there’s eggplant parmigiano. The treats go on and on.

HG has never been a fan of outdoor dining. Too hot. Too cold. Too windy. Friendly to insects. And, the sun has a habit of getting directly in HG’s eyes. Food magazines are always filled with photos of folks having a jolly time at long tables outdoors while the barbecue performs smoky, culinary wonders. Parisians, usually sensible, if demanding, in terms of food, go nuts with joy at the possibility of eating on a restaurant terrace. They brave cold, dampness, auto fumes and beggars for this dubious delight. The only outdoor dining HG has ever enjoyed has been a feast of freshly shucked Malpeque or Colville Bay oysters served on the ocean-facing deck of HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island home. However, here in New Mexico where HG/BSK reside for most of the year, BSK has managed to create an outdoor dining experience that even HG, a stubborn curmudgeon, must admit is a delight. BSK has strung dozens of tiny lights in the shade tree that grows on the HG/BSK brick floored terrace. The light is soft and conducive to wine drinking. The view is of Las Barrancas (reddish colored cliffs and mesas). So, it’s cocktails on the portale (long, low porch) and dinner on the terrace. A few nights ago the menu was a filet of wild salmon cooked medium rare on the barbecue; tiny Ratte potatoes; a salad of fresh greens dotted with gently sautéed buttery oyster mushrooms. HG concocted a sauce that went beautifully with the salmon and potatoes: Mayonnaise (Hellman’s, of course); olive oil; finely chopped fresh garlic; Maille Dijon Mustard; lemon juice and lemon zest; salt; pepper; tarragon from BSK’s herb garden. Manchego cheese and quince jam as a finale. Perfect meal. Perfect setting. Big time mind change for HG.

HG/BSK are great fans of composed salads. Essentially, composed salads are constructed of greens plus a number of cooked and raw ingredients. Years ago HG tasted a composed salad featured at Jonathan Waxman’s trailblazing restaurant in New York: Jams. This was a salad of garden lettuces dressed with walnut oil and containing warm sautéed mushrooms and walnuts. A lovely, innovative California treat. This past summer, BSK and Lesley R. built a salad of local greens, radicchio, abundant sautéed South Lake scallops, mushrooms, farmers market green peas. A splendid array of seasonal Prince Edward Island ingredients. A worthy contender to HG’s favorite salad, one HG has enjoyed at a number of traditional Paris bistros: Frisee, lardons and a poached egg. Not exactly a salad endorsed by the cardiology police but mighty good. A glass of Brouilly. A baguette. Vive la France!!.

Yes, HG is very much in favor of the new stress on local farm-to-table eating. Alice Waters started the trend at her immensely influential California restaurant, Chez Panisse. Marc Meyer, HG/BSK’s favorite chef, is a leading advocate of this philosophy at the four New York restaurants he owns with wife/partner Victoria Freeman (HG’s talented daughter) : Cookshop, Rosie’s, Vic’s and Hundred Acres. However, when dining at home, HG/BSK bend the locavore rules A LOT and certainly do utilize imports. Last night’s meal mixed local and imported foods and was outstanding. Started with a platter of tomatoes and basil (both from BSK’s New Mexico garden) plus mozzarella (An import, sadly, Not to be compared to the fresh made daily cheese HG would purchase at Belgiovine’s Grocery in Montclair, N.J.). Main dish was lamb chops (Featured at Trader Joe’s, they are a New Zealand import. Superb. Comparable to the chops HG/BSK would savor at the long closed Coach House Restaurant in New York’s Greenwich Village). Accompaniments were fingerling potatoes (local) and a big surprise, haricot verts imported from Guatemala. BSK steamed them and then gave them a quick sauté in Sicilian olive oil with a melange of herbs from BSK’s garden. These were the best haricot certs HG ever tasted, far superior to Paris’s best. (go figure). HG mixed a bowl of Fage Greek Yogurt (Despite the name, it’s made in the United States) with garlic, olive oil, sumac cumin, zaatar, smoked black pepper. All of these imported spices gave the yogurt a Middle Eastern flavor that enhanced the tastes of lamb and potatoes. Before the meal, HG drank Polish vodka. With the meal there was Spanish Garnacha red wine. International and local dining at its best.

