Small Household Food Exchange - Tuesday, May 10 - 7 PM

The May Small Household Food Exchange will be at Cemitas Puebla.
This first post will be updated with number of participants as time gets closer.

Details:

Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Time: 7:00 PM
Location:
Cemitas Puebla
3619 W. North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
NOTE there is a home 7pm Cubs game: take that traffic into account if you are nearish there. Sox are away.

Dinner attendees: (7)
Leek + 1
Cathy2
Nr706
moetchandon
lazygal09
food nut

Exchange Participants: (5 - prepare 4 servings to share )
Leek - Pork sugo
Cathy2 - cornbread pudding, chicken w/apples
Nr706 - funky crabcake
lazygal09 - Jamaican Curry Chicken
food nut - something with meat

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.

I'll try to be at least as lazy for this one, too (i.e food + dinner).

HI,

I plan to be there.

Regards,

So, thinking about possibilities - a tavola, great sea, take me out, cemitas puebla

Your thoughts?

I think we'll have a better sign up turnout if we pick a place sooner rather than later...

In for the exchange, +1 for dinner.

I'm in for the exchange and dinner. I think I will work on my food early so that I don't feel so rushed at the end.

Sharon

Count me in please - dinner and exchange. Thanks.
-Liz

Leek,

Since you were looking for suggestions, I haven't been to either Cemitas Puebla or Great Sea in ages.

Regards,

Cemitas Puebla sounds good to me--never been!!!

I'd like an excuse to get back to Cemitas Puebla. I'll probably be making a funky version of a crab cake.

OK, Cemitas is walk-in, but I'll try to see if I can talk them into holding two tables for us. Or maybe one of us can get there a little early?

Cemitas is a bit of a haul for us, so we are likely to be pushing it to get there on time. If I recall my one time there, it's not a very big space. Should be interesting if we have a large group dining.

Wherever we meet, I'll be making Jamaican Curry Chicken. 'Ya mon!
-Liz!

Please add Food Nut for exchange and dinner (if location stays...otherwise, it depends on the location).

I think I will be kicked out of this group or considered one of "those" people that signs up and then drops out. My life has been so busy right now and I am unable to cook for the exchange. I don't know if I will even attend the dinner. NR706 is still attending and exchanging, however, I feel extremely guilty because the past few months I have not been an active participant. Please forgive me.

Sharon

Sharon - we love your company (and your food) but the group is not a requirement, and it's OK to not participate if that is what is going on for you right now! It's OK to say you will and then say you won't. PLEASE don't let this group be another source of pressure on you.

{{{hugs}}}

leek wrote:Sharon - we love your company (and your food) but the group is not a requirement, and it's OK to not participate if that is what is going on for you right now! It's OK to say you will and then say you won't. PLEASE don't let this group be another source of pressure on you.

{{{hugs}}}

What she said.
Hope you can join us, if for no other reason than to have a couple of hours to kick back a bit. Let us know if there's anything you need.

JB

I apologize for the late notice, but Mr. X and I will not be able to make it Tuesday.

-Mary

Is anyone interested in doubling their serving? It seems to take some of the fun out by only bringing 4 servings!
I'm looking at pastichio.....but that's like three recipes in one...if not, at least something with ground beef/pork. Maybe Italian meat loaf stuffed with spinach and provolone.

Hi,

I might bring more than one container. I won't cook until Monday night. I won't really know if I will have extra anything until I figure out what I will make.

Regards,

I'll only bring four because I'm cooking this a.m.

I confess: I'm not sure how many we're supposed to bring.
Jennifer (boudreaulicious), will you be there? If yes, that's five servings, correct?

Thanks, Liz!

Hi,

I am not quite sure what boudreaulicious position is. She's not on the dinner nor meal exchange, though her posts suggest she may be attending.

The GP dropped out. If the lists reflect who is and is not attending, you need to bring four dishes.

I just made four servings for tomorrow, though I have a fifth if it appears boudrealicious is on. I made:

- Corn bread stuffing pudding, which was a vehicle for leftover cornbread.
- Braised chicken with apples and sage.

Regards,

I thought I had signed up but since I'm not on the list, I will save myself the trouble and not participate in the exchange this month. That is actually my preference anyway--I'm trying to work thru my frozen stuff since my fridge seems to be making some scary noises! As of now, I plan to be at the dinner but that may be an issue as well due to family coming into the city for the Cubs game. I'll post in the mid-afternoon if I won't be able to join you.

I think I might be able to double mine. We'll see when I package up Tuesday night...

I'm not sure if I should put it on pasta, or just give you the sugo, and assume you can make better pasta than something that is sitting around getting soggy? Preferences?

HI,

If you include the pasta, then it is heat and server convenient. I have not yet had a bad experience with frozen pasta.

If you don't have time, then provide the sauce. Pasta isn't a big issue to make.

Regards,

I am another one who would like to participate in this group more than I have. The problem is living with a picky eater. It's touch and go from night to night whether I can get him to eat my food or not, much less someone else's food. Sigh ...

As I suspected, I have to help with some family stuff tonite so I'll have to catch you all next time. Unfortunately, I'm thinking that may not be til fall which, as always, is a bummer

Enjoy!

Jen

I will include the pasta