HUNGRY GERALD

Off on the long drive from Prince Edward Island to Riverside, R.I. (home of Gifted Daughter Lesley R. and family) with an overnight stop at the Senator Hotel in Augusta, Maine. BSK is the world’s best, most alert, most tireless long distance driver. Toby, The Wonder Dog, is a happy traveler, perched on the arm rest and watching the changing scenery with interest. HG is a contented, passive passenger. BSK drove for seven hours through changing weather. Sunny. Threatening clouds. Light fog. Dense fog. Comfortable, dog friendly room at the Senator. Nice area in which to walk Toby. Excellent Maine dinner at the hotel restaurant. A pair of Maine lobsters (modestly priced) for HG. (Since BSK is allergic to crustaceans, BSK’s Maine voyages have always been marked by watching, with envy, HG devour the state’s most famous product). HG/BSK had a platter of freshly shucked oysters from Maine waters. Splendid. Comparable to PEI’s Colville Bay product. HG/BSK, on the next day drive, were surprised by the heavy traffic. (Traffic is very light, almost non-existent, in PEI and New Mexico). Lunched at the Blount Clam Shack adjacent to the lovely Crescent Park carousel in Riverside. Savory Rhode Island “Clambake Chowder” and (for HG) a wonderfully generous lobster roll, sweet lobster drenched in melted butter). Warm reunion with the Riva family. The Riva gardens, home and water views are particularly beautiful in the early days of New England autumn. Lesley and Brilliant Granddaughter Arianna hosted a woman’s group of 14 for dinner while HG/BSK and Profesore Massimo R. dined at Sun and Moon, a delightful Korean restaurant in East Providence. Korean pancakes and other down home Korean cooking (some outstanding stir fried pork bellies). HG drank much Soju with beer chasers. With Toby at the foot of the bed, HG/BSK slept soundly after a long day of travel.

Lesley and Massimo R., Gorgeous Granddaughter Sofia (plus their endearing dog Pip) leave Prince Edward Island for Rhode Island tomorrow. So tonight there was an emphasis on lobster, a Lesley R. favorite food. Thus, there was lobster salad. (Lesley constructed it. No one does it better). A steamed lobster. (This was intended as a Lesley treat. But, the generous lady dismantled it and gave every one a taste). A cherry tomato, sweet onion and feta cheese salad. L and M brought back some tiny potatoes from Noel and Yossi’s garden. As big as the marbles HG played with as a youngster. Full of mineral PEI flavor. Quickly boiled and given a hit of olive oil and chopped parsley. BSK made a lush and comforting oyster pan roast. (Following the Grand Central Oyster Bar recipe). Cheese platter. Crusty bread. Lots of wine. Change is in our thoughts. GGS is off to begin two years of college studies in France. An adventure (fraught with the usual anxieties). HG/BSK know that GGS will triumph. In any case, Lesley and Massimo R. plus HG/BSK will join her in Reims for November vacation. HG has researched the Reims dining scene. A festive culinary time is assured.

Cuisine experts agree: Fat is flavor. While observing some degree of intelligent restraint, HG enjoys animal fat. Well marbled steaks. Juicy hamburgers made with good ground chuck. Crisp chicken skin. Pork bellies. Bacon. The heavenly Italian lardo. Pork chops (from chubby, non-athletic organic pigs, not the current crop of genetically engineered porkless pigs). This doesn’t mean HG loves all rich foods. Hates cream soups. Creative BSK makes any number of green, pureed soups that are rich in flavor but contain no cream. HG was never a fan of many old fashioned dishes (thankfully banished from most restaurant menus) that relied upon gobs of cream and butter. Lobster Thermidor used to be a dish that symbolized regal living. Excellent Maine lobster was overwhelmed by bechamel sauce, butter, cream, cheese, mustard powder, garlic, shallots, etc. The lovely sea quality of lobster vanished. Chicken met a similar sad fate in the form of chicken a la king, chicken tetrazzini, chicken in champagne sauce. Vile. There was another “luxury” dish HG never understood: Beef Wellington. This is filet mignon layered with pureed mushrooms, mustard and (sometimes) prosciutto, enclosed in puff pastry, and roasted. A pride of the English holiday table. Not a fave of HG. Filet mignon is a tasteless cut of meat and covering it in pastry, etc., creates an elaborate dish without doing much for the meat. HG is not fond of extra lean meats like beef tenderloin and pork tenderloin. Flavorless. For a quick snack, HG does an italian thing: Rubs a thick slice of good, toasted bread with a raw garlic clove. Gives it a hit of extra virgin olive oil. Better than slathering bread with anything cheesy or creamy. And, healthier.

Okay, food loving pals, turn green with envy. It’s lobster season here on Prince Edward Island and fresh caught lobster sells for $5 to $7 a pound — it seems that slightly warming waters has expanded the lobster population. The ocean directly in front of the HG/BSK home is teeming with the crustaceans and HG/BSK awaken each morning to the sight of a dozen lobster boats chugging about in front of their windows. Seems to be an early morning activity because by 11 AM they’re all gone. HG is taking advantage of this surplus and devouring many delicious lobsters in a variety of styles: Steamed and dipped in melted butter (garnished with lemon juice and Frank’s Hot Sauce). Mixed with chopped celery and mayonnaise and stuffed into lightly toasted frankfurter rolls. Scooped into Belgian endive leaves. None of this brings joy to BSK. The love of HG’s life is allergic to lobsters and all other crustaceans (shrimp, crab, langoustines). BSK is not allergic to bivalves (oysters, clams, scallops). So, there’s a lot of good sea stuff for BSK to relish. But, BSK still looks at HG with wistful envy as the greedy old guy knocks off some juicy lobster.

