210407 Kismet Gefilte Fish Al Jolson and I'm Just Wild About Harry

April 7

                                            Kismet Gefilte Fish with horseradish.

"Though April showers may come your way, they bring the flowers that bloom in May.... It isn't raining rain, you know, it's raining violets."*

I want to share my little musical revisit to an entertainer and singer that I learned to like as a child, and with whom I became enchanted, through his biographical films, The Jolson Story and its sequel, and his charismatic performance in The Jazz Singer, 1927, the first talking picture made. [I will not attempt to address blackface in entertainment. I include a reference article in the footnotes.**]

I wanted to hear again the opening number of The Jolson Story, which is a young "Jolson" singing Banks of the Wabash.***[3] The boy actor sings beautifully as he demonstrates the first budding mannerisms of the adult performer hesitantly and charmingly. So started my return journey through the two Jolson films and an afternoon of his music. Whether through their own merit or through my familiarity with the songs, they express a passion and joy that are infectious. Al Jolson was in his time considered the best entertainer in the world. Thank you to Youtube for having these two movies that aren't available on Apple. 

Jolson is credited with helping to bring African-American music to the popular stage, not in ridicule but with an appreciation of its beauty and depth of feeling. He fell in love with Dixie jazz and drew its influence into his own work. In a prelude on his recording of Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody, he says, "And a very funny thing: people have been making fun of Mammy songs and I don't really think that it's right that they should, for after all, Mammy songs are the fundamental songs of our country."****[4]

Listening to Jolson most of the day, I played "I'm Just Wild About Harry" several times, just to hear the over-the-top excitement in Jolson's version. At last I went on a search for its origin and  to look for a hint of why men covered the song. I found its origin in an interesting Wikapedia blurb, [5: two related refs.] but no hint of why men covered it. I like to think it was a secret nod to the gay presence in show business. Shuffle Along was the first all Black-American casted show on Broadway and was also the first written by Black Americans. Until 1921 Broadway revues were limited to one Black act in a show. The new show also broke the taboo on showing romance between African-Americans. The hit song from the show was "I'm Just Wild About Harry". So here it is 100 years later. I still like Al Jolson's version the best. It's so full of delight and energy.[6]

Mrs Yeolson's gefilte fish with horseradish is a running joke in The Jolson Story, and by the end of Jolson Sings Again, my curiosity was piqued. I had never even tasted gefilte fish, had no idea what it was! To make gefilte fish is a long travail of love, with fish skeletons simmering for hours, but there are easy-bake-oven recipes that are quick and sounded tasty to me. So I thought; I like horseradish, let's try it: not the original proper method, but one of these easier ones. I put the ingredients on my shopping list. I came home without matzo meal, too much work just to shop without searching for matzo meal. The store didn't have any decent white fish, let alone carp or pike, so I chose fresh salmon (a variation suggested in some recipes) that was on sale for about 6 dollars a pound. And I somehow overlooked the celery. 

I chose the "Best Gefilte Fish Recipe" from Delish.com [7] to work with, although CBC Life has a similar recipe. But it is not my style to adhere strictly to recipes. That's why I can't make a cake! You have to be precise. This is where Tamar has it over me, she is precise and exacting, as befits a professional bakery chef.

So I began with the Delish recipe and I will make note of my changes in the recipe below. The resulting gefilte fish, pale pink and slight browned on top was indeed delicious: a light concoction with a delicate salmon flavour and amazing gentle texture. I couldn't wait for it to chill overnight and we enjoyed some still warm from the oven. I froze the rest in 2 person servings and we had some again last night. I almost forgot to buy horseradish, was fortunate to spot it on the shelf as I was heading to the cashier - it is perfect for the fish. 

It is because of all the substitutions that I call this Kismet Gefilte Fish, riffing on the Sleepless in Seattle quote, "It was like kismet, but not, if you see what I mean."[8] My adapted recipe is "like Gefilte Fish, but not", I think.

Kismet Gefilte Fish with thanks to Delish.com

[pre-heat oven 350 degrees]

1 T olive oil (their recipe: 2 T)

2 medium carrots sliced (theirs: 3)

1/2 C chopped purple onion (theirs: stalk of celery) I use purple onion in all my cooking for the antioxidants.

700 gr. fresh salmon (theirs: 1 lb. (454 gr.) ground carp and pike)

2 eggs (theirs: 3)

3/4 C chicken stock (theirs: fish stock, chicken a suggested substitute)

1/2 C Bisquick (theirs: 1/4 C matzo meal)

2 t salt (theirs: Kosher salt. I thought 2 t was a lot but trusted them and it was fine.)

1/2 t pepper (theirs: same but freshly ground - I don't have)

1 t brown sugar (theirs: white - I don't have white sugar in the house.)

1 T lime juice (theirs: 1/2 lime squeezed)

1 T oil for the casserole dish. (theirs: cooking spray - I no longer use)

To prepare:

Sauté onions and carrots in 1 T of oil until tender. 

Grind raw fish. Grind cooked onions and carrots. Add all other ingredients in a large bowl and combine. (they use a food processor - I don't have one.) (they reserve the lime juice for the top before baking while I stirred my in.)

Grease a baking casserole 11" x 7" or similar. (they call for a loaf pan - don't have.) 

Spread fish mixture evenly in the dish. (they suggest the lime juice on top and paprika - don't have the latter, not crazy about it.)

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, until lightly browned. (theirs: in a loaf pan was 50 minutes.)

Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight. (They insist)

Slice thinly and serve cold with horseradish. (their suggestion too)

*****

I hope that I do not offend Jewish friends with this non-traditional take on Gefilte Fish! I am delighted to have discovered this delicious appetizer and I hope I will progress soon to a more authentic recipe. (Surely someone around here sells carp and pike.)

Thank you for visiting. Take away what suits you, leave the rest. Keep well.

Mumma Yaga

Some footnotes:

* https://youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Z0odJJj00&feature=share Jolson, April Showers.

** https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/links/essays/jolson.htm  A discussion of Jolson's use of blackface.

*** [3]  https://youtube.com/watch?v=MyojejMZJB0&feature=share Banks of the Wabash clip from The Jolson Story.

**** [4] Let Me Sing and I'm Happy: Al Jolson at Warner Bros, 1926 to 1936. - Album

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuffle_Along

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Just_Wild_About_Harry

[6] https://youtube.com/watch?v=yL4KAZej15A&feature=share Jolson, I'm Just Wild About Harry.

     A delightful live piano version of I'm Just Wild About Harry by one of the original composers, Eubie Blake: https://youtube.com/watch?v=C1KD5KeBnuc&feature=share

[7] https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a19473685/gefilte-fish-recipe/

[8] Nora Ephron, Sleepless in Seattle, 1993.

Other: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jolson about the singer.