May Sm Household Food Exchange 5/10/10 @ Ras Dashen

Location: Ras Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant
5846 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60660
(773) 506-9601

Attendees so far:

Dinner (8):
GAF
Cathy2
boudreaulicious
Hellodali
nr706
moetchandon
leek
Maura Brannagan

Exchange (6):
GAF (Dirty rice)
Cathy2 (Croatian stuffed peppers)
boudreaulicious (Pozole rojo)
Hellodali (Red Lentil Coconut Soup)
nr706 (Pulled pork & Asian long beans)
leek (traditional Jewish brisket)

Date: Monday, May 10, 2010 at 7 pm

Time to plan our next exchange! Below are the details--let me know if you can join us. We are eating at LTH favorite Ras Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant.

Number in the group: We will cap attendance at each gathering at 14 and food exchange participants at 12 so that participants are never making more than 12 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 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, 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.

Count me in!

Same here!

Yes, exchange and dinner.

I'm in this month. I think I'll reprise the Red Lentil Coconut soup we made for Soup and Bread which was quite a hit.

I'm in for dinner and exchange.

I'm in for dinner.

Count me in, I've really wanted to try this place. Dinner only.

I'm in for dinner only.

We're going to have to skip this month. I'll miss trying everyone's creations!

Please put me on the list!
1 exchange, 2 for dinner

Hi There!
Can you please put me on the list for dinner and exchange plus one?
Thanks!

I'll have to skip the May dinner too - but still enjoying the April dishes, and looking forward to seeing you all again in June.

Dinner is capped, starting waiting list. Still room for 4 more for exchange only. Bella, am I right in thinking your +1 will exchange?

I should be listed for dinner and exchange.

The way that this has been set up is that those who are in for the exchange have priority (and then partners and guests have second priority for dinner without exchange). The purpose of this particular event is as an exchange. As a result if someone wishes to be in for dinner and exchange, they should have priority over those who just want dinner. Hopefully this won't be a problem, and if it is OK with the restaurant, we can expand the dinner group to the number necessary. But the purpose is to have dinner and then exchange dishes. The ideal is to prepare 9-10 servings.

Gary,

You're right, priority should be granted to people who plan to exchange meals. It is the reason why we do this effort.

Regards,

Hi guys!
my +1 is forthe exchange as well as dinner.
It will be either my sister or a friend of mine.
Thanks!

I am happy to bow out if you need my spot for someone that wants to exchange. No worries.

My concern was not to have anyone drop out, but rather to insure that if there are others who would like to be in the exchange, they will not be excluded. If the restaurant is OK with a group of 15-20, I don't think that anyone will object - and, of course, at this point all of the exchangers might have responded The goal is to include, not to exclude. But making these dishes are fun - and eating them more so.

The dinner is opened up to other exchangers - we have 3 more spots. When it's closer to the dinner. I'll call the restaurant and ask if they have space for a larger party.

I'm so sorry, but I have to drop out I just realizied I have tickets to see Frederica Von Stade.

I will only be one for dinner.

Lee

For personal reasons I will be unable to attend the dinner or contribute to the exchange this month.

All - I received this email today. Please let me know your thoughts about this, by pm or post.

Hello,

My name is Maura Brannigan, and I'm a journalism student at Northwestern University. I'm working on a story for class about high-end, natural and organic food consumers and would love to stop by your dinner exchange. I understand you may be concerned that I may disrupt your dinner, but I promise I will be very quick, and will try my best to not be at all distracting. I would really, really appreciate your help; please let me know if this is possible. Thanks so much, and I look forward to speaking to you soon!

Best,
Maura

--
Maura Brannigan
Medill School of Journalism
Northwestern University | Class of 2012
(312) 231-2494

We want her to be distracting. Otherwise we will have to talk to each other!

Tell her to join us.

It's fine with me too, but she should probably know we're not all necessarily cooking natural, organic or high-end. High tastiness, yes. High-end, I don't know .

gotta admire her moxie--I'm pretty sure I would never have had the rocks to ask myself to a dinner with a group of people i didn't know (with the sad state of journalism today, we need more like her )

boudreaulicious wrote:gotta admire her moxie--I'm pretty sure I would never have had the rocks to ask myself to a dinner with a group of people i didn't know (with the sad state of journalism today, we need more like her )

This is open to anyone who wants to participate in the exchange. Strangers attending is a fairly normal occurance at any LTHforum dinner. As a new person to come to any LTHforum event is brave, because you can meet some pretty odd people on the internet or so I've been told.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:gotta admire her moxie--I'm pretty sure I would never have had the rocks to ask myself to a dinner with a group of people i didn't know (with the sad state of journalism today, we need more like her )

This is open to anyone who wants to participate in the exchange. Strangers attending is a fairly normal occurance at any LTHforum dinner. As a new person to come to any LTHforum event is brave, because you can meet some pretty odd people on the internet or so I've been told.

Regards,

Was typing faster than I was thinking...meant to say when I was in school But your point is correct--we were all "new" at some point!!

Hi,

I am making Croatian (some say they may be Turkish) style stuffed peppers. These are full of flavor having simmered for several hours in a rich tomato sauce.

Recipe roughly from this blog: http://maninas.wordpress.com/2007/10/06 ... e-paprike/

I bought 24 peppers at Jerry's Fruit and Vegetable Market. I am ready!

Regards,