HG likes to eat (and drink). And, when not indulging in these ever bright pleasures, HG likes to read about them. The most appetizing book about these subjects is Between Meals: An Appetite For Paris by A.J. Liebling, the New Yorker writer who had a prodigious appetite and a prodigious talent. He said of himself: “I write faster than anyone who writes better, and better than anyone who writes faster.” The book deals with Liebling’s culinary (and amorous life) in Paris. It’s witty, erudite and wonderfully evocative of that magical city. M.F.K Fisher is another writer who has written well of France, food, love and loss. Her prose is impeccable. Her recipes are terrible. Waverley Root has written definitive books about the food and wine of France and Italy. Nice analysis of tastes and regional specialties. Alexander Lobrano, Patricia Wells and blogger John Talbott are reliable reviewers of today’s Paris restaurants. Best of all New York restaurant reviewers was the late Seymour Britchky. Irreverent, funny and accurate. He died in 2004 and HG misses his acid reviews of pretentious restaurants. The New York Times, of course, has been the leader in restaurant reviewing. Craig Claiborne was the pioneer. Good judgment but much impressed by mediocre Chinese restaurants and Jewish delicatessens (probably due to a provincial Mississippi youth). Mimi Sheraton was HG’s favorite Times critic. Sheraton combined a love of “haimish” cooking with a taste for big, international flavors. HG also much enjoyed Ruth Reichl’s work at the Times before she moved on to Gourmet Magazine (sadly,no longer published). Current critic Pete Wells is at his best when he’s being destructive. Otherwise, he seems a bit too arch and precious. Sam Sifton, the food editor, is splendid. He’s made the Times a rich source of recipes and ideas for delicious home cooking (Melissa Clark is a standout. HG finds Mark Bittman uneven). Joseph Wechsberg, who wrote about European restaurants (and much else) for the New Yorker is ripe for rediscovery. And, HG recalls with fondness the down to earth midwestern flavored food writing of Clementine Paddleford (great name) of the long demised New York Herald Tribune. Calvin Trillin is the poet laureate of barbecue and other indigenous American foods (however, HG can never understand his love for the vastly overrated Mosca’s Restaurant near New Orleans). Jane and Michael Stern’s books about highway and roadside restaurants were lively and wildly influential but their selections are very uneven. They liked some terrible Tex-Mex and hamburger joints in Colorado but led HG/BSK to some very good eating in Montana and Washington. So, take their recommendations with caution.

One of the depressing aspects of old age (HG will be 86 in November) is the passing of long time friends. Two years ago it was Peter Meyerson, the gifted TV comedy writer who was HG’s uproarious companion in irreverent mirth for almost 60 years. Earlier this year, Nir Baraket, the esteemed Toronto photographer, HG/BSK’s friend for some 50 years, died. And, last week Uli Monaco died. HG met Uli (she was then Uli Beigel) at Bennington College in 1954. Uli was 19, very original, very bohemian and very talented. HG and friends all had literary ambitions. It was Uli who realized those ambitions. Her early short stories were published in Mademoiselle and the New Yorker and collected in book form as Victoria At Night and other stories. We were all thrilled to see her very young face (with its usual expression of slightly amused irony) adorning the back cover. For whatever reason, that was the last fiction Uli ever published. She went on to motherhood (three children) and a long marriage to HG’s friend Donald Monaco (who survives her). Uli had an extensive career in pharmaceutical and medical public relations. She was always vague about her career. HG only knew she was well paid and very respected in the field. Uli had a razor sharp wit and a powerful intellect. It seemed brutally unfair that such a mind be assaulted by Alzheimer’s. Uli was not in good shape when she and Donald managed to get to New York two years ago for HG/BSK’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Party. It wasn’t easy for Uli but she was there to help HG/BSK celebrate. That was the last time HG saw Uli. HG (and many, many others) will miss her.

HG has a tendency to be both impulsive and stubborn. This has led to some bad decisions and some very good ones. HG met BSK some 52 years ago. Went out on a dinner date. Never spent a night apart from then on. Married three months later. Impulsive? Yes. But, it was the best impulse HG ever succumbed to. Some impulses (all about rather minor matters) didn’t turn out so well. When HG was 15, the adolescent fellow visited a barber and asked for a short crew cut. The barber didn’t approve. “Are you sure about that, young man ?”, he questioned. Stubborn HG insisted. His head was shaved and much to the scorn of friends and family, the young man was a premature skinhead. Years later, fashionable HG had a pretentious hair “stylist”. The artiste had one name: “Vicente”. While snipping HG’s snow white locks, Vicente suggested adding a look of ‘steel” to HG’s hair. Impulsively, HG agreed to the hair treatment. Came home to BSK. A loud shriek from BSK. “What have you done? You’ve got a blue head!!” A few bad clothing decisions by usually dapper HG: A pair of 1960s vivid plaid bell bottoms. Clownish. A pair of high heeled shoes (these had a brief 60’s moment). HG tottered for a few days, threw them away, and returned to being vertically challenged. HG has made two bad food decisions because of stubbornness. Both involved Chinese food. HG was warned by a waiter in a Szechuan restaurant that a vaunted shrimp dish was “too hot for Americans, only for Chinese.” HG insisted. Waiter warned. HG insisted. Waiter surrendered. The food numbed HG’s mouth. HG’s body was drenched in sweat. His color was crimson. Tears flowed from HG’s eyes. Water. Cold beer. Nothing helped. Only time HG could not put out the flames. At another Chinese restaurant, HG saw two Chinese men happily sharing what appeared to be a very good vegetable dish. HG told the waiter to bring him that dish. “You won’t like it. This has special taste.” Once more, after much tussling, stubborn HG got his way. HG dug in. The food was unidentifiable. It tasted like shredded rubber tires that had been stewed in fermented tooth paste. The smell? Bad barnyard. Malfunctioning toilet. With a sardonic smile, the waiter watched HG struggle. To maintain his dignity, HG ate a quarter of the dish before giving in. Never discovered what was in the horror dish.

