When readers subscribe to The Food Section, they’re prompted for a credit card number and billing address, and asked whether they want to receive Michael Stern’s weekly newsletter. But that’s as far as the gauntlet goes: I don’t insist on finding out, say, whether supporters consider themselves introverts or extroverts.
That’s because I already know. The Food Section faithful could out-flit the most social butterfly, and out-carouse the most party-oriented animal. At least, that’s my conclusion based on the tremendous response to my May 31 request for subscribers to consider hosting receptions on behalf of the publication. This isn’t a group that needs to be asked twice.
I am enormously excited today to share the schedule for our first set of house parties, and hope you’ll mark your calendars for any events near you. Furthermore, as you may recall, the intent of these in-person gatherings was to bypass the algorithmic system that rules social media and muffles new ideas: My hope is to promote The Food Section the old-fashioned way, which involves supporters inviting friends to a get-together so they can learn more about a worthy effort.
In other words, please forward this email promiscuously! Trust me: I know it’s hard to sell subscriptions. But in this case, all you have to do is offer free food, drink, and intelligent conversation to your favorite acquaintances. If they’re anything like the typical TFS reader, my guess is they’re game.
Still, it’s a huge leap from attending a party to hosting one. I am deeply indebted to those who signed up to share their time and space on behalf of The Food Section’s future. Not only am I awed by their generosity, but I’m so appreciative of how much creativity they brought to the event-planning process. Check out the schedule below to see what I mean.
Finally, it’s not too late to throw a TFS house party of your own! Since we last chatted about this topic, I’ve put together a manual for would-be hosts: Have a look-see and let me know if you’d like to sign on.
See you soon!
NEW YORK CITY
Thursday, July 25, 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
From Anisschitten to Pickles Dill
To commemorate the longstanding relationship between South Carolina and New York City, we’ll honor the Black women who cooked in Jewish homes in the 1930s-1960s. Our party menu comprises appetizers drawn from mid-20th century New York City synagogue cookbooks, including Mushrooms in Cream Sauce, seasoned with Tabasco and Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. As Regard Thy Table, published by the Larchmont Temple Sisterhood in 1950 put it, “these unusually diverse recipes rang(e) all the way from anisschitten to pickles dill.” This event is co-sponsored by The Jewish Food Society, The Museum of Food and Drink, and NYU’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies.
NEW YORK CITY
Sunday, July 28, 3 p.m.-5 p.m.
TFS X Ambrook Research
To pick up on the theme of the previous event blurb, I’ll be carrying a watermelon to the Ambrook offices. More specifically, I’ve arranged to have various experimental watermelons from the Edisto Research and Education Center pickled for this party celebrating all things agricultural.
FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
Saturday, August 3, 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
Take a Shine to TFS
Since our house party menu of Backyard Distillery corn whiskey and Daddy’s Girls Bakery chewies proved so popular at our first event in Ann Arbor, Michigan, we’re bringing the combo back for an encore performance at subscriber Susannah Skiver Barton’s place.
RICHMOND
Sunday, August 11, 3 p.m.-5 p.m.
TFS x Fingers
Speaking of combos, we’re getting the band back together! Dave Infante, editor and publisher of Fingers, and I worked together at The Post and Courier in Charleston. (Additionally relevant here: Infante encouraged me to apply for the Substack grant that facilitated The Food Section’s 2021 launch.) Fingers is a newsletter about beer, so assuming that’ll be among the poured beverages.
CHARLESTON
Saturday, September 28, 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
Rice-and-Eggstravaganza
Although it rarely appears on restaurant menus, there are few dishes more emblematic of the Lowcountry than eggs-and-rice. For this event, hosted by subscriber Peggy Malaspina, the catering crew from Genesis Le Bleu Waters in Ravenel will prepare the favorite of namesake Genesis Holmes, using freshly milled rice and local eggs. This event is co-sponsored by Anson Mills, Storey Farms, and Natural Blonde Bloody Mary Mix.
No Comments