HUNGRY GERALD

The late Sirio Maccioni (died in 2020–age 88–at his home in Italy) was an elegant, courtly restaurateur. His restaurant , Le Cirque, had a long run–1974-2017–on Manhattan’s upper east side. Its last location was particularly spiffy–151 Beacon Court, a space in the Bloomberg Building.on E. 51st Street. Always welcoming and gracious to the celebrities and “ladies who lunch” that made the expensive eatery their hangout. Although there have been disputes about this, Le Cirque is credited with inventing Spaghetti Primavera and Creme Brulee.  (This dessert is omnipresent in almost every Paris bistro, restaurant and cafe–Le Cirque’s claim seems very dubious). HG thought about Le Cirque tonight as BSK made dinner tonight–Pappardelle Primavera–using fresh Prince Edward Island ingredients  (Yes, Pappardelle is not from PEI–BSK doesn’t use spaghetti in this dish preferring a heartier pasta. The pasta is an Italian import as is the pancetta BSK uses judiciously and the olive oil). All of the other ingredients–zucchini , shallots, parsley, feta cheese and white wine are local except California garlic. BSK’s version of Primavera is much better than Le Cirque’s version of yesteryear. Le Cirque’s was insipid, bathed in cream and verging on tasteless.

The great Yiddish writer, I.B. Singer, was a confirmed vegetarian. He was asked if he didn’t eat chicken because of his health. His reply; “No, for the chickens’ health.” HG recalled this as he watched an internet video of some 300 pounds of large, bloody pieces of beef dumped into a giant cooking receptacle. HG was revolted as HG thought of the butchering of inoffensive cattle. No, this didn’t make HG a vegetarian. The oldster will have occasional lamb chops, pork chops, bacon and sausage. Unlike Singer, HG eats many chickens in dishes prepared with skill and creativity by BSK. However, if HG did become a vegetarian, HG would be happily nourished by a dish BSK made last night: Couscous With Tomatoes, Okra and Chickpeas.  In addition to these ingredients, BSK chopped peppers, garlic and onions–heated a pan with olive oil and gently cooked the melange of vegetables and chickpeas. BSK flavored the dish with tomato paste, fiery Harissa, Aleppo pepper and a half cup of red wine vinegar. Lots of parsley was added to the cooking dish. BSK substituted quinoa for the couscous (It made a nice bed for the spicy food).  BSK added chorizo to BSK’s bowl. None for HG. As usual, HG’s bowl got a splash of Sambal Oelek. HG drank much red wine, toasted BSK’s chef skills and was blissful  The abundance of okra, HG’s favorite veggie, made HG happy.

This is the glass you’ll find on the tables at every Paris bistro and cafe  And, the glass that’s on HG/BSK’s dinner table and food prep bar–it’s the go to glass for water (and sometimes for rough and ready cheap red wine). A dozen years ago, Saveur Magazine did a`brief article on the Picardies. HG learned the glass has been manufactured by the French company, Duralex, since 1929. (The year of HG’s birth). Duralex patented the process that made the glass unbreakable, shatterproof and impervious to heat. Despite HG’s clumsiness, the  eight glasses in HG/BSK’s cupboard look good as new. The glass has a pleasing fluted shape and a  reassuring weight. (Am sipping water from one right now). They will be passed on to our surviving family.

BSK’s birthday was celebrated at Yossi and Noel’s (BSK’s sister and brother in law) Ocean Mist Farm on the south shore of Prince Edward Island. It was a gala event. Dining room views included blooming–and fragrant– wisteria and lilacs. The food on the table was grand. After toasts to the birthday lady, the group dug into boiled lobsters (harvested in the morning) that were dipped into melted butter. This was followed by asparagus from Yossi’s garden and Noel’s super pungent linguine in garlic scape pesto. Beware, Dracula!! Dessert was fisheye tapioca flavored with sugar and cinnamon. (Augmented with vanilla ice cream). And, BSK got gifts–lavender oil and a CD of World War Two bombers. This was a night to be locked in HG/BSK’s memories.

During HG’s hard drinking days with fellow New York journalists (1950-1954) HG often went to lower east side hole-in-the-wall Jewish bars when conventional bars closed  (HG presumes these after-hours bars paid off the police and other authorities). There was vodka, whiskey, brandy and other spirits. Surprise! The bar was topped with platters of cold fried fish showered with crushed garlic and a dash of Tabasco. Mystery! Where did this come from? Never saw it in conventional bars (Uptown and downtown). HG consulted Claudia Roden’s “The Book of Jewish Food.”  HG learned cold fried fish is a staple dish of Great Britain’s Jewish population. The preparation of Jewish style fried fish (filets dusted with flour, dipped in beaten egg, rolled in bread crumbs or matzo meal and fried in oil or chicken–or goose–fat) came to London with Jews exiled from  Spain in the sixteenth century. A Portuguese writer in 1544 noted this was a favorite dish of the refugees. Roden noted that the Jewish cookbook of 1846 suggested the fish be fried in olive oil. Fish fried “in the Jewish style” was a favorite of Thomas Jefferson, says Roden. The popularity of Jewish fried fish led to the creation of ubiquitous “fish and chips” introduced by Jewish fishmonger Joseph Malin in 1860 at his London shop. The marriage–Jewish fish and Irish spuds–seems eternal. Malin is honored by a plaque in London’s fish market. So how did cold fried fish  get to illicit lower east side bars in New York? HG believes it got there when a Jewish bar owner or bartender tasted the tasty cold fish in London.

