HUNGRY GERALD

It is not simple (or cheap) to ship a dog by air from Santa Fe to Boston. Toby, The Wonder Dog, is too big to qualify for passenger travel. Has to go via cargo in a specified (expensive)) crate. Lengthy intricate paperwork required. Compliance with complicated TSA regulations. HG/BSK arrived at Santa Fe Airport at 5:45 AM for 8 AM flight to Denver (plane change for Boston). The Santa Fe Airport is a small 1930’s architectural gem (looks like it was built by CCC/WPA craftspersons). Personnel are chosen for a high degree of incompetence. Though BSK made meticulous arrangements for Toby (and BSK is always relentlessly thorough) United Airlines was in a state of regulatory confusion. Toby finally was placed in a crate some 15 minutes before flight time (almost two hours of computer nuttiness). Toby (and HG/BSK) made it to Boston safe and sound. Surprisingly, The Wonder Dog, seemed unruffled by his first experience flying the friendly miles. Met by Gifted Daughter Lesley R. who managed to negotiate the insane traffic between Boston and Providence. Roads are still a nightmare after the expenditure of billions on The Big Dig, the decade long construction project that was designed to unclog Boston’s arteries. Much joy at the end of a long day. Toby frolicked happily at Lesley’s Riverside R.I., home with Pip, the charming and welcoming family dog. With the sun setting over the waterfront landscape, Lesley provided a lush meal of Rhody sea specialties: smoked bluefish pate, snail salad, steamed little neck clams in a olive oil-wine-garlic-parsley sauce; fish cakes made of fresh cod (remoulade sauce); radish and fennel salad. Vodka before dinner and white wine with the food. Red wine with Robbiola cheese and a unique Italian honey and wine marinated whole walnut. Extraordinary. Meal was a pot of gold after a long day of travel.

Okay, HG is going to make you very hungry. Make sure you have some sustaining snacks available. Gorgeous Granddaughter Sofia R. graduated from prep school in Santa Fe (The Desert Academy) and had a birthday. The R. family (Gifted Daughter Lesley, Brilliant Granddaughter Arianna and Distinguished Profesore Massimo) came to New Mexico for the festivities and much feasting ensued, culminating on the last two days of the visit. Graduation Day afternoon was sunny and bright. Ceremonies and speeches were brief (thankfully). Sofia, in a stunning white dress, was the most beautiful of the graduates. (This is a totally objective opinion, not swayed by the tiniest bit of grandfatherly adoration). Appetites nicely sharpened by their collective pride in the graduate, HG/BSK and the Family R. were off to the Compound Restaurant to celebrate. (BSK was the height of fashion in rarely worn high heels–she didn’t trip–snug skirt, Parisian white blouse, Lisa Jenks silver and pearls necklace). Flattering light bathed the white plaster walls of The Compound. It was off to the culinary races: A chilled bottle of sparkling Gruet Blanc de Blanc and a bottle of Dolcetto d’Alba. The appetizers: King Crab salad with avocado, black truffles, baby lettuce; Lobster, shrimp and cubed mango salad on a half head of Bibb lettuce; Tuna tartare with preserved lemon and black caviar; Spring pea soup with mushroom arancini; Osso Buco capelletti with veal shank ragu, peas and fava beans; White asparagus on brioche bruschetta with a poached egg, crisp prosciutto, Hollandaise. (Getting hungry, Readers? Save some room for the main dishes). Main dishes: Rack and shank of lamb with baby artichokes and a sauce of garlic and Meyer lemons; Crisp fried chicken schnitzel with a caper, wine and lemon sauce accompanied by sautéed leaf spinach; Pan roasted chicken breast, chicken sausage, potato puree, baby onions and fava beans.; Wild mushrooms and polenta with a truffle relish and shaved parmesan. The desserts: Confections of melted chocolate cake, hazelnut tart, ice creams, meringues, dark chocolate twigs. Sweet finale. Up in the morning for energetic swims and walks with Toby, The Wonder Dog. Then, Lesley R. (assisted by BSK) did some serious cooking while Profesore Massimo manned the barbecue. Food for a six to nine PM outdoor party for the graduate. A crowd of 30 (friends, neighbors, Sofia’s prep schoolmates). The menu: Pulled pork sliders (a Lesley R. signature dish) with southern barbecue sauce; Olive oil and herb brushed barbecued chicken thighs on a bed of greens; Potato salad (high in flavor and low in mayonnaise). Ditto the cole slaw. Room temperature fusili pasta in freshly made basil pesto. Cheese straws. Potato chips. Artisan bread. Red wine. White wine. Four varieties of beer and ale. Lemonade for the younger folks. Vodka for the incorrigibles. The Dessert Queen, the inimitable Karen K., provided the ultimate carrot cake (enriched by grated fresh ginger and other secret ingredients). There was a chocolate birthday cake with Sofia’s and BSK’s names on it (BSK has an upcoming birthday in a few days). There was a wee bit of grappa for limited amount of imbibers. Just a wonderful party in a wonderful setting, the terrace and portale of HG/BSK’s home facing the colorful Barrancas (cliffs and mesas) and Gary and Natasha Gundersen’s meticulously tended organic farm. Lesley R. and BSK arranged tables and seating comfortably. Lots of flowers, candles and ambiance. These are women who know to make things festive. Their family is grateful.

