We Won. So, Let’s Drink, Eat and Laugh

November 19th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Finally. A real dinner of celebration. Oh, it’s good to win and the Obama victory had an extra measure of sweetness as Mr. Cellophane (aka Mitt), the wasted $400 Million Man (Karl Rove) and The Hair Brained (Donald Trump) tasted the bitter dregs of defeat. Talking about tasting, deliciousness abounded as HG and BSK hosted a happy group of distinguished Democrats at a laughter infused dinner party. Present were Mayor Bob Murphy of Lakewood, CO. (a landslide election winner earlier in the year) plus his brother, Don. Bob’s wife, the lovely, Ina Gustafson was present (wearing some of the striking jewelry she designs). Joining us from Crested Butte, CO.. were Mike Rock, the distinguished urbanist and former city manager. Mike was accompanied by Trish Layton, economic development expert, equestrienne and former championship diver. A handsome and talented group bearing numerous bottle of excellent Pinot Noir. Dinner started with prosciutto and ripe figs; mozzarella and tomatoes; prosciutto wrapped around breadsticks. Sparkling Pinot Grigio. Then there were some brimming bowls of fettucine with Bolognese ragu (BSK follows Marcella Hazan’s recipe and it is robust and full of flavor). The Pinot Noir set it off nicely. This was followed by camambert and gorgonzola, artisan sourdough bread and a tossed salad of baby lettuces. Dessert: BSK’s apple crisp and vanilla ice cream. The crisp was made with apples selected by BSK from the HG/BSK orchard. Chiiled limoncello ended the meal. But, not the happy, laughing sounds.

Lamb

November 18th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

When HG was a very, very little boy lamb chops were his favorite dish. The little guy called them “ompalomps.” HG hated spinach. So, his cunning Mom buried the spinach in buttery mashed potatoes and HG consumed every drop. Okay, enough sickeningly cute kiddy memories. Lamb chops remain an HG favorite. Best lamp chops ever were the chops at Leon Lianides’ great Greenwich Village restaurant, the Coach House. The rack of lamb was also wonderful there, only matched by the rack at Le Stella, the Paris brasserie. But the marvel, the ultimate not-to-be-equalled rack is found at an unlikely place: The Grand Hotel Restaurant in Big Timber, Montana. HG discovered it because Big Timber is midway, between Denver and Vancouver, so it was a logical place to stop when motoring between the two cities. At the Grand Hotel you accompanied the lamb with a robust red wine from Walla Walla, Washington (HG thinks Wall Walla has the best red in the universe). Another favorite of lamb lovers is the mutton chop at New York’s venerable Keen’s Chop House. You can get it with Yorkshire Pudding and it is a treat. (The old Gage & Tollner’s in Brooklyn served their mutton chop with corn fitters, a nice idea). BSK likes to butterfly a leg of lamb, marinate it in red wine, garlic and herbs and then barbecue it to crusty perfection. Serves it with Greek Avoglemono sauce (eggs and lemon juice are the principal ingredients). Big time gourmandizing.

Delicious Mt. Pleasant

November 16th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

With the Pacific Ocean on one side and lofty mountain peaks on the other, the Canadian city of Vancouver is one of the world’s great places. A joy to live in. A joy to visit. HG and BSK spent some eight years there in a loft overlooking the sparkling skyscrapers and natural wonders of the town. Their neighborhood was Mt. Pleasant, the epicenter of Canadian cool. Full of boutiques, coffee shops and wonderful Asian restaurants. The neighborhood is still a bit gritty and that’s what gives it some zing. If you want to visit (and you really shouldn’t miss it) rent a furnished apartment in the Mt. Pleasant nabe (there are no hotels to recommend but airbnb.com has lots of inexpensive apartment listings). Much to do and see in the glorious town but HG will just guide you to some of the best (and cheapest) dining you can walk to from your rented digs. Breakfast at sprawling Congee Noodle House. Name says it all — great congee and noodle soups plus splendid won tons, rice crepes and bean curd. Chutney Villa is a warm and friendly South Indian spot with great dosas, curries and creative chutneys. Try Peaceful Restaurant for beef rolls and dan dan noodles. Hime Japanese for sushi and Les Faux Bourgeois for down home bistro favorites. Eight 1/2 Bar is where the young hipsters drink and snack. Ten minute walk from Main Street in Mt. Pleasant is Szechuan Chonquing at 2808 Commercial Drive. (The “Drive” is home to alternative culture types, punks, junkies and lots of laid back Canadian families). Szechuan Chonquing is an HG favorite for dim sum. No carts. Order off the menu. Everything arrives hot and freshly made. This is another spot for dan dan noodles (lots of fire in this restaurant’s version). These suggestions can give you a taste of Vancouver. Yes, there are lots of wonderful restaurants outside of Mt. Pleasant. Vij’s, Kirin and Tojo’s are three greats. Go and discover.

