Very first assignment

[Steve Klc]

Leslie--do you still have your very first piece of published food writing--do you recall when and where it ran, what you covered and how much you got paid? Does it still hold any special significance for you?

Have you announced what your next book project will be?

[Leslie Brenner]

That's a fun question, Steve Klc. Yes, I do still have the first piece of food writing I published--it was called "Long Live the Sturgeon King," and it was a review of Barney Greengrass, the Sturgeon King, in New York City for New York Woman magazine; it was published in December, 1989. The article was only about 250 words, and though I couldn't find the contract, I think they were paying me a dollar a word, so it must have been $250. You also ask if it means something to me. It's funny--I thought it did, but it turned out that my memory tricked me--I had thought my first food piece was a review of Tribeca Grill for the same magazine, but when I went back and checked, in order to answer your question correctly, it turned out that came later. Go figure!

[Leslie Brenner]

Whoops! I forgot the second part of the question. I haven't announced my next book. I'm in the process of figuring out what my next food book will be, and in the meantime, I'm working on my second novel, which will be published by Henry Holt--I imagine in late 2003 or 2004.

[jaybee]

That's a fun question, Steve Klc. Yes, I do still have the first piece of food writing I published--it was called "Long Live the Sturgeon King," and it was a review of Barney Greengrass, the Sturgeon King, in New York City for New York Woman magazine; it was published in December, 1989.

Leslie, as you may know, the Sturgeon King (Moe Greengrass) died several months ago and his son Gary took over the rein (long live the Sturgeon King). Gary is my next door neighbor and a lovely fellow.

[Leslie Brenner]

Thanks, jaybee. I did know that Moe passed away a few years ago. I got to know both him and his son Gary after I wrote that piece (they had it beautifully blown up and mounted, and displayed it in the window for years), though I lost touch with them some years ago, after I moved to Brooklyn and the upper West side was too long a haul for brunch.

For accuracy's sake, though, the Sturgeon King was actually Moe's father Barney Greengrass, who founded the store in 1908. Though, I don't know--maybe it's like true royalty, and the crown gets passed down to the crown prince--who would have been Moe. If that's true, then Gary is now the Sturgeon King.