Small Household Food Exchange 1/21 7pm Libertad Skokie

I’ve been remiss. I volunteered to arrange the January small household food exchange, but due to other things going on, I forgot to post … ‘til now. Typically, the Small Household Food Exchanges have been on the second Tuesday of the month; since that’s not that far away, I’m proposing the exchange to be on the third Tuesday of the month – January 21st. We discussed having it at the Nuevo-Latin restaurant Libertad in Skokie (a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner!); let’s stick with that.

Details:
Date: Tuesday, January 21
Time: 7:00 PM

Location:
Libertad Restaurant
7931 Lincoln Avenue,
Skokie Illinois 60077
http://libertad7931.com/

Dinner attendees:
nr706
Pie Lady
Cathy2
Cathy1?
Moetchandon

Exchange participants:
nr706 - black bean & catfish cake
Pie Lady - Neptune Salad
Cathy2 - Boston baked beans with either brown bread and/or corn bread
Moetchandon - chicken stew

The fine print:
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 (okay, a little less in this case), 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 (we'll take four days in this case) 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.

Hope to see a good bunch of LTHers there. If you haven't been to Libertad, you'll want to try their modern spin on classic Latin American dishes. And if you have been to Libertad, you'll still want to try more of their modern spin on classic Latin American dishes.

Ooo! Please add me. I adore Libertad.
If I made something that is dressed with bottled dressing, is that cheating? I attempted to make the dressing once but it wasn't as good. Please be honest; I have other things up my sleeve.

Pie Lady wrote:If I made something that is dressed with bottled dressing, is that cheating?

IMHO, it's only cheating if you fail to remove the dressing from the bottle.

I'm in for dinner and exchange. I'm thinking about doing a chicken stew or some version of one.

Sharon

Hi,

I'm in. I have to think a bit about what I may bring.

For the sisters who sometimes participate, how far is this from the expressway?

Regards,

Thanks, Cathy, for thinking of me(us). This date just doesn't leave me enough time to get it together for this month. We're out of town for the holiday weekend and my work schedule is making life a little more difficult this week. Hope to join in in February!

Cathy2 wrote:How far is this from the expressway?

Just in case anyone does need it:
About ten minutes from I94. Get off at Touhy EB, head north on Cicero (which becomes Skokie Blvd), make a left on Lincoln. This eventually dead-ends and you have to turn; go right. There is a lot just to the north of the restaurant that I believe is free for two hours.

Hi,

Unless I change my mind, it will be moo shu pork with homemade doilies.

Regards,

somehow i managed to completely miss this event thread until today, which is really disappointing as it's too late for me to whip something up for tomorrow night. so i look forward to next month's event.

So, we're at three serving of each person's dish. Joan (or anyone) is welcome to join us for the dinner, as long as I know by late tonight. See you there!

I'm making Neptune Salad to go with the bottled dressing. Sigh of relief! Not just a condiment for dinner like those Ketchup Soup bachelor(ette) days!

Neptune salad contains salmon. You may love it, you may think it's akin to one of those scary 50s recipes. I love it and have been eating it since I was a tot, so I hope you dig it too. If not, I hope I don't get kicked out of the club.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Unless I change my mind, it will be moo shu pork with homemade doilies.

Changed my mind: Boston baked beans with either brown bread and/or corn bread.

My Mom may come along, though it will be a last minute call. The spirit is willing at the moment, I just cannot predict how she will feel when it is time to leave.

Looking forward to Neptune salad, it is something I will love to see and taste.

Regards,

I am coming from 33rd & State, so I'm hoping that since the snow has stopped it won't take me more than two hours to get there.

If I'm late, please feel free to order without me. Everything sounds good but I'd be thrilled to try the octopus. Color me ready to eat.

Did anybody call dibs on February? I can host another one. I can't remember if we even discussed it last time.

Pie Lady wrote:Did anybody call dibs on February? I can host another one. I can't remember if we even discussed it last time.

Contact LazyGal (she has a number after her screen name), she was going to organize at Smak Tak.

Regards,

nr706 wrote me a pm a few minutes ago and tagged/cc'd her too, so hopefully she responds. I could go for some Smak-Tak!

Hi all - sorry for the delay, I'm busier than I expected to be this week.
Pie Lady - can you do Feb?
I can probably attend Feb and I'll organize March. Thanks!

I sure can. I'll save Smak-Tak for you.

As long as nobody minds another restaurant in that immediate area, I'd like to have it at a place that I'm nominating for a GNR. Otherwise, I'll have it at a different location. There are plenty on my list!

Pie Lady wrote:I sure can. I'll save Smak-Tak for you.

As long as nobody minds another restaurant in that immediate area, I'd like to have it at a place that I'm nominating for a GNR. Otherwise, I'll have it at a different location. There are plenty on my list!

You will get no objections from me! Thanks again.

Just realized the place I was going to have this is not open on Tuesdays. I'll post the event anyway and think of a place before Monday.

Anyway, get out to The Bungalow when you get a chance. It's delicious and such an adorable place. (6247 N. Milwaukee)