Cod is one of the most important fish inhabiting the oceans. When dried and then soaked in changes of water, it was a staple food on sailing ships. Cod fishing helped establish the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick (the “Maritimes”). And, cod is delicious when prepared in a variety of ways. Last night, dinner on Prince Edward Island was cod, peppers and onions cooked in the oven on a sheet pan. It was accompanied by lush mashed potatoes. A Wow! BSK often uses chunks of cod in a chowder or baked cod with potatoes and onions Portuguese (or Provencal) style. HG is very fond of “Baccala”, an Italian dish of much soaked dried cod cooked with onions, garlic, peppers, white wine and chili flakes. Good hot, room temperature or cold. BSK and gifted daughter Lesley R. craft excellent codfish cakes. However, the ultimate codfish cakes are served at a modest Nantucket eatery, Downy Flakes. They are served with a sublime egg sauce–the perfect late breakfast or brunch. Brandade is served in French bistros and many New York restaurants (HG always orders it because it’s delicious). Make it at home:  Cook long soaked salt cod in water and milk (add your favorite aromatics).  Boil and mash potatoes, moisten with olive oil and some cooking water. Remove cod from the sauce pan and mix with the potatoes, adding a bit of sweet cream (give it a quick whirl in the food processor if you like a smooth brandade–HG prefers it a bit chunky). Finally, using a garlic press, mix an exuberant amount of garlic to the brandade. If there are leftovers, make small brandade pancakes topped with slices of Swiss (or cheddar cheese)–sizzle them in olive oil until cheese melts and serve with poached or scrambled eggs. O Dinis, a Portuguese restaurant in Providence RI., serves cod in numerous tasty ways. Cod and steamed clams in a wine and garlic sauce is a favorite–as is a filet of crisp fried salt cod served with boiled potatoes.

The great restaurant, Gage &  Tollner, the venerable and historic landmark of downtown Brooklyn, has reopened after being closed for a number of years. According to the media, the antique interior has been meticulously retained while getting a needed sprucing. Unfortunately, HG/BSK won’t be dining there. The prices are too lofty ( 19 bucks for French fries and most main dishes around $60). And, they are not serving the tasty dishes of yesteryear (check the archive for S ept. 3, 2019 post). HG/BSK ate there often before moving to Colorado, Santa Fe, Vancouver 38 years ago–now living in Central Falls, RI.   Alas, clam bellies; mutton chop with corn fritters; Nesselrode Pie are not on present day G & T menus. Sad. However, HG/BSK have their happy culinary memories.

BSK found a chicken thigh recipe–Hot honey and lime chicken thighs– suggested by NY Times food editor Sam Sifton.  BSK always has chicken thighs (Mostly with skin on) in the refrigerator. And, the other ingredients–salt, pepper, butter,honey, hot sauce, Spanish pimenton –are always at hand. BSK put the salted and peppered  chicken in a marinade of lime juice, garlic (Crushed in a garlic press), Spanish pimenton, many tablespoons of melted butter and a dash of Frank’s Hot Sauce. The chicken went into the oven on a sheet pan. At a midpoint of cooking, BSK mixed honey with the marinade and slathered the thighs with the mixture. When done the chicken skin was dark and  delightfully crisp and the thighs were juicy and lush. There was some spicy heat–but not overwhelming–a medley of textures and flavor. When served, the dish got a squeeze of lemon juice. Perfection. BSK accompanied the chicken with a platter of quinoa mixed with finely chopped baby spinach. Two chutneys on the table–one hot and one sweet–plus a bottle of robust Malbec. This was one of the best meals HG ever had, Thanks, BSK, the True Wonder Woman (BSK agrees that this is a keeper and promises repeats in the future).

After warm and sunny days at HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home, weather took a drastic downturn—cold, rainy, and windy. Something warm and comforting was needed for chilly HG’s lunch. Hot soup was the answer. Gifted daughter Lesley R. has been on PEI helping to unpack and organize before returning to Rhody. She heated a can of healthy Amy’s Barley and Vegetable Soup and smoothed it with an immersion blender. Just what the old guy needed. Comfort!! There are other canned and jarred soups that are convenient and super tasty. Rao’s Italian Wedding Soup is the best. Very hearty. In a pinch, try Campbell’s chunky Chicken and Noodle Soup. Not bad. Whole Foods containers of fresh soups are a treat. Empress of all soups is BSK’s “Green Soup” (plus a good way to use over the hill refrigerator veggies).

O, it’s good to be in the serene joy of HG/BSK/LESLEY R.’ S Prince Edward Island summer paradise. One day drive from Rhode Island with BSK and Lesley R. driving. Toby, The Wonder Dog, and Pip, the intelligent and sensitive female pooch are civilized travelers.  Prince Edward Island is unique. Anxieties and worries melt away in the sun, sea breezes and serenity in the family oceanfront “cottage” (In Canada, that’s what they call a vacation home, no matter if it’s grand, monumental, modest or minimal). Lots of unpacking and making the “cottage” ready for occupancy. Meals were swiftly prepared and tasty.  Lesley made an excellent linguine and sardine pasta one night and followed it up with a cornucopia of local mussels in tangy sea broth served over spaghetti. Good New York restaurants always label their mussel dishes as “PEI”. Not surprising. They are the best mussels in the world and many thousands are farmed and harvested in St. Peter’s Bay, just a mile away from the “cottage.”.