Paree…

November 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Since HG and BSK have visited Paris very often, the duo are often asked for advice from first time visitors. HG AND BSK speak almost no French so their expertise is limited. However, here are some pointers. Rent an apartment. Cheaper and more spacious than a hotel. Breakfast at home. Go out in the morning and pick up a baguette, brioche, croissants (and a copy of the Herald-Tribune and Pariscope — the latter will give you info on everything happening in Paris including movies, music ,dance, galleries, theater, etc.). Visit museums in the morning (less crowded) Make a 1:30 lunch reservation at a bistro (cheaper and more Parisian at lunch). Stroll, shop, wander after lunch. When you lunch out have dinner at home. Cheese, charcuterie, fruit, etc. are unsurpassed in Paris. Best of all, good wine is cheap. If you have dinner at a restaurant, reserve no earlier than 8:30. If you reserve too early you will find yourself in an enclave of American tourists. Always reserve. Paris restaurateurs honor reservations so if you have to cancel be sure to call. The food departments at Bon Marche and Galeries Lafayette department stores are spectacular — and fun. A must for gourmands. The best guide to dining in Paris is Alexander Lobrano’s Hungry For Paris. Indispensable. Also check out John Talbott’s blog. Paris dining is not just about food (HG thinks New York is vastly superior in terms of raw ingredients and the encyclopedic choice of ethnic foods). But, Parisian restaurants have an ambience that is magical. Some other pointers: Avoid the Champs Elysee. Big chain store heaven. Avoid “tasting menus.” Too much food. It all becomes a jumble. Indulge in oysters and crepes (Breizh is a good place).Go to the movies. Paris is a town for cinema lovers There are theaters that function as repertories, showing numerous films from the past every day. Few things are more fun than a movie followed by an oyster feast at a late night brasserie like Le Vaudeville or Wepler’s. M’sieu, another bottle of Muscadet, si vous plais.

Republicans and Latinos

November 12th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

HG and BSK live in an environment heavily influenced by Latinos. Their neighbors in the Pojoaque Valley (15 minutes north of Santa Fe) are — for the most part — Latino farmers, many of whom have been farming here for countless generations. Their banker is Latino. So is their insurance agent. And, their gardener, plumber, carpenter, electrician, etc., etc. The super market where HG shops for daily necessities is staffed entirely by Latinos. At least three times a week, HG lunches at El Parasol, the splendid restaurant presided over by the delightful Jose and Alicia Atencio. HG does not believe in sweeping generalizations, but it is obvious to anyone with eyes that Latinos are among the nation’s hardest working people. And, their work ethic has been profoundly beneficial to the United States. Without them, the United States could not function. The Republican Party has behaved disgracefully to Latinos, characterizing them as lazy, affirmative action moochers; and a prominent conservative intellectual had the audacity to compare Latino activists to radical, Middle Eastern Islamists.The election confirmed the dismal GOP record as regards the Latino vote. This was summed up best by a recent comment to The Economist Magazine: “Latinos should be Republicans. Most are socially conservative and decry abortion and gay marriage. They come to the United States to work and better their lives and the lives of their families. But, Republicans will not get their vote until Republicans stop being condescending at best and racist at worst. I am a Latino and I hate the current Republican Party.” The election results indicate that millions of Latinos share this opinion.

