LTHforum Tailgate Picnic - September 6th - RAIN OR SHINE!

LTHforum Style Tailgate Party aka 3rd Annual Do-It-Yourself Picnic

The food game is never over! Roar into fall with a tailgate party never before witnessed. We'll make believe we're at Soldier Field cheering the team on from the parking lot. That the Bears forbid this activity presently is their folly, we can still do what we want on our terms on our field of dreams.


Kennyz's delicious tomato tartlets (Ronnie Suburban)

Date: Saturday, September 6th – Rain or Shine!

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.
- 11:30 AM: Appetizers
- 1:00 PM: Lunch (Note food will be coming out in waves as they are cooked or as people arrive)
- 3:30 PM: Desserts
- 5:30ish - Begin tidying up - please assume this is everyone's effort.
- 7:15 PM: Sunset - party over followed by the Park District chaining the driveway.

Where: Forest Glen Forest Preserve.

Public transportation: Forest Glen Metra station at 5301 N. LeClaire. Check the Saturday schedule here.

Driving: Take 94 to the Peterson Exit (only exits east), then turn right (south) onto Cicero Avenue. [Caldwell is not Peterson, do not go west!] Turn right at the first light onto Forest Glen Drive taking you into the quiet residential neighborhood in the midsts of which is our picnic grove.

Fee: Free!


Tea leaf eggs from Pucca (Ronnie Suburban)

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.


The world's largest Will Special. (Mike G)

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

Thinking what to do ... may I be so bold as to provide a few ideas?

Got a truck or willing to haul a few smokers and Weber kettle grills over to the festivities? We'll also need some help with utility tables as well.

You know it's a good picnic when you got this many grills and smokers working (JimtheBeerGuy)


Other ideas are:
- Try one of the 1,000+ recipes in the recipe index
- Tailgate party suggestions
- Chicago Bear's Sausage Night

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

- Offer to bring bread from local bakers
- Beverages
- Cheese or salamis
- Plastic table settings*, paper plates* or cups* (from Costco, Sams Club)
- Baby wipes for cleaning hands
- Plastic garbage bags
- Ice is always nice!

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 -- if you share with someone then it is gift you're sharing.


A glorious salad of avocado, hearts of palm, grilled corn and asparagus, mango, lump crab topped with toasted pine nuts and pine nut vinaigrette made by Jazzfood (Ronnie Suburban)

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
Non-alcoholic beverages
Tablesettings*, paper products*, garbage bags

(*There are some leftover paper goods from the potluck. I will take an inventory and advise what we have and what we will need soon.)

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.

***

Adjacent to our picnic area is a large field for games. Ramon is promising another pinata filled with candy whimsies. There are trails to the north branch of the Chicago river to trek to. On the grove’s premises are flush toilets and water to clean your hands.


Luc, let the force guide you! (Mike G)

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.


Overwhelmed but in a good way (Ronnie Suburban)

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

Now go play!

Regards,

Picnic! Hooray!!! The Chow Poodle and I will be there.

I'm really looking forward to this! I'll be bringing Baylor Watermelons (your choice as to weather you want to classify them as a side dish, a dessert or even a main course.) I'll also bring a Gatorade sideline cooler filled with cold spring water like I did last year.

If my experiments are successful, I may bring some home made giardiniera, too.

I've got an 8' table available if needed.

I'm definitely in, +2. Not sure yet what I will bring.

Yay!!

=R=

I'm in for me +1 - will bring deviled egg, and some sort of meat (might need a little grill time).

Yippee!

We will be there, two of us, and as soon as we finish poring over our cookbooks and recipe files, we will edit this post to indicate what we'll be bringing. Sadly, I have to teach that morning, so we'll be running a bit late, but we WILL be there. I'm personally tempted to repeat the oil slick garnished with baked beans a la last year, but I don't think it's a good idea for people to get spoiled.

i'm planning to come, that is if i don't have a respiratory infection from 4 plane rides in 9 days, as i did last year. i return from a working vacation the day before.
i'm bringing Quadrados de l'Oranja which is an old family recipe from my brother's portuguese mother-in-law. in english, these are orange squares and are definitely dessert. if i have time, i'll bring some sort of vegetable/salad dish. looking forward to it. justjoan

We are psyched to be there. (That's 4.)

I've had it on my calendar for months. It's the only reason the end of summer isn't depressing.

I can bring food, but I'll gladly bring "stuff" (plates, plastic glasses, etc.) again, if you need that more.

Count JoelF in +2, probably an appetizer and a dessert.
Right now if I had to pick an app, it would be Thompson's (Thai Food) Cucumber Relish. Absolute essence of fresh and cool in the summer. I'd tried to wing reproducing this in the past, ending up with spicy pickles, but this is perfectly balanced with julienned ginger in coconut vinegar and sugar (and a few other things).

I will be there, both dishwashers in tow (total of 3 Mhayses!) Have to have a little think about what I'm bringing, but it will probably involve appendages or guts in some way...maybe a pie, too....

Hi,

I'm glad this event is so eagerly awaited.

Earlier this year there was an article in the Chicago Tribune on people who feast on raccoons. A friend read the article, then presented me with a freshly killed raccoon. I have read it can be grilled, though I will do a little research on this. I will have 'coon there in one form or another.

I will bring something less off the beaten path, though goodness knows what presently.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Other ideas are:
- Try one of the 1,000+ recipes in the recipe index

The Index to LTH Recipes has just been updated through Aug. 16, with more than 1,200 recipes.

