Small Household Food Exchange, 1/13/15 @ Salam

Let's start the new year with food to tuck into our freezers for times when the desire to cook is like the temperature outside: zero!

If anyone is intersested in the special of the day, I will improve our chances by calling them to put some aside for our meal. If they do, great.

Details:
Salam's Weekly Specials:
Monday - upside down rice, an inverted mix of rice, lamb, cauliflower, potato and various vegetables.
Tuesday - stuffed grape leaves
Wednesday - stuffed lamb
Thursday - small rolls of rice and meat stuffed cabbage
Friday - soup with lamb and rice on the side.
Saturday - daily special changes
All daily specials come with pita, olives, pickled turnip and salad.

Salam Restaurant
4636 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
773-583-0776
Time: 7:00 PM

Dinner attendees
Cathy2
Pie Lady
nr706
moetchandon
+1

Exchange participants (bring TBA servings)
Cathy2 - Pelmeni
Pie Lady - Broccoli and White Bean Soup with (hopefully, assuming I don't screw it up) Roasted Garlic Wee Bitty Ciabatta
nr706 - deep fried pizza
moetchandon - carnitas with a side of rice and refried black beans

The fine print
Number in the group: We will cap attendance at each gathering at 12 and food exchange participants at 10 so that participants are never making more than 10 servings of anything. Couples can be counted as one serving, or two - if you come as a couple, please specify whether you're bringing one or two dishes to exchange.

The food: The food exchange started so that those of us in 1-2 person households who love to cook aren't stuck eating that big pot of chili a whole week. Instead, we make 6-10 servings of one dish, and bring back 6-10 different dishes. Participants bring one pre-portioned serving of their food for everyone who has RSVP’d to come that month. A serving is whatever you think it is for your food item. For soup, it may be two cups; for pastrami, 4 oz. (or more if you make more generous sandwiches). The priority will be for entrees, meats, soups, salad, stews, pastas, grains, etc. One dessert is OK each month, we don't want 6-7 dessert offerings as everyone is mostly interested in main meals (check out the fabulous monthly LTH dessert exchange!)

There will be no restrictions on the food – we’re an omnivorous bunch. IF ANYONE HAS ANY ALLERGIES, PLEASE LET THE GROUP KNOW.

The containers/delivery system: Everyone in the group should use the GLADWARE 3 1/8 CUP PLASTIC CONTAINERS (7” x 7” square container with a blue lid). You’ll portion your food into those containers to bring and hand out at the gathering. You can freeze them or not depending on your schedule and when you make your food. There is no need to fill the container, just put in whatever is a serving to you. If you use something else to deliver your food that month (Ziploc bags, plastic wrap, etc.) you should also return the empty containers from the last round so that everyone always has a stash of these containers for the exchange and doesn’t have to run out and buy more.

The process: Each of us will take turns being the organizer each month. Each time we meet, someone will offer to organize the next month’s gathering. Several weeks before the next gathering the organizer will post a new thread to the events page announcing the date and the location for that month and asking for RSVP’s.

Participants will need to RSVP their attendance by one week before the monthly gathering. They will then need to post what they are bringing by three days before the gathering. This is to help make sure we get some balance in the food so that we’re not all bringing something that has to be eaten in the next 2-3 days; that there’s a balance of stuff that can be frozen for later, or eaten sooner.

The organizer will monitor the thread to see what people are bringing. The organizer will also make reservations for the group at the restaurant where we will be gathering. People can choose to stay for dinner or just come and exchange food and leave. Just let the organizer know so they can get an accurate count for the reservation. Other LTHers are welcome to join us for dinner, even if they are not bringing food to exchange.

Hope to see you there!

Me please! Dinner and exchange.

In for dinner & exchange.

I'm in for dinner and exchange.

Thinking about deep-fried pizza.

I'm thinking soup 'n' bread of some sort.

This month will not work for me. Enjoy!

Food Nut wrote:This month will not work for me. Enjoy!

So sorry!

I will likely make a final decision when I am closer, though I hope to have some extra Pelmeni (Russian meat dumplings) to give.

Regards,

I made carnita with a side of rice and refried black beans. We had it for dinner one night. It didn't kill Tom or I, so I guess it's good/safe for the exchange.

It has been decided: Broccoli and White Bean Soup with (hopefully, assuming I don't screw it up) Roasted Garlic Wee Bitty Ciabatta.

Pie Lady,

Even if you screw it up, bring it because anything with roasted garlic will always be passable.

If anyone else wants to join in, they are welcome.

Regards,

True. Y'all can always turn it into croutons.

Assuming nothing changes, only 3 servings?

Pie Lady wrote:Assuming nothing changes, only 3 servings?

Three servings unless someone surprises us by joining in soon.

Regards,

Cathy, Tom and I will have a plus 1, my niece will be with us. Dinner only for her.

moetchandon wrote:Cathy, Tom and I will have a plus 1, my niece will be with us. Dinner only for her.

HI,

That sounds terrific!

I have a feeling there is no need to reserve a table. I will call on Tuesday morning to reserve one or two orders of stuffed grape leaves. Hopefully they will do this for us.

Regards,

Hi,

We are now six, since my Mom is coming with me.

I asked them to put aside two orders of their stuffed grape leaves. If I understood correctly, they had only three orders left. KNock on wood, we will not be disappointed.

Regards,

Great! I love stuffed grape leaves.