This week’s column is about some of the most fun, most awkward and most challenging Fed dinners of 2011.
So it’s a good time for Porkosity to take a moment to thank some of the amazing people who have made this production possible. Because it really is like a little theatre production, complete with a rotating cast and a seamless back-of-house team.
First, thanks to the wonderful friends from A-Squad, B-Squad and even those stragglers in C-Squad. Time and again, they have made me seem like a more charismatic host by being such funny, well-dressed, smart, informed and all around fun people.
In addition to my horrible wife, the always dependable Emma Segal, countless dinners were infused with a joyful spirit thanks to the company of Beth Palmer, Eric Vellend, Jesse Brown, Laura Adams, Lily Cho, Max Mandel, Mike Miner, Amy Wood, Chris Nuttall-Smith, David Ginsberg, David Zikovitz, Steve Gilbert, Ivor Tossell, Jennifer Yang, Jonathan Goldsbie, Karon Liu, Katie Minsky, Paul Terefenko, Zachary Green, Hannah Sung, Lauren Schreiber, Mark Medley, Sarah-Nicole Prickett, Becca Brown, Hilary Doyle, Denise Balkissoon, Catherine Porter and many more (and hopefully many more to come).
As always, friends and colleagues who ask, “When are you inviting me to one of your dinners?” The answers is, anytime you pitch me a good guest.
Brigitte Noel has been a tremendous help with guest bookings. I call her my intern, but really she is more of a part-time research assistant. She is as thorough as she is punctual.
My roommate, Andrea Yip, continues to be accommodating about having a dinner party in her home once a week.
Jen Agg’s influence is all over my table, starting with the table itself, which she steered me towards. She was instrumental in getting me wine glasses, ordered me a case of long-burning candles and in the new year, will doubtlessly be the reason why I spend twice as much on a set of chairs as I did on the table. But if she has her way, they’re going to be the perfect chairs.
My butcher, Pete Sanagan, has not just made meat-buying a pleasure, but he’s been consistently helpful with cooking tips. Chef Brandon Olsen has saved my bacon multiple times by replying quickly to a last minute text, an inquiry about brining ratios or resting times, despite the fact that he has better things to do. Nick auf der Mauer and Tom Davis have taken time out of their schedules to teach me how to prepare soft-shell crabs and ribs, respectively.
I never know which photographer is going to show up, an hour into a dinner. But whoever it is, they are always a pleasure to work with, integrating themselves into the strange scene, with or without lights. Back at the office, photo assignment editors have been nothing but gracious about last minute photo requests and details. Though it seems that every time I call to say, “I screwed up, can you send a photographer?” it’s Canice Leung on the other end being nice about it.
And while the realities of the newspaper business mean that there is less time for everything and the editing duties shift every few weeks, there is always someone back at the Star, editors such as Kate Robertson, Sarah Murdoch, Erica Tustin, Garnet Fraser, Deborah Dundas, who, with their better understanding of the world and the English language, prevent me from sounding like an idiot. [Boy, they would have split that sentence in three.] All too briefly, I got to work closely with Jennifer Bill. She has gone to a place that dare not be named.
I never know whether to refer to Christine Loureiro as my boss, my editor or my friend. She’s the deputy editor of the Living and Entertainment section. I wouldn’t attempt to describe what her duties are, but trust me when I say they are legion. Most of our conversations take place around 9 p.m. Whatever I did to earn a colleague who, after a 12-hour workday, will call me from home to work out a story, I’m supremely fortunate. She deserves more than being called Chrissy, or Lou, or Lou-Lou, or Chrissy-Lou. I guess she’s my Captain.
Undoubtedly there are people or animals (Hank!) I am forgetting to thank. But you get the picture. This is a team effort and I want everyone to know how much I appreciate their contributions.
…
Oh, and god. I couldn’t have hosted so many dinners without the my faith in Thoth, Lord of Divine Words, Thrice Great, father of Ra and Khepri, Scribe of Ma’at. I’m a little embarrassed that I didn’t thank him first.
