LTHforum's 9th annual picnic: Sunday September 14, 2014

LTHforum's 9th Annual Potluck Picnic



Celebrating Our 10th Anniversary!

Ten years ago last May, LTHforum began in earnest much to the surprise to everyone involved. A dozen friends who dined together never dreamed they would mesh their talents to create this site. Fortunately, many came, liked what they saw and stayed to contribute over the years. Today it is owned by Ronnie_Suburban, SteveZ and ddickson, though LTHforum remains truly a community effort and resource.

Our tradition of the best potluck picnic carries on. If you need a few ideas, why not consider preparing a dish you learned about on LTH. A dish you never thought to make until someone posting their experience made it come alive and jump high on your must do list. Sundevilpeg inspired many to make Char Siu, AKA MUU DAENG.

Of course, everyone will be thrilled to eat what you know best.

Eggrolls made by Helen carried in by her husband Felix. Most of these eggrolls were snatched up walking from the car to the shelter. (image by Steve Z)



Date: Sunday, September 14th – Rain or Shine!

Where: Labagh Woods, Grove 1

Shelter in grove 1 (image by Steve Z)



Driving: Take 94 to the Foster Avenue Exit, then turn right (west) until the stoplight at Cicero Avenue. Turn right (north) onto Cicero Avenue for a few hundred yards. Turn right (east) at the LaBagh Woods Forest Preserve sign. Follow the road over US 94 and keep to the left to reach the lot.

Follow the red arrow (image by Ramon)


Time:
- 9 AM (or earlier by arrangement): I will arrive to reconfirm our picnic permit. Smokers and grillers may arrive to begin their cooks.
- 10:30 AM: Help with tidying up, arranging tables and supplies.
- 11:00 AM: Appetizers/Lunch/Desserts Food will be coming out in waves as they are cooked or as people arrive. It is truly a miraculous vision: Food shows up and people eat it!
(If you want to try everything, come early and stay late ... don't begin to kvetch if it is gone when you show up fashionably late! )
- TBA - Pinata breaking (children must bring their parents)
- 5:00ish - Begin tidying up - please note this is everyone's effort.
- 6:47 PM: Sunset - party over followed by the Park District chaining the driveway.

Fee: Free!

This is a true do-it-ourselves event where we bring food to share, help set up and clean up. Please advise if you can come early or help later with tidying up. This picnic will leave pleasant memories for all of us when we share the load.

Reserve: By replying on this thread. Your information will be maintained on this reservations list, which can always be checked. Please alert us to any errors. From time to time, we will post a recap on this thread.

Everyone joining in this event is expected to contribute in food, keeping the event orderly and tidy up as you go.

Shelter interior with food laden tables (image by Steve Z)


BBQ smokers and Grills: Please arrange your equipment in the front area, just off the main walk into the shelter. Sure a blast of wind from the wrong direction might send smoke into the shelter. Consider it a shared experience.

Crew from Taqueria El Te’ache at picnic, 2013 (Image by Steve Z)


jvalentino brought his portable pizza oven to picnic, 2013. (Image by Steve Z)


BYOT & BYOC: Seating is at a premium with only ten picnic tables provided with the shelter. These will be filled with all kinds of food. If you want to guarantee a seat, bring your own. Ditto for tables. There are lovely grounds for sitting on a blanket. You might consider setting up your seating behind the walls of the shelter.

Whatever food you choose to bring, please make sure to keep hot food hot and cold food cold


If you are better at ordering take-out, then consider bringing the following:

- Tables and chairs (we might get as many as ten benches from the park district)
- Offer to bring bread from local bakers
- Beverages*
- Cheese or salamis
- Water and Ice is always nice!*

*If you commit and later find you cannot attend, please give advance warning. People may want to keep a stash of water in case there are shortages (like a few years ago).

According to David Hammond, who graciously stored last year's unused supplies, we have on hand:
1,000 sets of knife/fork/spoon
100 napkins
50 plates
20 garbage bags
100s of moist towelettes
Random cans of sterno

We need Plastic tablecloths (probably a dozen), paper plates, paper napkins, plastic cups and some baby wipes.

