Montrose Beach semimonthly potluck;BBQ #1 5/25/14 [American]

Montrose BBQ 2014 #1 - May 25, 2014

Now that it's finally warm again, I'm super excited to start doing the BBQ/potlucks again! So excited that the first one is going to be this weekend! Yes, the park will probably be full since it's memorial day weekend, but it's going to be 80 degrees and sunny, so I'm not waiting any longer!

Since it is memorial day weekend, the theme for the first one will be:
Good ol' fashioned American home cookin'.



I know this is last minute, and most people already have plans, so I'm prepared that it may end up a smaller one. If you can make it though, please RSVP below and post what you intend to cook!

Hope to see a couple of you there!

RSVP below, and please let me know what you plan to bring. You can also RSVP, invite friends, and join the conversation over at the Facebook Invite page

For all the details, like where, when, what to bring, etc, please see:
FAQ AND SCHEDULE.

Damn, I have a brunch at noon that I can't move, sigh. Wish I wasn't missing this particular theme, I have lots of ideas I might swing by after if I'm able.

I hope to make a few of these this year. Unfortunately (actually, it's unfortunate for making it to the potluck, but a good thing otherwise), I've got a family wedding that's taking up the most of the weekend and I won't be able to make this one.

Hi,

I will try to finally do this.

I will bring potato salad and a Concord grape pie.

Regards,

Hi,

Sunday is bike the drive on Lake Shore Drive.

Regards,

What time does that happen?

Their website states from 5:30 am until 10:15 am.

http://www.bikethedrive.org/routeandtiming

Cool. Shouldn't matter too much then.

Looks like LSD will be closed until 1pm. I don't think it'll be a huge deal for me, since I don't take LSD, the access roads to the park should still be open. I'll be there at 11pm, but will make sure the main food is ready sometime after 1pm for those people waiting.

I'm making some bratwurst right now, will probably bring some kind of veggies to grill up too.

Hi,

I am starting the potato salad and pie right now.

I will bring some German mustard along.

I have something that will need dry roasting/reheating. I can bring a cast iron frying pan. If you have something already, I will leave it home. While 'it' might be from the Americas, 'it' is not a typically American picnic food and very much atypical. However, they are available now.

Last night, I heard on the radio LSD will open at 1:00 pm. I heard this morning, it should be open by 11:00 am. I expect to leave homebase around noon.

Regards,

Thanks everyone who was able to make it out today! I stuffed myself with good food and enjoyed the good company. It was a perfect way to kick off the summer and the fourth annual series of Montrose Beach Picnics!

A few people snapped photos, but I'll start with my favorite featuring laikom's homemade bratwurst ...

An amazing day for the kickoff of the montrose BBQ's! The breeze was just cool enough, and the sun shining all day long.

I had a great time. It was great to see Panther in the Den, and his wife Linda after a full winter without them. I'm so happy that Cathy2 made it to one of these, and hope she makes it to many more, I could just sit and chat for hours with her, never a dull moment in the conversations. It was good to finally meet Ms Ingie, and I learned from her that mrsm is not Mr. SM, but actually Mrs. M. I'm not sure which I would have liked better. Lemoneater was gracious enough to share some awesome bull sausage that she brought back from France. Jen (boudreaulicious) made an excellent Asian slaw, and Mark (fropones) helped me with the sausage making last night.

I didn't get a lot of pics, but here are a few I thought I'd share.


Cathy2's excellent (and beautiful) grape pie.


My veal/pork bratwurst. Made with a lot of help from fropones.


Knobby, dreaming of the day when I share one of my sausages with her...


Some of my oldest, dearest, and strangest friends in Chicago. Bossman and family.


Why buy lawn chairs when you already have some perfectly handy office chairs sitting around?

Our picturesque setting. And some wonderful guests:

I think this may have been the prettiest day in all of the many picnics by the lake in the last couple of years--at least that I was able to attend! Certainly a great start to the season and, hopefully, the weather gods will continue to shine.

Welcome home lemoneater--and thanks SO much for getting a little lost and finding me, also a little lost, and giving me a lift!

As previously noted, those veal/pork brats were a-maz-ing! Laikom and Fropones' encased meat-making skills are pretty professional at this point. I think we need to keep planning themes around this

Kudos also to Teresa for the deliciously light shortbread accented with just a touch of sea salt--topped with the lovely macerated berries it was summer on a plate!

I didn't get to try any of the pies and missed seeing Cathy completely but I'm sure she'll be back. No one can go to just one MBSPBBQ!

boudreaulicious wrote:No one can go to just one MBSPBBQ!

Wow, that's a mouthful.

laikom wrote:I learned from her that mrsm is not Mr. SM, but actually Mrs. M. I'm not sure which I would have liked better.

Oh my! LMAO!

Here are the photos from my camera:


Laikom's delicious homemade brats, onions and zucchini.


Can't have brats without Kraut.


The food table.


Bodreaulicious' Asian Slaw


Ms. Ingie's Carolina Slaw


Lemoneater's imported sausage.


Teresa's shortcake fixin's


Assembled shortcake. Mmm...

Too busy later eating pie to take pictures of Panther In the Den's three pies or Cathy2's potato salad. Could have also been because I was caught napping in a food-induced coma.