Telling the Story

November 11th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Basking in post-election euphoria, HG celebrated the HG birthday (Nov. 9) by tucking into some rare lamb chops, fingerling potatoes, sauteed Shishito peppers and grilled baby eggplant. A mighty feast heightened by a super-robust bottle of Amarone. Warmed by the many birthday greetings from friends and family, HG sipped an after dinner port and contemplated how rapidly Karl Rove has morphed from Evil Genius to Silly Windbag. Karl, who seems to have blown some $400 million of other people’s dough, is now telling the story. Examples of The Story: Romney lost because Obama maligned Romney’s business career at Bain. Romney would have won but Hurricane Sandy blunted his momentum. Etc, etc., ad nauseum. What does HG mean by telling the story ? Back in the distant past, HG was a Broadway press agent. When HG failed to get a client the amount of publicity the client believed he or she deserved, HG always had an excuse: It was Lent (or Passover). Rainy weather. Heat wave. Snow. Big murder case dominating the news. All media attention was focused on a championship prize fight. Among HG’s fellow press agents, this was known as telling the story. HG was a creative master. Rove is a maladroit amateur.

More Election Thoughts

November 10th, 2012 § 1 comment § permalink

Post election dinner was relatively spartan — tomato and mozzarella salad; some very good mortadella and a baguette. (Okay, HG had a celebratory “tin roof”: vanilla ice cream smothered in Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup and topped with salty Planters Cocktail Peanuts. Hey, got to do something piggy after a wonderful win). HG continued to muse about the election. HG liked the comment of an African-American voter: “I watched the Republican Convention. It looked like a Klan meeting. I watched the Democratic Convention. It looked like America.” (HG felt the morose Romney Boston headquarters on election night resembled the membership of a midwest country club that had just learned the greens fees had doubled). HG liked Rachel Maddow’s overview of the election. The woman is super-super smart. If you missed it do your best to source it. Very rewarding.

As an old fogey, HG thought about his days as a New York journalist and the political analysis he received from an Irish big shot in the Democratic Party who said: “The Micks vote. They all want civil service jobs so they want to be on the good side of me. Jews vote, 100%. (The big shot knew HG was Jewish or he would have referred to the Chosen People with a denigrating term). Can’t rely on Italians unless an Italian is running. (Referred to Italians with a denigrating term). African-Americans don’t count. They don’t vote. (Of course, he referred to African-Americans with a traditional denigrating term). Hispanics? Fuhgeddabout it!! (Yes, he used another denigrating term).” This pol expressed the political wisdom of the mid-1950’s. It seems more than a half-century has gone by but the Republicans seem to be trapped in a time warp,still sharing — to a considerable extent — the racist and ethnic cliches of that disgusting old pol. Yes, Republicans. African-Americans vote. Yes, Hispanics vote. And, they are willing to face all the voting machine hazards you have created and have their say about the future of this country. Hooray, says HG.

The Election

November 8th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Election night was fun and frolic. Our great friends, Polly B. and David F. joined HG and BSK before the TV. Naturally, there was plenty of vodka, wine, garlicky chicken, fried potatoes and other good things. Strong Obama supporters, the group’s joy kept mounting as the results came in. Now, the morning after, HG is in a contemplative and cerebral mood. Some observations. The American elections are mad, bloated, excessive. (Funny, the Europeans who disdain us often use these words to describe Americans). However, how else can one describe an election process that costs billions, goes on endlessly and is unable to efficiently handle the process of voting? No other industrialized nation has such an irrational system.

Another observation. Plutocrats must seem frustrated today. What’s the of having billions if you can’t buy an election? After all, you can eat just so much caviar.

Observation three. Republican party leaders must make it mandatory that rape cannot be discussed and all mention of women’s reproductive processes be banned.

Observation four: Republicans would be better served if they stopped listening to Limbaugh and Rove and spent more time reading Nate Silver, The New York Times’ extraordinary polling prognosticator. As usual, he was 100% accurate in his forecasts.

