HUNGRY GERALD

Yes, that’s HG’s most used phrase. The old (90 next month) guy’s hearing has deteriorated. At family gatherings and dinners with friends, usually voluble HG remains silent as wisps of talk swirl faintly about. Soft voiced BSK must shout in order to communicate. Good news. That’s all in the past tense. After much urging from BSK and the rest of HG’s family, reluctant HG finally gave in and procured expensive (and worth it) hearing aids. There were professional hearing examinations at Horizon Hearing Centre in the Town of Montague, Prince Edward Island. D.Michael Learie, audiology clinician, conducted the tests and prescribed very effective, barely visible aids. Yes, HG can now hear. Oh, joy. There’s another benefit. Hearing is connected to balance. Since wearing the aids, HG can walk without a cane. HG’s bearing is straighter. Days are happier.

Russ & Daughters, the venerable, wonderful “appetizing” shop on New York’s lower east side, sells gravlox (or gravlax) for $42 a pound. Though HG/BSK and family always order smoked fish treats from R & D for festive holiday meals, they never order gravlox (which is probably splendid). For the uninitiated, gravlox is raw salmon, cured in salt and sugar and covered in dill. The fish is weighted down with bricks or other heavy objects and cured for a day or so in the refrigerator. Sliced paper-thin, and served with a mustard, honey (or sugar), chopped dill sauce, it is a great way to start a meal (naughty HG accompanies it with vodka on the rocks). Here on Prince Edward Island, BSK makes perfect gravlox using farm-raised salmon from Nova Scotia. BSK’s dill sauce is the best. And, the cost is about eight dollars a pound, more than enough for a number of meals. Thrifty (and talented) BSK rules.

Sunday night, Sept. 30. First night of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year (it’s 5780 now). HG/BSK had the good fortune to be part of the most delicious, rousing, musical new year’s eve celebration ever. It all took place at Amram and Marina’s farm, just a few miles from Ocean Mist Farm, the verdant, fertile agricultural Prince Edward Island acreage of Noel and Yossi M. (BSK’s sister and brother in law). Amram, like Yossi, was reared on an Israeli kibbutz and has been a major organic farmer for many years, first in Turkey and now on PEI. Among his crops are oats which make HG/BSK’s favorite oatmeal. Unique coincidence that two former kibbutzniks should wind up as neighbors on PEI. Amram’s wife, Marina, grew up in a multi-ethnic part of Russia bordering Iran. The diversity of that area influences her splendid cuisine. Amram and Marina’s big dining table was filled cozily. In addition to A. and M., there were their son, Daniel, a senior at Prince Edward Island University; Yossi and Noel; HG/BSK. Plus Luda and Sevillie (originally from Belorussia where Luda (female) was a musician/singer and Sevillie (male) was a music producer. On PEI, Luda is a hairstylist and Sevillie is a financial trader. (They brought perfect, home-baked challahs). And, also at table were Joe and wife, Geneva. Both are retired schoolteachers, originally from Newfoundland. They now winter in Calgary and summer on PEI. The festivities began with wine (BSK brought four bottles) and slices of apple with honey (to guarantee a sweet year, hopefully). Salad dishes covered the table (HG’s favorite was grated carrots). And, then began a parade of hot dishes. Lamb. Chicken. Stuffed cabbage. Stuffed zucchini. There may have been more. A feast of original and savory dishes. The meal ended with Marina’s Russian apple pie and Noel’s zucchini bread (N. and M. also provided a leg of lamb for the meat dishes). Bibulous HG sipped Crown Royal Canadian whiskey brought by Joe. Off to the living room for music. Talented Joe brought his accordion and Yossi had his guitar. What followed was a wonderful concert. Songs of Canada and the Maritime Provinces from Joe ( thoughtfully, he projected the lyrics on a computer screen). Rosh Hashanah and Israeli melodies from Yossi. Then a happy surprise. Beautiful singing of Russian songs by Luda. Some of them were favorites of HG’s late Belorussian-born Mom. Brought back wistful memories. The magical evening reproduced another age when families grew their own food, cooked it without short cuts and finished special meals with homespun music, song (and poetry recitations by the very young). This age came back to life on Rosh Hashanah, Prince Edward Island, 5780.

