HUNGRY GERALD

Bad news day. Prince Edward Island’s Guardian newspaper (“Covers the Island Like the Dew”) reported Atlantic Shellfish Products, Inc. has been hit with a recall notice by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The brand’s oysters and quahogs (hard shelled clams) have been recalled due to possible salmonella contamination. Two of the varieties being recalled are Malpeques and South Lakes. They happen to be summer favorites of HG. Briny and flavorful during the summer while Colville Bay oysters have a tendency to be mild and bland during the summer (Colville Bays are HG/BSK’s choice during months with an “R”). The skilled shuckers at the Inn at Bay Fortune solve the problem by smothering the Colville Bays in a fiery Bloody Mary “slush.” These oyster shooters are fine if you’re fond of Bloody Marys (hard to taste the oysters). HG hopes beautiful PEI begins paying more attention to the destructive chemicals being used by some farmers, PEI is branding itself “The Food Island.”. Aggressive environmental law enforcement will be important to maintain and fulfill this brand’s promise.

HG spent a night with remarkable women. Very rewarding. It was all choreographed by our dear friend and neighbor, Karen K., a brilliant and generous woman–film producer, gardener, chicken farmer, creator of splendid desserts..and more. Karen K. obtained six tickets for an event at The Lensic, Santa Fe’s venue for dramatic, musical and cultural events. The event, part of the Lannan Foundation’s “Pursuit of Cultural Freedom” series, featured a lecture by Naomi Klein, author of the bestselling book: This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate. This was followed by a conversation between Ms. Klein and Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief of The Guardian, the worldwide newspaper. But, before spending time with these two intellectually stimulating women, HG dined with a completely different set of talented women: BSK (of course), Karen K. and three of Karen K.’s friends–two photographers and a scholar/antiquarian specialist in Native American art. HG and the women dined at a new Santa Fe restaurant, Paper Dosa, which features South Indian food. This means Dosas and other lentil based, thick and thin pancakes that are dipped in Sambar (a flavorful soup), or topped (or rolled around) lamb, vegetables, etc. and enlivened with chutneys. The restaurant is a handsome space with some excellent art on the walls. Unfortunately, all the surfaces are hard (as is usual in many new, trendy eateries) making the noise level disconcerting. The food is quite good. A few glitches, however. Mango Lassi, a yogurt drink, is an HG/BSK favorite. It is always served well chilled (or with ice cubes). PD’s Lassi was unpleasantly warm. The Dosas were nicely prepared but the chutneys were commonplace. The fried chicken appetizer was splendid but the calamari and cashew starter was insipid. A big hit was the Dahi Vada, a fritter covered with a lush and colorful yogurt sauce. The restaurant is very new and a big hit. HG assumes the glitches will be eliminated. The intellectual portion of the evening had no glitches. Klein and Viner are articulate and compelling. Klein projects optimism even though the climate scenario she projects is dismal and chances of altering the suicidical impulses of the benighted human race seem (in HG’s opinion) hopeless. The Lensic is a beautiful theater, a perfectly restored example of the Spanish Baroque architecture and design that was popular in the 1920’s and early 1930’s. The theater was packed. The previous event, an evening with Noam Chomsky, also drew a full house. Obviously, the Old Left and the New Left are alive and well in Santa Fe.

A favorite HG pastime in Paris is breakfast on a sunny cafe terrace. The key elements are a baguette, sweet butter, cafe au lait and the International Herald-Tribune, of course. HG replicates this on Prince Edward island. The baguette is provided by an extraordinary artisan baker in the little town of Cardigan (he also does super ciabatta and whole grain loaves). The baguette is better than any of its Parisian counterparts, attests HG. Baked goods, in general, are very good on PEI. There are excellent biscuits, very nice when warmed and drizzled with honey. Butter tarts (that unique Canadian taste treat) are omnipresent in addition to very good peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies. The butter is Kerrygold Irish Butter. The morning newspaper is the Prince Edward Island Guardian. Lots of homey news, lengthy obits of locals. HG particularly likes the newspaper’s restaurant critic, Bob Gray. He has never found a dish he doesn’t like and is very complimentary about table settings, waitperson smiles and friendly atmosphere. He waxes lyrical about the simplest tunafish or BLT sandwich. He nicely complements the green and gentle farmland of PEI.