Off on the long drive from Prince Edward Island to Riverside, R.I. (home of Gifted Daughter Lesley R. and family) with an overnight stop at the Senator Hotel in Augusta, Maine. BSK is the world’s best, most alert, most tireless long distance driver. Toby, The Wonder Dog, is a happy traveler, perched on the arm rest and watching the changing scenery with interest. HG is a contented, passive passenger. BSK drove for seven hours through changing weather. Sunny. Threatening clouds. Light fog. Dense fog. Comfortable, dog friendly room at the Senator. Nice area in which to walk Toby. Excellent Maine dinner at the hotel restaurant. A pair of Maine lobsters (modestly priced) for HG. (Since BSK is allergic to crustaceans, BSK’s Maine voyages have always been marked by watching, with envy, HG devour the state’s most famous product). HG/BSK had a platter of freshly shucked oysters from Maine waters. Splendid. Comparable to PEI’s Colville Bay product. HG/BSK, on the next day drive, were surprised by the heavy traffic. (Traffic is very light, almost non-existent, in PEI and New Mexico). Lunched at the Blount Clam Shack adjacent to the lovely Crescent Park carousel in Riverside. Savory Rhode Island “Clambake Chowder” and (for HG) a wonderfully generous lobster roll, sweet lobster drenched in melted butter). Warm reunion with the Riva family. The Riva gardens, home and water views are particularly beautiful in the early days of New England autumn. Lesley and Brilliant Granddaughter Arianna hosted a woman’s group of 14 for dinner while HG/BSK and Profesore Massimo R. dined at Sun and Moon, a delightful Korean restaurant in East Providence. Korean pancakes and other down home Korean cooking (some outstanding stir fried pork bellies). HG drank much Soju with beer chasers. With Toby at the foot of the bed, HG/BSK slept soundly after a long day of travel.

Oh, well, Toby (a possible Havanese/Poodle mix) isn’t really a “wonder dog” in the Lassie and Rin-Tin-Tin tradition, but the furry little fellow is much loved by HG/BSK. Vertically challenged (like HG), Toby has a long body and very short legs. Soft black and white coat like a little lamb. Soft and cuddly (Doesn’t shed, thankfully). Impeccable toilet habits. During the one year Toby has resided with HG/BSK, he has had one minor league indoor accident. Loves to bound outdoors (Has a five acre play area in New Mexico and a lavish amount of green space plus beach in Prince Edward Island. Plus, he can paddle in the sea). He’s an excellent watch dog with a powerful bark and growl. Toby has a Marilyn Monroe-like wiggle in his walk. (A vet called him “bubble butt.”) HG should mention (without bias) that Toby is extremely cute and is so recognized by everyone. BSK and Beautiful Granddaughter Sofia found Toby at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter. The little dog had been abandoned on a Los Angeles street after some rough treatment. He wound up in a “kill” shelter before being brought to Santa Fe. Therefore, Toby’s saga is Dickensian in nature. Toby is very loving and gentle with children. He has a stubborn, independent streak. When commanded to “Come!!”, he treats it like an option rather than a imperative. However, he is a perfect companion on a walk, an indoor romp or a long car ride. Gifted Daughter Lesley R. is responsible for the presence of Toby in the HG/BSK household. HG had stubbornly refused to have a dog (travel complications, pain at having to “put down” previous loved dogs and horses, old age infirmities, etc.). Lesley R. made her case with logic and passion. .Enter Toby. Lucky HG and BSK. Since HG’s musings concentrate on food, HG should mention that Toby shares HG/BSK’s gourmand tastes. Leftovers (clams, fish, beef, pork) are always added to Toby’s Kibble. Consumed with gusto. Accompanied by water, not white or red wine. There are limits.