Small Household Exchange 6/16 @ Rub's Backcountry BBQ 7pm

We usually suspend the Small Household Food Exchange for the summer, but since not too many people had much going on in June, we’ll get together again to exchange food and enjoy good company on Tuesday, June 16 at Rub’s Backcountry Smokehouse in Rogers Park, near the intersection of Western and Lunt.

Jared Leonard, the owner/chef, is an active LTH participant, posting as rubbbqco. The relevant LTH thread for his place is here. Note that the consensus of that thread is that the food has improved significantly since its opening, and may now be among the best barbeque spots in the region that doesn’t require you to order through bulletproof glass. It’s 100% wood-smoked meat (unlike so many barbeque places that supplement the wood with gas or electricity).

I had them cater a fairly large family gathering there a couple of years ago. It was enthusiastically received.

Rub’s Backcountry Smokehouse
6954 N. Western Ave
Chicago, IL

The last few Small Household Food Exchanges haven’t had a lot of attendees, but the food exchanged has been good, diverse, and included things that I wouldn’t have thought to make myself.

If that sounds good, please join us. There’s no need to bring a dish to share - the food at Jared’s place, plus the ordering power of a number of people sharing all sorts of things from the menu - is reason enough to come along. But if you do want to make a dish to share, you’ll go home with a bunch of different, interesting dishes you can pull out and heat up quickly on a busy weeknight.

Dinner attendees
nr706
moetchandon
Cathy2
Pie Lady

Exchange participants
nr706 - artichoke with mushrooms
Cathy2 - pulled pork
Pie Lady - fryed chicken with a souly-southerny side named after a band

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 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; 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 don't want 6-7 dessert offerings as everyone is mostly interested in main meals (check out the fabulous monthly LTH dessert exchange!)

There will be no restrictions on the food – we’re an omnivorous bunch. IF ANYONE HAS ANY ALLERGIES, PLEASE LET THE GROUP KNOW.

The containers/delivery system: Everyone in the group should use the GLADWARE 3 1/8 CUP PLASTIC CONTAINERS (7” x 7” square container 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.

Hope to see you there!

Hi,

I will attend and bring food. Since I change my mind at the last minute, I will declare what I am doing late.

Regards.

I'm down, yo. I don't know what I'm making but I'll post later on.

I'm leaning towards fryed chicken. Not a typo.

And some form of souly-southerny side. Now there's a name for a band!

I'll probably make artichoke times two - artichoke hearts stuffed with Jerusalem artichoke, in a mushroom cream sauce and maybe some shrimp or crab.

Edit: Change of plans ... it'll be artichoke hearts stuffed with mushrooms.

Nice. I always wanted to try fresh artychokes but was too damn lazy to bother.

Yes....yes.....I will be there. I will bring salad(s). I may change my mind as to the type of salad. One may be a slaw. And probably a potato salad. With garlic. And peppers. Hot but not flaming. I will make them with a vinegar base, because of concerns with spoilage due to warm weather. I will pack it in a cooler of course. Thanks, Pie Lady.

Pie Lady wrote:Nice. I always wanted to try fresh artychokes but was too damn lazy to bother.

Well, I'm not claiming they'll be arty.

Still room for a few more, either to exchange, or just to help us increase the ordering power Tuesday evening.

HI,

Pulled pork. I already made it, so I am committed.

Regards,

I won't be able to be at what would have been my first exchange. I will miss the food and the company.
Enjoy.

izzy2 wrote:I won't be able to be at what would have been my first exchange. I will miss the food and the company.
Enjoy.

Sorry you can't make it. Maybe when we start up again in September?

Hi,

My Mom will be with us tonight. Seeing is believing, which I hope you understand.

Regards,

Great!