If there's room for one more, I would love to come! I lived in northern Florida for 2 years and then New Orleans for 2 years, and I miss New Orleans a ton! I think a combination of food exchanges and meeting up at Cajun/Southern restaurants sounds perfect. Not sure what I would cook yet, but I have a fun cookbook I can bring that is a compilation of recipes from the Times Picayune (NOLA newspaper) that they put together to help everyone who lost their recipes in the hurricane. Hope to see everyone in November.

gettin to be a big group... nice...

I am going to do either some stuffed crawfish heads, or some crawfish stuffed green peppers.

I might even do a dessert depending on motivation & time.

I will be smoking some tasso 10/16 doing a 10+ lg pork butt. I might have some extra for folks and if I do I will bring it.

thanks jen for stepping forward to organize this, you rock.

As for meeting @ cajun restaurants, Im not sure there are any in Chicago Id be willing to go to(again). I think I prefer meeting at folks houses occasionally.

Either way its all good and i would probably go with the flow

I will do cajun gumbo.

leek wrote:HI - if it's not full, can you include me (and possibly DH)?

And where are we drawing our line for "Southern" ? My thought was Chesapeake Bay Crab Soup. If we are short on veggies, I could make Stewed Greens.

Chesapeake Bay Crab Soup sounds lovely...and southern enough for me
However, we don't have any veggies yet and hoping someone will do some greens. Maybe now that we've put it out there, someone else will oblige...

As for the restaurant versus home gatherings: I think we should see how this turns out and what the group preference is...I tend to agree with Jim that there just aren't enough spots (certainly for NOLA type food) to focus our efforts on them. And, more importantly, I love the idea of being able to cook and sample food that we all prepare and you can't do that in a restaurant.

LauraS wrote:If there's room for one more, I would love to come! I lived in northern Florida for 2 years and then New Orleans for 2 years, and I miss New Orleans a ton! I think a combination of food exchanges and meeting up at Cajun/Southern restaurants sounds perfect. Not sure what I would cook yet, but I have a fun cookbook I can bring that is a compilation of recipes from the Times Picayune (NOLA newspaper) that they put together to help everyone who lost their recipes in the hurricane. Hope to see everyone in November.

I've been wanting to check out this cookbook so please do bring it (and glad you can make it!)

I would tend to agree about the restaurant issue. Except for the crawfish at Maple Tree Inn's annual Mardi Gras dinner, I haven't yet found really great Cajun/Creole/NOLA food in Chicago. Does anyone have any favorites?

Darn, according to my calculations, you are at 19. Would have made sweet potato pie.

Ms. Ingie wrote:Darn, according to my calculations, you are at 19. Would have made sweet potato pie.

I'll put you on the waiting list but I would plan on attending..."2" of the count are little ones and I know that some will cancel so I'm sure you'll be able to attend. Are you on the list with a +1? Pie sounds delicious!

I'm thinking of bringing a hearty gumbo z'herbes, hopefully there are some that like their greens If I have time maybe an early settler pecan/fig pie.

edit add: pairs4life, are you a vegetarian? I like a little andouille in my z'herbes (that's the hearty part)...but I can leave it out if you don't eat meat.


dan

gonefishin wrote:I'm thinking of bringing a hearty gumbo z'herbes, hopefully there are some that like their greens If I have time maybe an early settler pecan/fig pie.

edit add: pairs4life, are you a vegetarian? I like a little andouille in my z'herbes (that's the hearty part)...but I can leave it out if you don't eat meat.


dan

Both sound fantastic--been experimenting with figs and that pie sounds wonderful!!

Hi,

I have Nancy McDermott's book Southern Cakes. When she was in Chicago a few years ago, she provided the meaning to, "If I had known you were coming, I would have baked a cake." This was a high form of flattery, because you were valued enough to bake a cake.

I will bring a cake from her book, though which one will be a last minute decision. I will certainly not repeat what anyone else may bring.

