HUNGRY GERALD

Wisftul farewell to HG/BSK’s oceanfront paradise on Prince Edward Island’s Gulf of St. Lawrence. As always, it’s been a happy summer enlivened by the presence of Handsome Haru and visits (too short) from other family members. Lots of joyous dining as the winds pick up speed and the leaves begin to turn. Dinner of barbecued lamb and potatoes at Noel and Yossi M.’s Ocean Mist Farm. The delicious lamb was raised by them on an organic diet and received humane treatment. Everything on N. and Y.’s table (tomatoes, peppers, chutney, salsa and the apple crisp dessert) was raised by this remarkable couple. The festive event was echoed two days later by BSK with a meal of buttery mushroom toasts, penne a la amatriciana (from Mario Batali’s Roman recipe). The feast ended with apple pie and a choice of vanilla ice cream (with Sicilian pistachio paste) or maple walnut ice cream. HG/BSK took time off from closing the house chores (admittedly, 98% of the heavy lifting is done by BSK), to dine at two local St. Peters casual landmarks– Rick’s Fish & Chips and Lin’s Takeout. Rick’s steamed local blue mussels (served with a dip of butter,mussel juices and lemon) were sensational–big, plump, juicy, full of sea flavor. Thankfully, last summer’s mussel malaise has ended. Lin’s has the best French fries HG has ever tasted and the generous scallop sandwich is world class. Last PEI meal was at the pretty 21 Breakwater Restaurant in Souris. There are Portuguese touches on the menu (piri piri chicken, Portuguese fish and chips, etc). All tasty. Leave tomorrow for many days of motoring to HG/BSK’s New Mexico home. There will be full reports on HG/BSK’s culinary adventures on the road.

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Last day in PEI before setting out on the long and tedious air journey to New Mexico. Lots of last minute chores to insure our home on the sea sails through the winters without mishap. So, no cooking. Instead, dining at two Prince Edward island standbys, both overlooking scenic St. Peter’s Bay — the breeding ground of the very best mussels. We had planned to visit Lin’s Takeout for a luncheon scallop sandwich. Unfortunately, Lin was out of scallops so she suggested a halibut sandwich. Glad she did. The sandwich consisted of a half-pound slab of fresh, juicy just grilled halibut on a big bun. Slices of sweet onion, ripe tomato and plenty of mayonnaise. One of the great 9 buck sandwiches. Dinner was at Rick’s Fish & Chips. Started with shucked, briny Malpeque oysters and went on to perfectly crisp, falvorfully battered and fried haddock withe plentiful hand cut French fried potatoes and onion rings. The surprise was our beverages–a big, cold bottle of Gahan House Brewery Brown Ale and its companion, a bottle of the brewery’s 1172 India Pale Ale. Splendid drinking. The Brown Ale had lots of roasted malt exuberance and the India Pale had lots of alcohol and a refreshingly bitter finish. Both ales are brewed at the Gahan House Brewery in Charlottetown, PEI’s major city. Nice way to say au revoir to the gentle green island.

SJ here! In a previous post, Hungry Gerald lauded the Scallop Burger at Lin’s Takeout as “better than Pastrami.” Well, nothing is really “better” than Pastrami. Different, yes. Enjoyable, yes. But, Better? Hmmm. That said, Lin’s Takeout is simply terrific. The lauded Scallop Burger is a wonderful thing. The view of St. Peter’s Bay is a joy. And…The fish! Yes Lin, who can gently saute a scallop, also turns out to be a wizard with the deep fryer. She produces crisp, not-greasy and not over-breaded pieces of Haddock with stunning, hand cut, PEI sourced French Fries (or chips to these Anglo-Canadians). These fries have character and the real minerally flavor of fresh potatoes (A PEI potato farmer informed SJ that most of the Potatoes we eat in the states are up to a year old!). The fish is perfection — crack that crust with a fork and the briefest whisp of steam escapes revealing perfectly fresh, white, flakey haddock. Splash some malt vinegar on the whole, take a deep breath of that glorious rose-scented air of St. Peter’s Bay and dig into one of the finest Summertime treats.

Being a born and bred New York guy, HG has always loved a good pastrami sandwich. It is the ultimate urban sandwich — designed for, created and yes, perfected by the Jewish immigrant groups who nestled in tight enclaves like New York’s Lower East Side; all of whom needed a portable meal as they hustled to fulfill their American dream. And, yes, such a treat is still available (with many a regional discrepancy!) from Montreal to New York (most notably at Katz’s) and even across the country in LA (Langer’s). However, HG has discovered his new favorite sandwich at a more pastoral location: Lin’s Takeout in Prince Edward Island. Little more than a trailer, Lin’s is nestled on a bucolic hillside on the road to Greenwich Provincial Park (beautiful beaches, warm water swimming). HG lunches on Lin’s scallop burger. Lin tucks about 15 sweet, gently sauteed sea scallops into a big, soft bun. A slice of tomato. A lettuce leaf. Cole slaw. Touch of mayo. Sometimes greedy HG accompanies this sea treat with crisp, greaseless French fried onion rings.

No smell of asphalt. No car horns blazing. No taxi drivers cursing your mother with a Turkish accent. Just the sun gently shimmering off the waters of St. Peter’s Bay. The joys of a pastoral sandwich…Ahh Life’s good.