Small Household Food Exchange - Nov 15 2011

This post will be updated as time gets closer and more info is known

Details:

Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Time: 7:00 PM
Location:

D'Candela Restaurant
4053 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 478-0819
BYOB

Dinner attendees: (11)
Cathy2 + 1
The GP + 1
Food Nut
nr706
Pie Lady
Leek + 1
GAF
Cookie Monster

Exchange Participants: (8 so far, prepare 7 servings to share)
Cathy2 – Pork neckbone Sunday Gravy over pasta
The GP - Pot roast
Food Nut - carrot soup with bacon buttermilk scone.
nr706 - Stuffed mushrooms
Pie Lady - Spiced Chicken Thighs and Brown Rice
Leek - braised pork dish of some kind
GAF - wild boar casserole
Cookie Monster - Butternut squash soup

Wait List -

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.

count me in! Exchange contribution tbd...

In for the exchange, +1 for dinner.

Nothing will get in my way of attending this exchange and dinner!

yet another exchange & dinner

Please count me in!
Are you guys opposed to tofu? I have a delicious Mao Pao Tofu recipe that also includes pork (and possibly turkey). Otherwise I'll make Spiced Chicken Thighs with brown rice.

Pie Lady wrote:Please count me in!
Are you guys opposed to tofu? I have a delicious Mao Pao Tofu recipe that also includes pork (and possibly turkey). Otherwise I'll make Spiced Chicken Thighs with brown rice.

Make whatever you want. That's the fun of this!

Groovy. I'll make up my mind closer to the date.

Please add in 2 for dinner, One exchange

Lee

I'm in for dinner and exchange.

Sharon

Excellent choice of restaurant. I've wanted to try D'C

I'm in for dinner and exchange.

Hi,

We have room for one more exchange participant.

Regards,

HI,

I will be making Italian sausage and peppers.

We do have room for one more participant and then we begin a wait list. Note people do tend to drop out closer to the date, so being on the wait list can be quite dynamic.

Regards,

Cathy,

I'll take the last spot.

I'll take the last exchange spot.

I would like to attend for dinner, and if someone cancels then I can do the exchange.

Hi,

We are now closed for the exchange with one waitlisted. Prepare nine portions to share.

Regards,

Spiced Chicken Thighs and Brown Rice it is.

Planning to do a braised pork dish of some kind...

Right now, I'm leaning towards Red Beans & Rice, Pie Lady knows the dish well.

I am thinking: wild boar casserole. It's fall.

First venison stroganoff, now wild boar casserole--very exciting stuff GAF. And the venison was delish by the way--I just had it last week with rice (used the noodles for something else a while ago since I knew they wouldn't keep) and it was lovely.

I'm leaning towards NOLA-style BBQ shrimp with Andouille sausage, creamed chard (something I made last night--WAY better than creamed spinach!!!!!) and smashed potatoes. No idea why--just sounds good to me right this minute

In fall I get an itchy trigger finger.

Hi,

I already made my contribution: Porkneck Sunday Gravy with pasta.

I made so much more than I originally envisioned, I derailed making sausage and peppers on this occasion.

Regards,

pairs4life wrote:Right now, I'm leaning towards Red Beans & Rice, Pie Lady knows the dish well.

It's heaven! I've tried to do it myself but it's not the same.

I'm glad everyone else has decided their dishes so early. I can tell I'm going to be late deciding...

Thinking carrot soup with bacon buttermilk scone.

I'm sorry to say that I have to drop out for dinner and exchange. Mom went into the hospital and may not get out until later this week. Once home, I need to stay with her 24/7 for a while. I apologize for not being too reliable lately. It's been difficult to plan anything for the past year+.

Sharon

That's okay, sorry to hear about your mom.