Warm, sunny, cloudless day. HG/BSK, SJ, EM, Haru and Teru; Gifted Daughter Lesley R., were off to that ornament of Providence, RI, Roger Williams Park Zoo. HG hasn’t visited a zoo in some years and was astonished at the beauty of Zebras, Giraffes, Flamingos, Cranes and Boa Constrictors. Much to the delight of the little ones (and the bemusement of adult viewers), the Elephant performed some necessary functions in what could only be described as elephantine proportions. The group found the lethal grace of the Snow Leopard mesmerizing and the Red Panda hit new heights of cuteness. The zoo, for a few hours,turned our group into children. Happy, wondering children. In the evening, Lesley R. outdid herself in the kitchen and produced a dinner that can only be described as deeply satisfying. Tender brisket in an assertive, rich tomato licked sauce. Ultra-tender Fennel braised in butter and stock. Haricot verts stir fried with shallots and herbs. Moroccan carrot salad, redolent with cumin and cinnamon. And, as a crowning glory, SJ made his state of the art mashed potatoes, a lighter than air balance of potatoes, salt butter and cream. Profesore Massimo R. poured three splendid Italian reds: A Barolo, a Montepulciano and a Chianti. A pause. And, then came desserts: A tart/sweet cranberry tart in a walnut crust (baked by Lesley R.) flan (left over from the previous evening); strudel (baked by friend/neighbor Diane). A big bowl of whipped cream. Vintage port. Grappa. Limoncello.This is the kind of meal HG loves: Abundant, Powerful tastes. Perfect balance of the rich and austere, the bitter and the sweet. The kind of meal Lesley R. produces with no histrionics and little fuss. HG is a proud Pop.

A shocking omission in HG’s post: HOLIDAY FEASTING (DAY FIVE). Faithful and knowing readers must have been taken aback that Gifted Daughter Lesley R. omitted pasta from a welcoming Italian dinner for HG/BSK. No, indeed. An error by HG (ah, the vagaries of old age). After the antipasto and before the cheese, Lesley offered steaming bowls of tortellini with ample shavings of parmesan, a most comforting dish. HG remarked upon true excellence of the broth and was told it was Swanson’s Low Sodium. Surprisingly (to HG at least) Swanson’s, a widely distributed supermarket brand, was chosen by a top flight panel of knowing tasters as the best of packaged (or canned) broths. It may replace Trader Joe’s Free Range Chicken Broth on HG/BSK’s pantry shelves. HG reflected that Lesley always creates beautifully balanced Italian meals. Because the Riva family has resided in Italy for various periods, HG/BSK have enjoyed Lesley’s cuisine in Siena, Bologna and Venice. The emphasis was always on local recipes, traditions and ingredients—hearty bresaola, salumi, stuffed pasta in Bologna and seafood in all its delicious forms in Venice. When young Lesley and husband Massimo lived in Siena (before children and before Massimo’s professorship at Brown University) the emphasis was on dining in very good (and very cheap) little restaurants nestled in the Tuscan hills. Many savory memories of mushrooms, truffles, boar sausage and very rare steaks accompanied by beans. Viva Italia!!!

A sunny autumn morning in New Mexico and a happy HG is sipping morning coffee while perusing the dismal news. Ebola, Elections, Jihadis, etc., leave HG unfazed. That’s because HG’s coffee is served in a circa-1930’s cobalt blue milk pitcher adorned with the face of that delicious, singing dancing child movie star—inimitable, curly haired Shirley Temple. Little HG loved Shirley Temple (the late star was just a year older than HG). HG’s Mom received a Shirley Temple pitcher as a giveaway with a box of Wheaties (“The Breakfast of Champions.”). HG always had his milk or hot Droste’s cocoa in that lovely pitcher. HG was not alone. Millions of little Americans drank their beverages from Shirley Temple pitchers. Shirley made 43 movies and Hazel Atlas Glass Co. and U.S. Glass kept those pitchers rolling out of their factories. Knowing of HG’s fondness for Shirley, Gifted Daughter Lesley R. and husband Massimo, sent HG a Shirley Temple pitcher as an early birthday gift. Adding to the delight of the gift is the fact that little Lesley R., also adorned with a crown of curly hair, closely resembled Shirley. Paragons of cuteness.

Lots and lots of tasty food at Gifted Daughter Lesley R.’s birthday dinner at Terre Rouge in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. One of the star features was a gigantic, roasted marrow bone (see the photo of the scooped out bone) ordered by Profesore/Ufficiale Massimo R. The treat was the size of a dinosaur femur and was served with parsley caper salad, duck fat toast, shallot marmalade and a fried egg. Much more food. Roast pork, Smoked potatoes. Buttery mashies. Arctic char. Chicken liver pate. Cod fritters. Mushrooms on toast. Beet salad. Three flavors of ice cream to finish. Muscadet and pinot noir were the beverages of choice. Yes, there was lots to eat and drink following HG’s dining strategy: When in doubt, over order. That’s why doggie bags were invented.