If you can bring a bag to collect recyclables to bring home and dispose, that would be terrific.

Picnic Permit Rules and Regulations wrote:…
3. The Forest Preserve District is closed to all visitors after SUNSET. Night picnics are not permitted. Glass beverage containers are not permitted on the Forest Preserve District property.
…
5. The sale of alcoholic beverages in any form is prohibited.
6. Before leaving, you must extinguish all fires; collect all your paper debris, bottles and trash and deposit them in the appropriate containers.
…
10. All ordinances and regulations in effect of the Forest Preserve District must be observed and the instructions of its representatives obeyed. Please note that the consumption of alcohol upon or within 50 feet of any roadway, parking area or entranceway is prohibit. No admission fees or charges may be levied.
…

Alcohol consumption is allowed in this grove. As stated above, you cannot bring any glass bottles. BYOB (in original plastic) is otherwise a-ok.

Lessons learned from last year: Tents need separate permit. Please don't bring tents or tent-sized umbrellas.

From talking to the Cook County Forest Preserve Police, the consequences of a violation are: At a minimum two tickets with fines and mandatory court appearances will be issued: to the violator and the person named on the permit. Let's end the day feeling happy.

Please reserve by posting below with what you plan to bring to the picnic, where it fits into the meal and how many are attending:

Appetizer
Bread
Cheese/Sausage (to be sliced)
Side Dishes
Salads
Main course
Snacks
Desserts
Alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages

Please advise if your food needs heating, grilling or smoking. Plan to bring your own equipment unless you have arranged to share grill space on someone elses. If you have a tabletop grill, then be prepared to have it sit on the ground.

We have a special spot in our hearts for unique and weird food. Things you never thought you'd have an opportunity to eat.

Let's do this again, because it works so well: If you have small bites to easily pick up, consider walking through the crowd offering tastes to people.

***

Adjacent to our picnic area is a large field for games, advise if you can organize a game or two.

There will be a pinata filled with candy whimsies paid by the LTHforum party fund.



(Images by Steve Z)

Mom and Dad: Keep an eye on the kids. If someone else keeps an eye on them, you can be assured they are not enjoying themselves as fully as they'd like.

On the grove’s premises are portapottys plus brick-and-mortar flush toilets and water to clean your hands.

Waste not, want not: We encourage everyone to bring food storage containers, tupperware, ziplocs or plastic bags. We know there will be food to feed more than will be present, so please take home leftovers to enjoy the party just a wee bit longer the next day. When you are ready to leave and getting a container to go, please be considerate of those who may still be eating. Take a modest portion of any dish, especially if it just arrived.

We are not encouraging people to bring pets. There will be lots of noise, people, fire, food, liquor and kids. Even the best behaved beast may not respond well in these conditions. Promise them a good walk and lots of love when you return home, please. I am leaving my cat at home, who does not like to be without me. We all understand these sacrifices.

Come with the classic LTHforum open spirit to break bread with friends who share your culinary interests.

Now come out to eat and play!

Regards,

We (SueF and I) wouldn't miss it for the world. No clue what we're bringing, but expect it to be an app/main and a dessert.
Is there interest in more dutch oven cooking demos? We've done that once, and can probably do that again.

Hi,

I would love to see a Dutch Oven demo. I will try to get away for a while to see this set up.

I am once more with the Highland Park Historical Society. They have a log cabin, where setting up a Dutch Oven cooking demo would be fun. I will learn from you, then give it shot there sometime.

Regards,

I am not sure I am going to make it this year! If I do, it will not be for the full day. I'm so sad about this..

laikom wrote:I am not sure I am going to make it this year! If I do, it will not be for the full day. I'm so sad about this..

Your creativity and enthusiasm is legendary, you will certainly be missed. Come for whatever time is available.

Regards,

I'll be there with homebrews (plastic bottles) and probably some sort of weird meat. Oh, and I'll bring moetchandon, too.