I will happily sit on the waiting list. I can always go to FEED.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I have Nancy McDermott's book Southern Cakes. When she was in Chicago a few years ago, she provided the meaning to, "If I had known you were coming, I would have baked a cake." This was a high form of flattery, because you were valued enough to bake a cake.

I will bring a cake from her book, though which one will be a last minute decision. I will certainly not repeat what anyone else may bring.

I will happily sit on the waiting list. I can always go to FEED.

Regards,

Sounds great! As I said to Ms. Ingie, I'll be shocked if a spot or two doesn't open up between now and then...

Hi,

I realize I just double booked myself. I can't make it, though I can still drop off a cake. I'll be at a Culinary Historians meeting with the Moms.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I realize I just double booked myself. I can't make it, though I can still drop off a cake. I'll be at a Culinary Historians meeting with the Moms.

Regards,

Sorry to hear Cathy--hope you can make the next one!

Due to popular demand (and after determining that the seating capacity for my living/dining/kitchen area is really 20), I'm going ahead and changing the event cap to 20 adults. So everyone who has responded so far is in! Keeping the waiting list since I know that we'll end up with a few cancellations so if you're still interested, please let us know!

Also, if you think you will need to prepare anything a la minute, please let me know so that I can plan accordingly--so far, I have one participant in need of a stove top. I also have oven and grill space available in case there is a need.

See ya'll in a few weeks!
Jen

we should also give some thought to the proper libations....
abita
hurricanes
sweet tea
?
?

irisarbor wrote:we should also give some thought to the proper libations....
abita
hurricanes
sweet tea
?
?

X All of the above

gonefishin wrote:I'm thinking of bringing a hearty gumbo z'herbes, hopefully there are some that like their greens If I have time maybe an early settler pecan/fig pie.

edit add: pairs4life, are you a vegetarian? I like a little andouille in my z'herbes (that's the hearty part)...but I can leave it out if you don't eat meat.


dan

I am a vegetarian. Thanks for thinking of me.

Torn. I can do a "Meatless Monday" collard greens, snaps & field peas, candied yams, banana pudding,bread pudding, or boiled peanuts (if I can still find them-- I got some today at Valli's Produce).

I would love to be added to the wait list.
Thanks.

Jyoti

pairs4life wrote:Torn. I can do a "Meatless Monday" collard greens, snaps & field peas, candied yams, banana pudding,bread pudding, or boiled peanuts (if I can still find them-- I got some today at Valli's Produce).

so many dishes...so little time
Given that we already have a lot of sweets and starches, I guess I'd be partial to something green but you should make whatever you like.

apologies to the vegetarians, but my jambalaya will really make the meatatarians happy....

I'd love to be added to the wait list!

I'd be a +1 and could bring 2 kinds of greens, meaty and sans meat.

back to square one, I am not sure what I am making/bringing right now.

boudreaulicious wrote:

pairs4life wrote:Torn. I can do a "Meatless Monday" collard greens, snaps & field peas, candied yams, banana pudding,bread pudding, or boiled peanuts (if I can still find them-- I got some today at Valli's Produce).

so many dishes...so little time
Given that we already have a lot of sweets and starches, I guess I'd be partial to something green but you should make whatever you like.

Okay.

cabrito wrote:I'd love to be added to the wait list!

I'd be a +1 and could bring 2 kinds of greens, meaty and sans meat.

Wonderful Cabrito!! i'll put you and your +1 on the list--keep checking in and I'll PM you as soon as a spot opens up.

Put me down for shrimp creole.

I am in the process of making a cold smoker. I will try my hand at Andoullie, which will need a quick cooking before we try it.

lougord99 wrote:I am in the process of making a cold smoker. I will try my hand at Andoullie, which will need a quick cooking before we try it.

No problem! Are you still bringing chicken and dumplings? I originally had you down for that but am happy to change it if the andouille is your entry.

I'm doing the chicken and dumplings. This attempt at Andouille is just an experiment.