HUNGRY GERALD

Riverside, RI, nights are getting chilly as the calendar moves toward the Thanksgiving celebration. HG/BSK are cozy in gifted daughter Lesley R. and brilliant husband, Profesore Massimo R.’s home (Massimo is assiduous in tending the log burning stove). Lesley is expert at beating the chill with tasty and warming stews and soups. Dinner last night was a stew of chorizo, kale, onions, garlic and spices. Lesley, Massimo, BSK ate heartily of this Spanish/Portuguese influenced dish. Thoughtful Lesley, knowing that HG’s swallowing is impaired, pureed some of the ingredients, poured them over. orzo, hit the bowl with a splash of olive oil and some drops of hot sauce, and provided HG with a lush (and edible) dinner. Added benefit for HG. There was enough left over for a happy lunch the next day as the weather turned grey and cloudy. Dish was a burst of sunshine.

Oh, much joy !! BSK has arrived in the Riverside, Rhode Island home of gifted daughter Lesley R. and her husband, Profesore Massimo R. The Wonder Woman is decompressing after a month of long days expediting HG/BSK’s move to a spacious loft in Providence’s Central Falls area (closing the purchase next Monday). Once more, HG finds the love of HG’s life more beautiful than ever. And, super chic (scarf arrangements top those of Parisiennes). HG’s joy was matched by that of Toby,The Wonder Dog. A warm reunion and serene sleep at the foot of HG/BSK’s guest room bed. Celebratory homecoming dinner featured local oysters (perfectly shucked by Massimo), swordfish, tasty side dishes and Cava sparkling wine. HG’s life is complete with BSK, HG’s wife of 59 years is back in HG’s presence. Still in love with the wondrous woman.

HG is a dedicated fan of Chinese food and has been since he was 10 years old (or younger). That’s 83 years of lo mein, chili oil, fermented black beans and every variety of seafood, pork and stir fries. When HG/BSK lived in the Northeast HG/BSK dined often in Chinatown, the upper west side and Clifton, NJ. (Yes, Clifton had a splendid Chinese restaurant –might still be there–and HG dined there often when HG/BSK’s public relations firm was headquartered in Clifton). But, for many years good Chinese food was rare (except for New York trips and Vancouver, BC, part time residence in a spacious loft). HG/BSK resided for many years in Santa Fe and Prince Edward Island, neither a source for Chinese food but wonderful places to live. PEI will remain a constant in the lives of HG/BSK and family but the Santa Fe compound has been sold. HG/BSK’s new residence is a fabulous 3,200 square foot loft in the Central Falls area of Providence, RI. (move in date is mid-November). Meanwhile, HG is living the good life in Riverside, RI, being taken care of with love and efficiency by gifted daughter, Lesley R. and her brilliant husband, Professor Massimo R. Knowing of HG’s Chinese food famine, Massimo ordered a super abundant feast from Cheng Du, a very good Chinese restaurant in North Providence. Lucky HG is happy to be residing in Providence, a city with many very good Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian and other Asian restaurants. In addition, close to HG/BSK’s new loft is Good Fortune Market. This emporium is huge and carries a starting variety of Asian foods—packaged and frozen. HG/BSK are looking forward to Sunday at home dim sum delights including har gow, shu mai, shrimp and pork dumplings, and fresh egg tarts. (An HG fantasy turned into reality). Tonight’s Cheng Du feast included two varieties of Szechuan fish, duck stir fry, wonton in chili oil, home style tofu, steamed eggplant in garlic sauce; prawns and vegetables; pea shoots, string beans, hot and sour soup–and more, much more. Everything was delicious, up to the best New York Chinatown standards. Hey, Rhody has food that isn’t Asian: Great oysters, fish, clams, squid, lobsters, etc. Plus Del’s Lemonade and New York System hot dogs. The smallest state is a food heaven.

