Santa’s Secret“The chicken tender is the World’s Most Perfect Food,” Samir is explaining to Lisa, his favorite co-worker. He’s on his third beer, which keeps him from realizing he’s delivered these remarks before, and she’s near the bottom of her second glass of rosé, which keeps her from particularly caring. A paper-lined plastic basket of the perfection in question has just been plunked on the table between them by a teenaged food-runner at Michigan’s, and Samir always takes a moment to sing its praises before he sets about dunking his dinner in a selection of sauces.
He pauses long enough to toss a “Thanks” at the kid who delivers them, then carries on. “They can be whatever you want them to be—tonight they’re Asian-sesame, tomorrow barbecue, let’s try curry! You eat them with your fin
