October 11, 7 pm LTH Small Household Food Exchange Season 3

Season three is off and running:

Location:
Smak Tak at 5961 N. Elston, Chicago, IL

Attendees (preference given to exchange participants) (12):
Cathy2
The GP
NR706
moetchandon
Boudreaulicious
mbh
Jygach
tarte tatin
Cookie Monster
Leek +1
Wendy

Dinner (12):
Cathy2
The GP
NR706
moetchandon
Boudreaulicious
mbh
Jygach
tartetatin
Cookie Monster
Leek +1
Wendy


Exchange: (8) (everyone will bring seven portions to exchange)
Cathy2: James Beard's Tomato pie.
The GP: beef barley soup
NR706: heart and sole
moetchandon: stuffed cabbage rolls
Boudreaulicious: meatballs and sauce
Leek: savory pie
Wendy
jygach: Moroccan Chicken Tajine with Tomatoes and Honey

Date: Monday, October 11, 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.

In for exchange, +1 for dinner.

NR706 and I are both in. Exchange and dinner.

woohoo! Count me in. Dish to be determined. mbh and i were just talking about needing to go to Smak Tak!!

I would like to join you for dinner, and I'm hoping I can think of something suitable to prepare for exchange also. Will update--one way or the other--as soon as I do (or don't)....

Cathy - I am so glad you got this started as I was just thinking about posting this the other day. I'll need to RSVP a little closer depending on how some travel plans to Cleveland shake out.

School holiday weekend.
Next time!

In for dinner and exchange.

Jyoti

Hellodali - I put you as 'in' until you advise you may be 'out'

Food Nut - Too bad, though I thought a non-school day would make it easier for you.

Smak Tak needs all the love it can get.

Regards,

I'm in for exchange and dinner please.

--Rich

Hi

Please, 2 for dinner, 1 exchange.

Can you ask them, if they could pretty please make that amazing duck stuffed with fruit again?
One duck for each of us would be enough, I think

I will be making a savory pie.

Yes!! If there is still space, I am in for the exchange and dinner.

Wendy,

You are in.

tarte tatin,

You are in for dinner. If you want to participate in the exchange, consider yourself Grandfathered in.

Everyone else,

We are now on waitlist for the exchange. Please note hellodali is iffy, so there may be a spot.

Regards,

If there's a spot open, I'm game to attend for dinner & participate in exchange

I will be making stuffed cabbage rolls for the exchange.

Sigh. I am going to have to miss the season 3 opener after all. In addition to being gone the weekend before, my Costa Rican friends will be descending for their annual visit that week and I'll need to be home that night when they land. Enjoy and have some extra Hungarian pancake for me.

Hellodali,

I'm sorry! Hopefully you can make it in November.

foodie1,

You are now in.

Anyone else interested may waitlist.

Regards,

Wonderful! Thanks for alllowing me in!

I've been yearning for mac & cheese lately now that the weather has cooled a bit. I'll bring some kind of variation of mac & cheese. Perhaps a Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese...

Sounds fun foodie1--and welcome

Thinking about gumbo as inspired by jimswide and others in the gumbo thread. Hmmm...or maybe red beans and rice with pork chop since it's a Monday--that would be more traditional. Yeah...I think that could be the ticket!

I've just realized that the 11th is Columbus Day and I have the day off of work. So, I'd love to join you and be RAB's plus one for dinner. If the dinner is already full, please put me on the waitlist.

Thanks,
Ronna

REB,

There is room at the table for a +1.

See you on Columbus DAy!

Regards,

Just a bump to make sure I make enough

If the exchange is 10, we make 9 servings?

Hi,

I need to check if tarte tatin is dining and cooking or dining only. I will ask and get back.

If she is not cooking, it is nine servings.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:I need to check if tarte tatin is dining and cooking or dining only. I will ask and get back.

If she is not cooking, it is nine servings.

Sorry to take so long to make it official, but some last-minute family stuff this coming weekend means I won't have time to cook for this go-round. I would still love to join you Monday for dining, though!

So 9 it is, I guess--although Cathy has the official last word....

Hi,

Now we know, we will each bring nine dishes.

After that sausage class last weekend, I am contemplating making the Italian sausage myself.

Regards,

I was playing around with a new meatball recipe and came up with something that I thought was really delicious. Thinking about doing that with homemade marinara. I don't think it really works to bring pasta or bread with it because of shelf life so would it be bad form to just bring the balls and sauce?

Sounds great. I think everyone there will know how to boil up some pasta.

I think someone did that before, and I didn't have a problem. Gives us the option of spaghetti & meatballs or meatball sandwich!

leek wrote:I think someone did that before, and I didn't have a problem. Gives us the option of spaghetti & meatballs or meatball sandwich!

exactly!

I'll be making heart and sole. (Who's up for some shoe leather?)