Any dietary restrictions we should be aware of? That’s always one thought that crosses my mind when we host large dinners on the Zubuchon private terrace in Cebu. It’s typically a set menu, and obviously pork-centric, so we do need to be aware of any special requirements well in advance. National Bookstore has hosted several dinners for visiting authors who come to Cebu to sign books and meet fans, and Mitchell David (Mitch) Albom was their latest guest. I hadn’t read any of his books, but apparently he is quite a phenomenon and has sold over 35 million books worldwide and is a long-staying member on the New York Times Bestselling list. Before becoming an author, he was a journalist and television newscaster. Their scheduled dinner, for 20, was slated for a Sunday.
On Friday, a good friend of ours from Boston mentioned that Mr. Albom might not eat pork, a result of religious or dietary restrictions. I went into a minor panic, and texted the hosts to find out if there were any dietary considerations. They responded on Saturday, a day before the event, that he had requested some chicken and a salad, and his wife was vegetarian. Yipes. Seriously, at a lechon feast? Clearly, some adjustments had to be made. To make a long story short, we had the full lechon feast, but altered several of the dishes to make them vegetarian friendly. We also put some chicken inasal on the grill, added some mixed grilled vegetables, a tossed green salad and at the last minute, mushrooms, tofu and bokchoy cooked in clay pots. The latter was a hit, and they ate two pots of the mushroom special. Extremely gracious guests, the Albom’s seemed to enjoy their dinner and drinks (the kamias shakes were a hit!), and managed to overcome jet lag from a long transpacific flight two days before. The group stayed until late that evening. The next morning, the Albom’s flew to Tacloban to see the damage caused by the storm and to provide assistance for rebuilding school libraries.
10 Responses
I like his inspirational books. You are a gracious host for thinking about your guests first and foremost.
MM – Tuesdays with Morrie.
we couldn’t be luckier, as a people, for you to be culinary ambassador (if I’m using the term right) to all these visitors, Bourdain onward. thank you for your service, Mr. MM ;)
i for one would love to see the mushroom pot recipe (so often Chinese-type food seems to peter out at my hands–i need a LOT of lessons on how to use all those quintessential diverse magical ingredients, and i don’t mean MSG). did you think it was odd though–since you mentioned it was a last-minute dish–that it should be included in the Pinoy feast? or is it not as Chinese as it seems in my head?
shiko-chan, it was very chinese, but I was trying to come up with a dish with protein, veggies, etc. that might not seem so strange to folks… and I was down with horrible fever and a respiratory problem for the previous 36 hours and only got up to do the dinner for an hour and get back into bed… :)
Mitch Albom – real compassionate human being!!!
I enjoyed his book ” Five people….” a fantastic read.
Who is next? JK Rowling perhaps….:)
A friend who got his book signed said Mitch was one of the nicest celebrities he has met in his life… and this friend has had his share of celebrity encounters, both here and abroad because of the nature of his work…
i love 5 people you meet in heaven but i love marketman more… peace mrs m.
wow! mitch albom + marketman, im such a huge fan!
if i could perform half as well as you clearly do when you’re (literally) sick and tired, i would be soooo happy. hope you’re all better now :)