Yes, berries are ripe, ready and full of flavor on Prince Edward Island. HG/BSK and the Riva family are indulging. The field surrounding the HG/BSK residence is bursting with blueberries and raspberries have appeared on the bushes lining HG/BSK’s pathway to the beach. All just there for the picking. The nearby town of St. Peters is celebrating its annual Blueberry Festival and crowds are consuming blueberry pancakes while listening to Celtic fiddlers and guitarists. Grocers and roadside stands offer baskets of juicy strawberries. And, the cherry trees are loaded with wonderful sweet and sour product. BSK’s sister, Noel and husband Yossi, have purchased a house and barn near Panmure Island on PEI’s south shore. The property is simply bursting with berries. BSK, Gifted Daughter Lesley R. and Beauteous Granddaughter Sofia did some picking there yesterday (Noel and Yossi won’t be in residence until later this year). The trio came back laden with blueberries, black currants, red currants, raspberries and cherries. BSK made jars of rhubarb and berry compote (a treat over Greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream). Gifted Daughter Lesley R. made an extraordinary cherry clafouti. More treats are in the offing. Strawberry shortcake? Raspberries with a dusting of sugar and heavy sweet cream?

The Russian Tea Room on New York’s W. 57th Street (next door to Carnegie Hall) celebrated Christmas every day. The owner, the delightful Sidney Kaye, decided he liked the way Christmas decorations enhanced the restaurant so they never came down. Red and green forever. It was just one of the restaurant’s eccentricities like the forgetful old female waitpersons (many had been ballerinas in pre-revolution Russia) and the ever changing hat check girls (Madonna was one). During the Christmas season it was HG/BSK’s dinner choice after a movie at one of the nearby art cinemas. Their meal was always the same: Eggplant Orientale (the RTR’s version of baba ghanoush). Karsky Shashlik (succulent lamb kebabs) with rice pilaf. Raspberry Kissel (a raspberry compote topped with whipped cream). A bottle of Pommard or Pomerol (affordable then). HG knocked off some chilled vodka with the eggplant and cognac with coffee. BSK was more abstemious. If the weather was very cold or appetites had a sharp edge, HG/BSK preceded the meal with bowls of steaming dark red borscht decorated with a dollop of sour cream and accompanied by flaky piroshki (meat filled pastries). As a special treat, HG/BSK would take their kids to RTR for a Christmas holiday brunch (with SJ decked out in one of RTR’s loaned — and invariably over-sized — sport jackets) of butter drenched blini with red caviar and sour cream. Gifted Daughter Lesley R. pays tribute to this memory every Christmas Eve by making superior blini which the family tops with red caviar or smoked fish. Not to be outdone,on Christmas Day morning SJ makes very superior potato latkes (a modest nod to Chanukah) which get similar delicious treatment. Holiday feasting at its best.

Yes, HG’s birthday was marked by a gift of some great spices from Gifted (and thoughtful) Daughter Lesley R. and family. Four savory spices:  Berbere mixture, Aleppo pepper, ground Sumac berries and Charmushka. Berbere is North African in style and is powerfully hot and spicy. HG sprinkled it on grilled chicken. Gave it a big lift. Aleppo (from Turkey) is good on everything. Nice mixed with oil, oregano and garlic. Slather it on your broiled chicken or pan broiled hamburgers. Sumac (also from Turkey) is a whiff of the Middle East and is an essential ingredient in many Middle Eastern dishes and spice mixtures. HG likes its lemony flavor so plans to add it to Zaatar, add olive oil and coat gently warmed pita with the mix. Charnushka (from India) has many uses. In Eastern Europe, it tops rye and other breads. In India, it is carefully blended with other spices to create the complexities of great curries, vindaloos, etc.. The flavor is something between caraway and cumin. HG intends to sprinkle some on on Greek yogurt and also add it to broiled tomatoes. HG loves the sound of the spice’s name. Can hardly wait to say: “Hey, pass the charnushka.”

Calvin Trillin, the brilliant (and funny) writer, once speculated that if Italians, rather than the English, had landed at Plymouth, we would joyously be eating spaghetti carbonara at Thanksgiving instead of his hated turkey. Like Trillin, HG is a lover of this dish which, as legend would have it, was developed after WWII when GI’s stationed in Italy would share bacon and eggs with the hungry populace. It is deceptively simple to prepare: Room temperature eggs are beaten in a warm bowl with plenty of parmesan cheese and crisp cooked bacon (or pancetta, or the cured pig jowl known as guanciale). The dish is topped with abundant ground black pepper and chopped flat leaf parsley. Goes nicely with a rough Italian wine like Montepulciano d’Abruzze. Last week, Gifted daughter Lesley R. did her own variation on this dish. Alongside two different varieties of Prince Edward Island bacon, Lesley R. added sautéed zucchini and fresh fava beans which created the perfect, complementary textures to the classic creaminess of carbonara. Hooray for innovation.