Japanese are very fond of curry. Packages of curry mix are found on the pantry shelves of most Japanese homes. HG/BSK were introduced to Jpanese curry by SJ’s wife, Maiko Sakamoto, a beautiful and gifted chef (partner with SJ in Freeman Shokudo, a Tokyo izakaya specializing in Brooklyn barbecue including pastrami). HG recalls Maiko’s Japanese curry enveloping tender sliced chicken. The sauce was thick and lush. Last night’s Riverside, RI, dinner was ground pork and sweet potato curry. Lesley thinned the curry with a bit of dashi broth. Served over rice and accompanied by local beer and a tangy chutney, it was another memorable repast orchestrated by gifted daughter, Lesley R. BSK will be back in Rhody in a few days. Much anticipation. Presume BSK will assist Lesley in the kitchen. Happy times ahead as HG is reunited with the love of his life.

Unusual meal last night at the Riverside, RI home of gifted daughter Lesley R. and her brilliant, extraordinary husband, Massimo R. Meal consisted of two dishes: soup and pizza. The soup was a riff on Marcella Hazan’s classic chickpea soup (get the recipe online). Creative BSK made some modifications and it is so good that SJ serves it at his (and wife Maiko’s) Freeman Shokudo izakaya restaurant in Tokyo. Lesley added cannellini to the chickpea mix and the addition gave the soup a creamy, velvety texture. A treat on a rainy night. The other dish was pizza from Flatbread Pizzeria. Crisp, flavorful pizza. We ate the pizza because the pizzeria was doing a charity night with much of the night’s proceeds going to, in Lesley and Massimo’s opinion, a very worthy cause. HG felt happily philanthropic as he devoured the tasty pizza with many, many glasses of red wine. All for a good cause.

Yes, life is good for HG during HG’s lengthy stay at the Riverside, RI home of gifted daughter Lesley R. and her brilliant husband Massimo R. (he is a tenured professor at Brown, author of several books, a powerful force in making Italian culture available digitally, director of Italian cinema events). Lesley and Massimo cater to aged HG’s many needs (they do it with kindness and grace). Lesley’s cuïsine is superb. Yesterday, Lesley shopped at Tony’s seafood store and bought oysters and haddock. The oysters were local Rhode Islanders— Chessawanocks. Shucked expertly by. Massimo, these were the best oysters HG ever tasted. (Just slightly better than PEI South Lakes). The haddock went into a tasty Brazilian soup/stew.served over rice. The fish was poached in a mix of coconut milk, onions, garlic, sweet and hot peppers, paprika and other spices. Oh, boy!! HG ate a big bowl. (Happily, there was enough left over for lunch served to HG and Massimo today). Lesley’s dinners are extraordinary. International cooking that reaches pinnacles of creativity and pleasure.

Riverside, Ri, is getting chilly. But, HG is comfy at the home of gifted daughter, Lesley R., and her equally gifted husband, Profesore Massimo R. (HG hopes that the weather in New Mexico is pleasant for BSK as BSK expedites the arduous move to HG/BSK’s fabulous Providence loft). Lesley’s culinary skills are put to good use as she creates dinners that are tasty, anti-chill and true comfort. Witness tonight’s feast. It began with paper thin slices of Italian prosciutto draped over wedges of sweet and juicy cantaloupe. A judicious grind of black pepper over the ham. A sip of red wine. Pleasure. Main dish was a red lentil stew that was steaming and full of enticing spices. This is one of HG’s favorite dishes (in cold weather or warm). Both Lesley and BSK are expert in cooking this dish (BSK’s version is a bit smoother, Lesley’s has a wee bit of crunch). This was followed by ripe gorgonzola with fig jam (more sips of red wine). Dessert (for HG) was Talenti Sea Salt Caramel Ice Cream. Yes, HG is living good in the Riverside neighborhood.

Philip Johnson (1906-2005) had a long and influential career as a modernist American architect. He partnered with Mies Van Der Rohe in the design of the iconic Seagram Building on New York’s Park Avenue. His glass walled residence in Connecticut is now in The National Trust of Historic Places (When Frank Lloyd Wright visited, he inquired: “Am I inside or outside?”). Johnson-designed office buildings are in almost every major American city. Despite his accomplishments, Johnson was guilty of major errors. In the 1930’s he was a Fascist, a faithful follower of the anti-semitic and Nazi favoring “Radio Priest” Father Coughlin. Johnson apologized later, calling his Fascist years a youthful whim. Later in life, he made another glaring, yet harmless, mistake. He called water views “boring.” Boring? Few views could be more varied and stimulating than those of Rhode Island’s’ Narragansett Bay as seen from the windows and deck of gifted daughter Lesley R. and husband, brilliant Massimo R.’s waterfront home in Riverside, RI. The colors of the waters change throughout the day. At times, schools of tiny fish appear, leaping out of the water before being consumed by hungry birds. Regal swans and other large and colorful avians lodge on the shoreline. Then, there are the boats: Tankers. Barges–big, small and super-gigantic. Large cargo boats. Tug boats. Fishing boats. Sailboats. Motorized pleasure boats of every size (and noise level). Providence to Newport ferries. A feast for the eyes and senses. The climax of Bay gazing is sunset. Astonishing and colorful. Everything is accompanied by the appearance and chirping of numerous birds. The Bay viewing experience is better than TV.

