Small Household Meal Exchange: Tue. May 8th @7pm - Tanzitaro

I noticed y'all haven't done Mexican in a while. I love this place, but I was too late to nominate it for a GNR. I'm determined to convince you for next year. "It's deeee-licious!"TM

Details
Date: day, May 8, 2012
Time: 7:00 PM

Location
Tanzitaro
6075 N. Milwaukee Ave.
(773) 792-1100

Dinner attendees
Pie Lady
Cathy2
GAF
nr706
Food Nut
lazygal09
leek
mr. leek
abernjoan
moetchandon

Exchange participants and their dishes
Pie Lady - maybe, possibly, in all probability, Soba Noodle Salad with Cucumber and Mango
Cathy2 - a runza, cranberry jello and Iowa pea salad
GAF - braised chicken thighs with lemon and olives
nr706 - Bobó de Camarão
Food Nut - Pork Ragu
lazygal09 - Moroccan-style chicken
leek - clay pot chicken
abernjoan - pot roast

Usual Disclaimers
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 RSVPs.

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.

HI,

A place I have never been to, terrific!

I'll be there for dinner and exchange. No idea what I will bring yet.

Regards,
Cathy

Unfortunately, I won't be able to make the May 8 exchange.

Count me in - for both exchange and meal.

exchange & meal, please

How are their nachos?

I'm in for dinner and exchange.
Thanks for organizing!

Pie Lady,

Just from curiosity, what are your favorite dishes or the favorite aspect of the restaurant? Are the Guatemalan dishes particularly interesting. The banana stuffed with black beans seemed intriguing.

And the Tuna Cactus Margarita seemed fascinating until I learned that it was not Tuna and Cactus, but the Tuna Cactus fruit. Darn!

The place is very warm and inviting, with plenty of nifty artwork, and I love the big, heavy, wood tables and chairs. The server (owner?) we had last time was especially friendly and in a mood that suggested he really liked working there—a rarity. You're not only greeted by the host/ess, but any servers that see you come in—even the cooks (the kitchen is partly visible when you walk in). They're all there to wish you a pleasant evening when you leave. There's a bell by the front door, so if you liked your meal, you can ring it and let the staff know. Naturally I rang it last time (NYE) and I got a few cheers on my way out.

I don't remember what I had the first time I was there, but for NYE we shared the Queso Fundido con Chorizo (although how can you go wrong with melted cheese and sausage?) and I had the Fajitas Mixtas (not an especially adventurous dish, I know), a beautifully flavored dish that I heartily enjoyed, despite my intense dislike of peppers. I believe this was the dish that got me re-interested in shrimp.

I'm most interested in trying pretty much all the seafood dishes. Lately I'm increasingly pleased at what ethnic restaurants churn out in terms of spicy fish dishes.

I'm in for dinner and exchange please.

Liz (lazygal09)

HI

1 exchange (clay pot chicken)
2 dinner (Leek and Mr Leek)

thanks

I'm making Moroccan-style chicken (sans tagine!)

Hi,

A runza, cranberry jello and Iowa pea salad.

Regards,

Please add my name for the May 8 list. I will make pot roast for the food exchange.
abernjoan

All set! Welcome!

I'm not going to know what I'll be making until Monday. Hope that's ok.

Doesn't bother me. I don't know either.

Oh what the hell, I'll make this.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... ngo-109064

I think.

I'll be making Bobó de Camarão.

I'm making reservations under the name LTHForum.

Please check the list to make sure you're on it!
Thanks!

We are at 8, so we make 7 servings, yes?

Indeedy.

Although it seems like a chicken thing to do, I am also making chicken: braised chicken thighs with lemon and olives.

I will be leaving Evanston a little after 6:30, so I imagine that I will be late. Start ordering when you are ready.

GAF wrote:I will be leaving Evanston a little after 6:30, so I imagine that I will be late. Start ordering when you are ready.

Anything in particular you're in the mood for?

I am not familiar with Tanzitaro, and so I leave the choice to you. We should certainly get some of the Guatemalan specialties. The bananas with cinnamon sauce seems interesting. On the Mexican side, the Bassa fish was intriguing. But you know the restaurant better.

Sorry for the late notice on my contribution......PORK RAGU.
Serve with fettuccine, rigatoni, or similar wide-type noodle.

If there is still room, I would like to join you for dinner.

Sharon

Sure, we'd love to have you!
I made the reservation for 10, so I must have sensed you'd sign up.

The DH is going to be coming home late, and unless someone can give me a ride, I'm not going to get there any reasonable time (assuming all transit works correctly, and I make good connections, it will take me at least an hour to get there). Sorry to miss it

Hi,

If you can get there, I can get you home.

You may want to contact directly Food Nut and abernjoan, because they might be able to help.

Regards,

If you are able to get to the Belmont stop on the Blue Line by 6:30p, I'd be happy to drive you there.
Sharon
ps. I can pm my cell