HUNGRY GERALD

Got a very nice comment today from Rev. DeForest Soaries concerning a recent HG post. Rev. Soaries (known to HG/BSK by his nickname, “Buster”) was a dear friend of HG/BSK’s when the duo lived in Montclair, N.J., some 30 years ago. Buster was the pastor of a small church and a very eloquent activist on behalf of Montclair’s African-American community. Buster and HG/BSK fought many political battles side by side. Won some. Lost some. Always had an exciting time. Since that time Buster has fashioned a very distinguished career in religion, housing, education, government and politics, not the least being the former Secretary of State of New Jersey. HG is sure he has lost none of his fire. In Montclair, HG/BSK lived in a turn of the century mansion. Beautiful gardens. Big swimming pool. Quite classy. Buster would sometimes bring a group of his young parishioners to visit to shed some perspective on race relations, class relations and aspirational hopes. Once, Buster and a group arrived when HG/BSK had just finished preparing a steaming pot of Soupe de Poisson. This is the Provencal fish soup that involves fish, onions, fennel, tomatoes, saffron, Pernod and other good things. Boiled. Simmered. Pureed, It is served with slices of toasted baguette slathered with a mayonnaise whipped with garlic and a load of the hottest hot sauce available. (An excellent Soupe de Poisson can be found at Brasserie Stella in Paris, one of HG’s favorite restaurants). BSK dished out some Soupe for Buster and his friends. The reaction was extremely negative — while HG’s lifestyle seemed quite ideal, Buster’s young parishioners found HG’s food to be quite the opposite. Tonight, as winter descends on New Mexico, BSK is preparing her version of seafood (cod, clams, scallops) in Spanish green sauce. One of the unusual flavoring elements in this dish is the juice from a can of asparagus. Not the asparagus. Just the juice. Sounds odd but trust HG. It works. Wish Buster could be with us to share this food.

The New York Yankee sage, Yogi Berra (once HG’s neighbor in Montclair, NJ.), observed about a restaurant: “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” That’s the way HG felt about Santa Fe’s Jambo Cafe, located in a Cerillos Road strip mall. A small place, there was often considerable wait to taste the creative and unusual Caribbean/African cuisine. Well, HG was near there today and had a lust for vibrant coconut-peanut-chicken stew. HG discovered that Jambo has tripled in size. Same bright and colorful decor. Same smiling, warm and efficient service. The food? Better than ever. HG’s huge bowl of the aforementioned stew was brilliantly robust with many complex layers of hot, sweet and savory flavors. (If not hot enough for daring tastes, there’s a bottle of crushed Jamaican Scotch Bonnet peppers on each table. Let the unwary beware. Asked for a mini taste of the goat stew (yes, goat, and please don’t knock it until you try it) and the dish evoked Paris bistros and Rastafarian gourmet cooking. Don’t just concentrate on New Mexican green chile extravaganzas when you are in Santa Fe. Take a detour to Jambo.

Even the word — mozzarella — is delicious. Just roll it around your mouth, let it dance about your tongue and finally just say it out loud. Pretty great, right? Of course, this word-play doesn’t replace the act of eating mozzarella. HG refers, of course, to fresh mozzarella (we won’t even discuss the highly processed Polly O type of packaged mozzarella). It is usually packed in water and best when made that day, but Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s actually sell pretty good mozzarella. TJ also sells buratta — a type of mozzarella with a liquid, creamy center. And, TJ also stocks the best — buffala mozzarella; a mozzarella made from water buffalo milk and imported from Italy. Pricey, but worth it for an occasional treat. HG has never liked smoked mozzarella. But, there’s an exception — the smoked mozzarella made at Joe’s Dairy at 150 Sullivan Street on the northern edge New York’s SOHO. Hand made fresh daily, this smoked mozzarella is smoky on the outside and deliciousy creamy on the inside. HG was introduced to this treat by HG’s distinguished son-in-law, Profesore/Dottore Massimo R. He placed the large, dun colored mozzarella on HG/BSK’s New Jersey kitchen counter. He suggested a taste (the intention was to serve it with lush Jersey tomatoes as a dinner appetizer). It was just too good. It was gone in a flash.

Another great place for fresh, hand made mozzarella is Belgiovine’s Italian Delicatessen on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair, New Jersey. HG remembers with great joy, driving home with the warmth of a freshly made Belgiovine’s mozzerella radiating through the shopping bag and knowing that sun warmed Jersey tomatos and basil would be there on arrival. Belgiovine’s is also a source for outstanding Italian sausage, bread, ham, fresh and dried pasta. In Rome, HG and BSK discovered a restaurant that served only mozzarella. Awfully good cheese — but not better than Joe’s Dairy or Belgiovine’s.