LTH Small Household Food Exchange - Season 2 - 9 November

Current list of attendees (12 for dinner, 10 people in the exchange, bring 9 servings)

DINNER RESERVATION IS FOR 12 PEOPLE!!
that means we have 0 more slots for dinner

Cathy2 (+1 for dinner) - Chilean Winter Squash and Bean Stew
thaiobsessed - Enchiladas with chicken in red mole
Hellodali - Chana Masala and an aromatic rice
GAF - White Beans with Star Anise and Chicken
The GP (+1 for dinner) - Guiness Beef Stew
nr706 - Traditional Cornish Pasty
Leek - perde pilav
moetchandon - Beef Vegetable Soup
RAB (+REB for dinner) - pork and cabbage soup
bella54330 (exchange only) - homemade spaghetti sauce

Here’s how it works:

Gathering time: Second Monday of the month, 7:00 pm

Location: GNR restaurants to be determined each month


This month:
Habana Libre
BYO Cuban
1440 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 243-3303


Number in the group: We will cap attendance at each gathering at 12 so that participants are never making more than 12 servings of anything. Couples will be counted as one serving.

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 8-12 servings of one dish, and bring back 8-12 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). 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.

Approximately two 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 LTH’ers to exchange good food they’ve made with minimal hassle and restrictions.

Edited to add restaurant
Edited to update list of attendees

Hi,

I plan to attend.

Regards,

Count me in (exchange and dinner)...

Me too, for both exchange and dinner.

I'm in for dinner and exchange.

Any idea when location will be decided?

I'm in for dinner and the exchange with tentative plus 1 for dinner.

I'm in for dinner + exchange.

I'm in for dinner and exchange.

Good heavens! I'd better RSVP fast, too

The location will be decided after the unveiling next week of the new GNRs.
(first post in list edited to add list of attendees, will be updated as more folks RSVP)

I'd like to RSVP for one for the exchange and and dinner. I'm planning on bringing The Barefoot Contessa's cheddar corn chowder (with lower fat adaptations!).

Updated first post to add restaurant.

In with a +1 for dinner. Dish TBD.

Thanks,
--Rich

edit: I see that dinner might be too full for REB. We'll wait and see.

I can't make the food exchange, but I'll be nearby at Bar DeVille for the Velvet Tango Room bartender exchange if anyone wants to join me after Habana Libre that night. Cocktail-making starts at 8pm. I should be able to get there shortly after that.

I would like to join dinner and exchange if it is possible.

Nevermind, I guess I am already in.

Since I'll be gone until right before the exchange, I wanted to post what I'll be bringing - Chana Masala and an aromatic rice. And I might throw in some garam masala oatmeal cookies for fun. And will likely be head ove to Bar de Ville aftewords with my stash of food for the bartender exchage.

I would like to attend for the exchange.

Bella - you can do the exchange, but dinner seems full up, you'd have to be on the waiting list for that - it would be a drop, swap and go sort of thing....

The LTH tradition is that people will often drop out before the event itself, and so waiting lists often end up at the dinner, and if there are only a few on the wait list adjustments can sometimes be made.

I would be fine just doing the stop, drop and go... I'm a little shy anyway, so it would be a little intimidating for me to have dinner with all of you that already know eachother!

I'd like to make some homemade spaghetti and sauce if that's ok...
I usually put some mushrooms in the sauce, but I can go without if there are any allergies this time around....

Bella - Spaghetti sauce sounds terrific. And there's no reason to be intimidated at all; we're a pretty humble and friendly bunch of home cooks. We sometimes share reports of how we screwed up our dishes.

And as someone is likely to drop out before November 9, do tentatively save time to stay for dinner as you will not want to miss the chicken and jibaritos and we would not want to miss your company.

Bella,

Put mushrooms in the sauce. The one person who has a sensitivity has a husband who will eat it.

Regards,

I can confirm my +1 for dinner. Still trying to figure out what to make.

HI Bella - we don't all know each other, we kindof sortof know each other from here But the more times we meet, and the more people we meet, the more everyone will know everyone else!

I am sorry to have to cancel my participation in the exchange and dinner. I very much hope to make the next exchange.

Sorry Food Nut, we'll miss you!

I've decided to bring a Beef Vegetable Soup (sans mushrooms) for the exchange.

You can put mushrooms in, it's OK as long as I know it's there.

just to clarify- I'm not making homemade spaghetti noodle. Just the sauce. I can make and bring some spaghetti noodles, or not. What are the thoughts? I don't mind bagging some noodle portions along with the sauce, but I know everyone likes different noodle types (I prefer cappelini). Just let me know!

I'm planning to bring White Beans with Star Anise and Chicken.