I'll be there . . . contribution TBD.

Landing late the night before from Vegas. But I will be there. I have no idea what I will make yet.

LeekMan and I will be there. Not sure what I will bring yet, it may just be bottled water and ice.

laikom wrote:I am not sure I am going to make it this year! If I do, it will not be for the full day. I'm so sad about this..

What he said.

leek wrote:LeekMan and I will be there. Not sure what I will bring yet, it may just be bottled water and ice.

Whatever you bring will be thoughtful and delicious.

Just a note: trying to keep water and ice for those who are all thumbs in the kitchen. Of course, if that is what one can do, it is all appreciated.

Regards,

i'll bring my usual 2 giant buckets of fruit limeade and.... something to eat. i'd love it if someone committed to bringing a bag of ice that i can add to the punch. one less heavy thing for me to have to buy/lug. thanks, joan

justjoan wrote:i'll bring my usual 2 giant buckets of fruit limeade and.... something to eat. i'd love it if someone committed to bringing a bag of ice that i can add to the punch. one less heavy thing for me to have to buy/lug. thanks, joan

Joan,

Don't worry about ice. One way or another, there will be ice provided for your lemonade.

Regards,

Please count me in for 5 adults and 1 kiddie! Still deciding what we will all bring but I know one will be a vegan/vegetarian dish, another an Asian/Filipino dish and another TBD.

Swing Bossa and I are in and will likely bring some guests. I will update the number when they have confirmed. I will definitely make ice cream again. In addition to being fun and getting to see everyone, running around serving ice cream kept me from overeating! Swing Bossa will also make something and our guests will of course bring or make something.

In for Glennpan + 2. Can't wait!

Edited: Likely bringing a tray of tips and links from Uncle John's.

I'll be there, but because I'm out of my house due to remodeling I'm going to buy rather than cook this year. I was thinking I'd bring wings from GNR Great Seas and I'll also bring a friend.

You should definitely count me in +3, but I am waiting for culinary inspiration to strike (as far as what I am bringing).

On the calendar. For one, please. Busy cogitating about what, precisely, exactly, to bring.

Cabbagehead and I will be there. I am thinking of bringing some cold soups. Will update soon.

Chouxfly and I will be there, with our 10yo son (who can't wait for the piñata!). Chouxfly will probably make something bread-related, and I will do some kind of dessert.

Thanks so much for your efforts on organizing this, Cathy2!

I'm planning on being there. No thoughts as yet as to what I'll bring. Need to start thinking about it. Probably a dessert of some sort.

I'll be there. No idea with what. Sad that our Hawker stand will have to wait until next year (DAMN you Riot Fest!!!!!!!!!)

The Chow Poodle and I will be there, of course. We wouldn't miss the picnic for anything. I've got a couple ideas about what I'm going to make, but I don't want to commit until I figure out the logistics of what I have in mind. In any event, I'll be bringing some sort of meat-centric main dish.

The Chow Poodle's dish is TBD, but probably either a dessert or an appetizer.

If needed, we can also bring plates, cups and/or paper goods. Just let me know.

Okay. I hope to bring something else, but I will bring pickles for sure! And they will be lacto-fermented unless Mother Nature messes with me.

pairs4life wrote:Okay. I hope to bring something else, but I will bring pickles for sure! And they will be lacto-fermented unless Mother Nature messes with me.

I assume you are coming with your husband and MIL.

Regards,

I'm in for bean + 1. Still beanstorming my contribution. How are we set for grills?

bean wrote:I'm in for bean + 1. Still beanstorming my contribution. How are we set for grills?

So far there are no grills coming, though I expect this may change. It's still early.

Regards,

I plan to be there. For now, put me down for +1: Mr. Pie. I will bring something edible but I'll have to figure out what.

I was thinking about bringing ice cream, but wasn't sure how to handle it. I see that at least one person is bringing some this year and I assume it was there in the past...how fast does it melt? Just put it in a bowl of regular ice? Thanks.