Observation five. It is time for civility and consensus. The present division in our country is dangerous and unproductive. One or two mishaps could trigger violence — and that would be terrible. HG spent time this morning talking to two saddened Republicans: HG’s long time (almost 40 years) accountant and the banker who, for some eight months, has been trying to refinance HG and BSK’s home mortgage. The accountant felt that our federal deficit is a true danger and Mitt Romney, a sophisticated financier, was best qualified to reduce it. The banker pointed out that Obama regulations governing bank mortgage policies were an overreaction to previous excesses. He said that HG and BSK’s refinance had been approved (good news). He added that the Obama regulations had made mortgage financing unwieldy and cut off financing for many credit worthy applicants. Perhaps, mused HG. This is being mentioned because the two Republicans are not mad right wingers but decent people who have differing views on taxes and economics. There is a middle ground. Let’s hope that it is reached in the next four years. Republican leaders have to realize that demonization and intransigence don’t work. Obama’s triumph proves it.

Tramezzini: An Italian Indulgence

November 7th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

A Tramezzino is a modest in size, but rich in taste, little Italian sandwich with origins in the city of Turin. In Britain it would be referred to as a “tea sandwich” — those thin sandwiches served with afternoon tea. In Italy, these sandwiches scale creative heights. The bread is always thin white bread (crusts removed). If you want to make Tramezzini at home, try Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Sliced White. At bars in Venice, there are a variety of Tramezzini fillings. All start with lots of mayonnaise (home chefs make sure to use Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise). Here are some fillings: chopped egg; sliced egg with asparagus spears; arugula and bresaola (air cured beef); tuna and sliced onion; tuna and white beans; ham and provolone. When HG makes Tramezzini at home, he adds to this list rare roast beef with slices of cornichons; bacon and turkey; sardines and sliced onion; Piquillo peppers and anchovies; smoked salmon and capers (no mayonnaise on this one– just brush the bread with a bit of olive oil). Tips: Do not stint on the mayonnaise. Do not use tomatoes — you don’t want mushy bread. Use your imagination in terms of additions and garnishes and always slice the sandwich diagonally to create 2 attractive triangles. In Italy, Tramezzini are a favorite of teenagers, businessmen in a hurry and ladies who like them with a bracing cup of tea. If you enjoy Tramezzini you will be in good company. HG’s distinguished son-in-law, Profesore/Dottore Massimo and Guido Brunetti, the detective protagonist of Donna Leon’s Venetian novels, fancy these morsels. HG favors a tray of Tramezzin with chilled Prosecco while watching his NBA heroes performing their wonders on television. Nice way to spend a chilly Sunday afternoon.

Film and Food

November 5th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

HG and BSK often settle down after dinner around the warming fireplace and watch a film courtesy of Netflix. A few nights ago the duo watched films on successive nights that were set in India. The films were Gandhi (overlong, talky, simplistic — but saved by Ben Kingsley’s remarkable performance in the title role) and The Man Who Would Be King (a rousing John Huston version of the Kipling tale with Sean Connery and Michael Caine — a critical success but, surprisingly, a box office failure). For fun, HG and BSK thought they’d preface each film with Indian food. So, a peek through two favorite cook books Vij’s Indian Cuisine and Vij’s At Home, revealed two splendid vegetable dishes Cauliflower Steaks and Eggplant, Tomato and Green Onion Curry. Lots of cumin and turmeric in the cauliflower dish. Cayenne and Mexican chile powder gave the eggplant dish heated zip. Warm naan, fluffy rice plus mango chutney and lime pickle were part of the meal. Good eating. Had some leftovers for the next Indian meal (and film). This time BSK grilled a juicy chicken breast rubbed with cumin, garlic and garam masala. Worthy addition. (If in Vancouver, B.C., do not miss the two famed Indian fusion restaurants, Vij’s and Rangoli.)

A few nights later Netflix delivered Under The Volcano, a film set in Mexico The novel by Malcolm Lowry is riveting but the film, despite a virtuoso performance by Albert Finney, is a fallure. With John Huston directing, the fillm, of course has some rewards — the eerie cantina-hell that dominates the last part of the film, Anthony Andrews’ plaintive singing of a Spanish Loyalist song about Madrid and the beautifully photographed Day of the Dead holiday. HG and BSK are unsympathetic to self destructive drunks and after watching Finney’s bravura self destructing they could only murmur: “We don’t care.” The duo had thought about Mexican food before the film but opted for pasta with broccoli di rabe and grilled Italian sausage. HG and BSK will save the Mexican dishes for a more rousing film set in Mexico — possibly Viva Zapata.

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