Before the LTH Potluck, I got some queries from people confused about just what is and isn't indexed or having trouble finding things in it, so I have also posted a guide to using the recipe index.

Count me in for 2. Have to think about what I'll bring. Maybe watermelon salad and dessert.

Looking forward to this! Please add EvA + 2. We will bring a Sacher torte, baked from my Viennese great-grandmother's secret recipe, and something else to be determined.

Evy

Of course, the Ramons (3 total) will be there with pinata. I will determine what food(s) we will bring in the next week. We would not miss it.

My parents are planning on stopping by, but they are day-to-day. I will be responsible for their contributions.

Greatly looking forward to it.

-ramon

I am so flattered to have my cha yeep dan/tea leaf eggs pictured in the first post! I have already saved the date for months. I am so there + 1. I will probably bring something sweet....not sure what yet.

Can't wait! In for 1.
Not sure what I will be bringing. Some people have asked me to bring my version of Ramon's Goi Ga, so I may bring that along with some other dish.

Jyoti

definitely in, and I'll probably making another seasonal, savory tart with homemade puff pastry and whatever looks best at the market. And/or this delicious eggplant-garlic spread/dip. Or something else entirely. I'll let you know soon.

Edited to clarify:

I'm in (definitely) with +1 (probably). I will make and bring a few different takes on Thai one-bite salad (definitely, appetizer).

I'm planning on being there and will likely be bringing pate or some other sort of charcuterie. Once my plans have firmed up, I'll post the details.

Also, that same morning is the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation's Boulevard Lakefront Tour, which I plan on doing. If there are any other LTH'rs planning on doing both, please PM me. Currently my plan is to take my bike to the southside via El', do the ride, haul it back to the northside, and then ride the motorcycle up to the picnic. If you've got a car with a bike rack and are going to both events, let me know.

-Dan

I'm in + probably 3 hubby (if in town) and the evil twins,
will bring something, haven't decided what yet.
I have tables, coolers, etc that can come if needed.

I'll be at the picnic. I'll bring an appetizer and a non-alcoholic beverage, both TBD.

dansch wrote:Also, that same morning is the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation's Boulevard Lakefront Tour...

Isn't the Boulevard Lakefront Tour the next day, on Sunday, the 7th? I was going to do the 62-miler, and I didn't see a conflict with the picnic. Then again, I'm notorious for mixing up dates and double-scheduling...

Joined the forum 1-1/2 years ago, haven't been to any get-togethers; this sounds like a good time to start to get to know people. I'll come, plus one. I'll watch and see what needs be done. I have a table-top grill if needed.

Do you organize name tags, or should we bring our own?

Just read about the lunch at Sun Wah, which is happening as I type. I would have been there, but I'm in Reno. Next time for sure.

Mike

MikeLM wrote:Do you organize name tags, or should we bring our own?

Name tags and dish tags will be supplied.

We look forward to meeting you.

Regards,

I'll try to be there before I need to go in to work at Burt's. Just me plus a side dish of some sort. Details as we approach the date.

Buddy

I am looking forward to making my first picnic. I will bring some sort of fruit salad and maybe some spanakopita if I get a chance to make it in time.

Hi,

We are already at 45 people planning to attend:

Appetizer dansch charcuterie 1
Appetizer happy-_stomach appetizer 1
Appetizer hellodali maybe spanakopita 0
Appetizer JoelF ? 0
Appetizer Nr706 Deviled Eggs 2
Beverage happy-_stomach beverage 0
Beverage SteveZ Water 0
Condiment SteveZ Baylor Melons 2
Dessert EvA Sacher Torte ? 3
Dessert Jean Blanchard ? 2
Dessert JoelF ? 1
Dessert justjoan Quadrados de l'Oranja 1
Main Cathy2 Racoon 1 Y
Main Nr706 Meat dish 0 Y
Salad hellodali Fruit salad 1
Salad Jean Blanchard Watermelon Salad 0
Side Dish Buddyroadhouse 1
Side Dish justjoan salad or veg 0
Side Dish SteveZ Baylor Melons 0
Cynthia plates, cups etc. 1
GypsyBoy ? 2
irisarbor ? 4
Jyoti ? 1
Kennyz ? 2
Mhays ? 3
Mike G ? 4
MikeLM ? 2
Pucca ? 2
Entertain Ramon Pinata 3
Ronnie_Suburban ? 3
Santander ? 2

45

Regards,

Make it 50. Or, well, 49 1/2 SaintPizza and I, along with the offspring, will be attending. We are still consulting with each other on what to bring.

The Wife and I are in. I'll be preparing Aerofood, a signature dish from Marinetti's La Cucina Futurista:

Pieces of olive, fennel, and kumquat are eaten with the right hand while the left hand caresses various swatches of sandpaper, velvet, and silk. At the same time, the diner is blasted with a giant fan and nimble waiters spray him with the scent of carnation while wild jazz and Wagner play in the background.

David Hammond wrote:The Wife and I are in. I'll be preparing Aerofood, a signature dish from Marinetti's La Cucina Futurista:

Pieces of olive, fennel, and kumquat are eaten with the right hand while the left hand caresses various swatches of sandpaper, velvet, and silk. At the same time, the diner is blasted with a giant fan and nimble waiters spray him with the scent of carnation while wild jazz and Wagner play in the background.

I can't wait to try this out in real time, taste, touch and smell. It could be overwhelming.

Regards,