Birthday dinner for Gifted Daughter Lesley R. Simple and classic. Two big platters of dozens of Colville Bay oysters (the best in the world, attests Oyster Maven HG), a classic Prince Edward Island treat. Served on the HG/BSK deck overlooking the sea. Late sun. A gentle breeze. Cold beer and white wine. Perfect. Went indoors for steamed lobster. This is how HG does it: Two and 1/2 inches of sea water in a big pot. Bring the water to a boil. Put in the live lobsters. Return to a boil, cover the pot and let the lobsters steam for 18 minutes. Take them out. Let them “settle” to room temperature. Devour. The lobsters were accompanied by freshly made cole slaw and herb-flecked potato salad plus sliced tomatoes and crumbly feta. Before the lobster the birthday group knocked off some first-of-the-season corn on the cob served dripping with butter. Dessert was locally baked butter tarts. Laughter, love and many small gifts for the lovely birthday lady.

Big birthday dinner for Brilliant Daughter Lesley R. Up from New York, and leaving behind their trio of New York restaurants (Cookshop, 100 Acres, Five Points), are Restaurateur/Daughter Victoria and husband/chef Marc Meyer. Armed with Prince Edward Island’s auspicious sea bounty, Marc made the ultimate brandade for the birthday dinner — screamingly fresh haddock poached in milk and whirled in the blender with olive oil, garlic, boiled potatoes and a bit of sweet cream. Then popped under the broiler to develop a brown crust. Magic. Better than classic salt cod brandade in Paris or creamy mantecato in Venice. Marc has the touch. There was also lots of lobster and steamed soft shell clams. Melted butter. Lemon juice. Tabasco. A jolly family time as all wished BLR scores of happy returns.

As Europe faces an economic meltdown, HG adds a further woe by declaring: North American food is better than European food!

North American oysters (South Lake and Colville Bay) and mussels (St.Peter’s Bay) from Prince Edward Island are better than anything Europe can offer. And, yes, HG speaks from experience as HG’s gobbled up oysters in the best London and Paris locales. Halibut, cod, hake and haddock caught in North America’s Atlantic waters overshadow anything from the Baltic, Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas. HG makes an exception for real Dover sole (insanely, ludicrously pricey). HG lauds Maine/Nova Scotia lobsters and all the clam varieties from New England to points north. Dungeness crabs from the Pacific and Chesapeake Bay soft shells are superb. Canadian and American lamb (especially from Colorado) make Parisian gigots seem like nasty mutton. And, no steak any where or any place tops a noble New York Strip. An American prime rib roast easily beats the John Bull variety (though English Yorkshire Pudding has decided merits).

With farmers markets proliferating Americans can (at last) get the freshest fruits and vegetables. HG is not a fan of Italian or English bread. Yes, a great Parisian baguette or croissant is a treat. But, not easy to find these days. Meanwhile, Whole Foods daily offers wonderful bread and muffins. And, compared to Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, European supermarkets are dismal.

HG makes one concession: Few American restaurants have the warmth of an Italian trattoria, a Paris bistro or the suave elegance of an upper class London restaurant.

Earlier in the month SJ slipped off the fair Island of Prince Edward, so a festive sea send off was in order. The family started with shucked South Lake oysters (best in the world, better than the best of France, Britain and Ireland). Noel and Yossi M., the illustrious Colorado equestrian experts, joined the HG group and tasted their first oyster. Bravely, they got them down and signaled polite approval.

Earlier in the day, SJ and Exquisite Maiko motored to nearby Naufrage and received a shopping bag full of screamingly fresh mackerel from a commercial fishing boat (typical of PEI, there was no charge).

Exquisite Maiko did delightful things with the mackerel. First, there was sashimi with ginger, scallions and nori, Then, slivers of vinegar marinated mackerel with ginger. These dishes highlighted EM’s superb knife skills and showcased just how those skills actually effect the taste, and not just the presentation, of a dish. Meanwhile, two live lobsters were boiled quickly and took their place on the table with a big bowl of EM’s fried rice (rice with eggs, garlic, carrots, mushrooms and ham).

EM air dried some mackerel fillets, After bathing the mackerel in a special marinade for a few days EM will grill the fish. HG can hardly wait.

And now, the news from Prince Edward Island, Canada. Here in the town of St. Peters, the strip of land on the shores of St. Peter’s Bay, folks are justifiably proud of their mussels. They are farmed in the Bay and you can see the colored buoys marking the socks to which the mussels cling. PEI mussels are definitely the plumpest, cleanest and most flavorful of the species.

The Number Two Good Thing From The Sea at St. Peter’s is the lobster. The lobster catching season in HG’s neighborhood ( Cable Head East) is June. That means lots of very good, cheap lobster. After the season, boats from Nova Scotia arrive daily to unload their catch. HG picks out a big, cooked juicy lobster at a nearby fish store (Cost: Ten bucks). Corn on the cob, a sliced tomato, lobster. The perfect summer meal.