This past summer, BSK encountered a New York Times recipe that contained all the elements HG/BSK enjoy at dinner: “Salmon Soba Noodles With Ponzu-Scallion Broth.” These were the ingredients: Dashi broth, salmon, soba noodles, spinach, firm tofu, scallions, grated ginger, canola oil, sliced radishes, slivers of carrot, ponzu. BSK did a careful mix and followed the recipe meticulously. (Unusual for BSK who likes to deviate and add original touches. This time BSK only substituted spinach for the cabbage called for). It was a sensational dinner dish which BSK promised to repeat often. Drank an abundance of pinot noir (HG/BSK like red wine with fresh salmon; crisp white with smoked salmon, of course). Another joyous evening was had at HG/BSK’s oceanfront home on peaceful, green, democratic Prince Edward Island.

Many, many years ago, youngster HG summer vacationed with HG’s family in a Rockaway Beach boarding house yards from the boardwalk, beach and Atlantic ocean. Every weekend, Armenian families would stake out a sandy space next to the boardwalk. The men dug a spacious ditch upon their early arrival and filled it with abundant charcoal. A seasoned lamb was skewered on a special metal apparatus and placed in the pit a modest distance over the charcoal. The charcoal was lit. Throughout the day, the roasting lamb was basted with a marinade and gently rotated (the roasting apparatus had a wheel to do the job). The sea air was filled with appetizing aromas. The Armenians had many plunges in the surf, picking their way through the bodies that jam packed the proletarian beach. The savory lamb was done in mid-afternoon. A dexterous fellow heaped sand on the charcoal to staunch its heat, and, skillfully filled platters with sliced lamb. Eating began. There were juicy sliced tomatoes, Romaine lettuce, an unusual middle eastern potato dish, and bread. There was a flagon of olive oil plus. many jugs of red wine. The meal was civilized–but filled with gusto and laughter. The Armenians set up folding tables and chairs. No plastic–real plates, glasses, silverware and cloth napkins. Young HG was a stealthy voyeur and observed all stages of the cooking and eating. High hopes of getting a taste of that roast lamb. No such luck. The Armenians were meticulous about cleaning up and packing. Much sand on the diminished charcoal. When they left the beach it looked and felt that they were never there. All of these thoughts came to HG last night. Lesley R.’s lovely friend, Diane, is of Armenian heritage and a skilled Armenian cook (Lesley is HG/BSK’s brilliant and thoughtful daughter. HG is living the good life in the Riverside, RI, home she shares with husband Massimo. Meanwhile BSK is in New Mexico preparing HG/BSK’s move to a Providence loft). Diane brought HG and Lesley a fabulous Armenian dinner of soup (Panjarbour),  pickled beets and semolina cake. Sublime and welcome meal. HG never tasted anything like the Panjarbour. It contained spinach, red lentils  and Armenian hulled wheat, unusual spices and herbs. The soup reached the pinnacle of comfort. HG has always enjoyed Armenian food. A favorite New York restaurant was Ed Berberian’s Balkan-Armenian Restaurant. It was located off Lexington Avenue in the East 20’s. HG ate there often (it was the second restaurant HG took BSK to during courtship more than half a century ago—the first was long closed Bo-Bo’s in Chinatown). With Rockaway memories in mind, HG always ate tasty lamb shish kebabs at Balkan-Armenian plus cheese borek (fabulous fried dumplings), rice pilaf, stuffed grape leaves, chopped eggplant, baklava, etc. Very, very good and very, very inexpensive. Despite a tragic history, Armenians can still enjoy life and bring joy–culinary and spiritual–to others.