Jewish custom for the New Year

HG awakened to a sunny, cold, windy Prince Edward Island morning. Happily, BSK had made a pot of steaming Red Mill grits. The wonderful woman topped HG’s portion with a pat of butter and a perfect poached egg. A bowlful of pleasure. HG has always loved grits since encountering them when HG lived in an Athens, Georgia, boarding house at the age of six. HG has a vivid and happy memory of the breakfasts prepared by a smiling African-American woman. Fried ham. Scrambled eggs. Freshly made light-as-a-feather biscuits. And, grits streaked with ham gravy. Drink was hot milk darkened with a bit of coffee. Oh, my!! On the road, HG always has a bowl of grits topped with poached eggs at Waffle House. Purists may sneer, but HG often breakfasts on Quaker Oats grits cooked with lots of grated parmesan. Takes minutes to prepare. When SJ lived in Chicago, excellent son led HG to Soul Kitchen (long closed) for a meal of shucked oysters and a platter of creamy grits with Tasso ham and plump Gulf shrimp. A side dish of crisp, fried sage leaves. It was a sublime dish that is now embedded in HG’s memory.

Hurricane Dorian knocked down some trees and did other damage at Ocean Mist Farm, the verdant Prince Edward Island home of BSK’s sister, Noel M., and her husband, Yossi. The industrious duo managed to clean and put things in order. Their horses, sheep, and pigs survived without harm. (Alas, the cute pigs were just converted into pork chops, bacon, hams, pork roasts, etc.). So, all looked good when HG/BSK arrived at Ocean Mist last night for a splendid dinner. As usual, products from the farm highlighted the meal. The main dish was a stuffed pumpkin (moderate size). The top had been cut off, the interior scraped of seeds and then stuffed with home-made sausage, rice, onions, herbs, etc. The top went back on and the stuffed pumpkin was baked in the oven. A treat. The savory stuffing combined with soft, flavorful pumpkin created multiple levels of flavor. Pumpkin is an ingredient much used in Paris bistros and northern Italian dishes. HG wonders why American pumpkins are only used as decorations and lanterns in the autumn and as the filling for pies (and horrible craft beers and lattes) at Thanksgiving. This was accompanied by a polenta gratin dotted with blueberries (currants ?). HG splashed some maple syrup on HG’s portion. Yes, HG is a Canadian maple syrup addict. Quebecois share HG’s passion and in Vancouver — on Canada’s Pacific coast — black cod is gilded with maple syrup before being sauteed or baked. Wondrous dish. Dessert was butter tarts (unavailable in the faltering democracy to the south) and vanilla ice cream. Joyous dinner from start to finish. Thanks, Noel and Yossi.

Some years ago, HG/BSK were lunching at a stylish Barcelona restaurant. At the next table were two elegant, attractive women. When they tasted their dishes they made discreet exclamations of delight. As in the movie “When Harry Met Sally,” HG/BSK told the waiter: “We’ll have what they’re having.” And. that’s how HG/BSK were introduced to the Basque (or Provencal) delight of oven-baked hake with potatoes, onions, tomatoes and other good things. Splendid fresh-from-the-sea hake is available on Prince Edward Island so BSK served this dish at a dinner with across the road neighbors Molly and Peter E., folks who know much about food and drink. The fish was preceded by an oyster feast. HG shucked some 30 oysters: Large Malpeque Superiors, South Lakes with green-tinged shells, small and subtle Savage Harbors. Drank a wonderful Nova Scotia white wine (a Peter gift). Here’s how BSK made the fish: Sautéd two onions and about four cloves of thinly sliced garlic in olive oil in a frying pan. Sprinkled them with salt, smoked pepper and pimenton. This was added to the bottom of a Creuset casserole pot with layers of sliced, barely-cooked potato. Frying pan was deglazed with white wine, clam broth and bonito flakes; this fragrant sauce was poured over the potatoes and onions. BSK then added a layer of ripe tomatoes and roasted tomatoes. Finally, the Hake was draped over the top with extra pinches of salt, pepper and pimenton. The casserole was covered in tin foil and dropped into a 350 degrees oven to bake until the fish was cooked through. Dish was served with chopped scallion, parsley & some chopped kalamata olives. There were no leftovers. Drank a Canadian red wine (endorsed by Wayne Gretzky). Dessert was extraordinary French creme brulee and equally lush Canadian gelato (FIASCO brand). Memorable meal at HG/BSK’s oceanfront paradise.