Small Household Food Exchange Dec 13 La Casa de Samuel 7 pm

We'll be doing it again, this time on the South Side, at GNR La Casa de Samuel, known for its adventurous Guerrerense food and house-made tortillas.

La Casa de Samuel
2834 W. Cermak Rd.
Chicago
773-376-7474

Dinner attendees: (to be updated over time)
nr706
boudreaulicious (?)
moetchandon
Leek (?)
Mr.Leek (?)
Pie Lady
lemoneater
Wendy
Santander
Cathy2

Exchange: (also to be updated over time) [6 exchangers = bring 5 servings]
nr706 - sushi
moetchandon - Chicken Cacciatore
Leek - sweet, sour and smoky brisket over noodles
Pie Lady - Jamaican Pea [black-eyed pea] Soup with Rice and Salt Cod
Cathy2 - Curry dinner a la French Chef
Wendy - meatloaf and potatoes au gratin

Date: (in case you missed it in the topic title) Monday, December 13, 2010 at 7 pm

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 we made for 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 say; 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 just didn’t want 6-7 dessert offerings as everyone was mostly interested in main meals (and there is a fabulous LTH dessert exchange the first Monday of each month). There will be no restrictions on the food – we’re an omnivorous bunch. WE DO HAVE ONE MUSHROOM ALLERGY IN THE GROUP SO IF YOU MAKE SOMETHING WITH MUSHROOMS, PLEASE INFORM THE GROUP WHEN YOU POST WHAT YOU ARE BRINGING. IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY ALLERGIES, PLEASE LET US KNOW. Again, that doesn’t mean that the ingredient is off limits, it just means to let everyone know if you are using it that month. We decided we don’t want to start running any list of off-limit foods or ingredients.

The containers/delivery system: Everyone in the group should use the Gladware 3 1/8 cup plastic containers (it’s the approximately 7” x 7” square, 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.

We’re all pretty relaxed and flexible with the exchange as there will likely be some bumps here and there and questions we will continue to come up. Remember that the core purpose of the exchange is for a group of LTHers to exchange good food they’ve made with minimal hassle and restrictions.

Looking forward to your sushi nr706 and the get together at Casa de Samuel!! Dish TBD.

I'm in for dinner and exchange (TBD).

2 for dinner
one exchange

Please

I'm going to be away just before this date, so cooking will be tough, but I'd like to join just for dinner, if that's OK.

This place sounds neato. Is there a set menu or does everyone order their own dish?

I'm hoping everyone will order from the menu, then share. Although, if I get something particularly good, you'll have to be especially nice to me to get a taste.

Excellent. I'm in for both dinner and exchange.

If it's okay, I'd love to sign up for the dinner but sans exchange. However I don't want to take anyone's place that wants to do both since it's an exchange-driven event. So feel free to wait list me for an exchanger if the numbers get too big.

AnotherMike wrote:If it's okay, I'd love to sign up for the dinner but sans exchange. However I don't want to take anyone's place that wants to do both since it's an exchange-driven event. So feel free to wait list me for an exchanger if the numbers get too big.

You're tentatively in, pending the number of exchangers we get. Just keep following this thread.

I'd like to participate in both. I don't usually get down to this area, so now I have an excuse. I'll have to post my recipe later, but it will have meat in it!

One for the exchange. Plus one for dinner. This may change as the previous week is going to be crazy busy and cooking may not be high on my list. But I'm optimistic!

Hi,

I am in for both.*

There is a chance I may not be able to attend dinner. I may have to pick up a friend whose been out of town. If that happens, is it ok if I drop off my exchange with nr706? I could pick my stuff up from him later in the evening.

My contribution is lamb meatballs in sour cherry sauce with pilaf. I read about it from FoodFirst's (an old Chowhound friend) Asian blog last summer. I finally made it for dinner this week. It is a keeper.

Regards,

At this point, we're full for non-exchangers, and if we get a few more who want to participate in the exchange, some of the non-exchangers might have to be moved to the wait list (sorry - but on the other hand, there are usually a few dropouts in the last few days prior to the event, so we'll do our best to accommodate as many as we can).

I'd like to be waitlisted for dinner and exchange. Potential dish is either mushroom soup or sambhar.

You're in. Room for one more exchanger - any more, and any new requests for dinner only go on the wait list. Happily surprised this filled up so quickly.

I would love to be in for the exchange and dinner.
I'm thinking meatloaf & au-gratin potatoes

Great. Everyone not already signed up goes to the wait list, unless we have dropouts.

You have dropouts. I replied before I checked the calendars. We are booked already on December 13. Huge bummer because I've been wanting to go to La Casa de Samuel and I figured an LTH group would be the easiest way.

I feel good about January...

Damn. I hope you can get there on your own some time - it's worth the trip to Cermak - if just to see Sergio.

HI,

I would like to change my contribution to:

Curry dinner a la French Chef

Turkey from hearth cooking class at Garfield Farm
Olive oil recommended by EvilRonnie
Onions and garlic from Jerry’s Fruit Market
Curry powder from Woodman’s
Flour from Gold Medal
Apple from Vonbergen Farms
Thyme and bay leaf
Chinese rice wine
Coconut cream
Salt and pepper
Facilitator: Catherine Lambrecht

I'm thinking about sweet, sour and smoky brisket over noodles.

Love LCdS and the good company here - please waitlist me for the meal; I will decline the exchange if I make it in since I'll be itinerant the preceding weekend.

Santander, looks like you're in - I'm not going to be able to cook for this one. Enjoy!

HI - just checking since I'll be packaging up today - please speak up if this count or whatever is wrong

8 exchangers so we bring 7 servings

nr706
boudreaulicious
moetchandon
Leek
Jyoti
Pie Lady
Cathy2
Wendy


There are also people coming who will not exchange - means we can order more dishes to share at dinner!

Just updated the original post. By my count, we'll have 12 for dinner, and 9 exchangers, which means bring 8 servings of whatever you make.

AnotherMike wrote:If it's okay, I'd love to sign up for the dinner but sans exchange. However I don't want to take anyone's place that wants to do both since it's an exchange-driven event. So feel free to wait list me for an exchanger if the numbers get too big.

Tom,

Unless Mike responded to your privately. I have the impression he intends to dine, but not exchange.

I am handing my contribution to Dave148 in about two hours, so a determination soon is appreciated.

Regards,

Just double-checked, and Mike isn't doing the exchange. So we'll need seven servings each. Original post amended.

Just in case it isn't locked, I made an extra serving

In theory, I guess we could add another one or two to the exchange, but only with the stipulation that they might not get a serving of everything, since some have already cooked their dishes. The folks signed up right now would get priority. (Making up the rules as we go along.)