Return of the Small Household Food Exchange – Tue Jan 10

It’s back from hiatus!

There’s been a very faint rumbling (you’d have to listen really hard to hear it) to bring back the Small Household Food Exchange, so anyone interested (whether exchanging food, or just coming for a dinner with friends and great ordering power) is welcome to join us.

And we’ll be sampling the spectacular Oaxacan offerings from Kie Gol Lanee.

Kie Gol Lanee has received enthusiastic LTH comments since its opening this year; at the LTH Holiday Party, Anteprima's Marty waxed glowingly about this new venue in the neighborhood. And, it’s BYOB for alcohol, so if you’re so inclined, you can drink what you want without restaurant mark-ups. (I’ll bring a couple of brews to share.)

What is the Small Household Food Exchange, you may ask.

Most importantly, it’s a gathering of like-minded folks at an interesting restaurant for a meal, taking advantage of the ordering power of a good number of people to share and sample a good number of menu items.

Although you don’t need to bring something to exchange - you can just enjoy the dinner and the camaraderie - the Small Household 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 for a whole week. Instead, we make 4-10 servings of one dish, and bring home 4-10 different dishes. Exchanging participants bring one pre-portioned serving of their food for every exchanger 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, but we don't want 6-7 dessert offerings - everyone is mostly interested in main meals. (Check the Events Board, there’s a separate Dessert Exchange.)

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.

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 at least 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. As previously mentioned, other LTHers are welcome to join us for dinner, even if they are not bringing food to exchange.

Hope to see you there!

Tuesday, Jan 10 @ 7 pm

Kie Gol Lanee
traditional Oaxacan food
5004 N. Sheridan Rd
Chicago, Illinois


RSVPs (to be updated from time to time)

Dinner
nr706
moetchandon
Cathy2
Food Nut
tarte tatin
prairieclover
Pie Lady
Lougord99
Jennie
GAF

Exchange participants (and the dish each is bringing)
bring six servings
nr706 – Sausage vegetable galette
moetchandon – stuffed cabbage rolls
Cathy2 – Filipino spaghetti with ground beef and hot dogs
Food Nut – Cheddar corn chowder w/bacon!
prairieclover – Ragu
Pie Lady – Cider Chicken
Lougord99 & Jennie – Pork Tinga

Hi,

I plan to be there and do the exchange.

What I will bring for the exchange will be made later, once I figure it out myself!

Thanks for organizing!

Regards,
Cathy2

Thank you for planning. I'm in for exchange and food.
My sis should be RSVPing soon.
Sharon

I'd like to join you for dinner only if there is room after all the exchangers are accommodated. Thanks.

I'm in for dinner and exchange. Will let you all know what the exchange is once I figure it out.

Sharon

RSVP for Exchange and Dinner.
Thanks!
Carolyn

Ooo boy! Sign me up for both!

Jennie and I will attend. For the purposes of the exchange, we are 2 for dinner and 1 for the exchange. In honor of our restaurant we will make Pork Tinga. While Tinga is not native to Oaxaca, it is native to Puebla bordering Oaxaca to the North.

Hi,

I will make Filipino spaghetti with ground beef and hot dogs.

Regards,
Cathy2

My exchange will be stuffed cabbage rolls.

I would like to join for dinner if possible.

Of course it's possible.

Checking in to say I won't know what I'll be making until Sunday afternoon. Will update you all then...

Hi,

There is the possibility a friend(s) might join us for supper.

They might even participate in the exchange. Is it reasonable they need to decide by today, if they will participate in the exchange? Or should they just do dinner and do exchange another day?

Regards,
CAthy2

I'm not sure if this will affect us or not, but since Sheridan is so far east:
Big O will be making his farewell address at McCormick Place on 1/10, so be careful, especially those who are traveling up from the south. This has been a public service announcement.

And for no reason tied to this, I'm making cider chicken.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

There is the possibility a friend(s) might join us for supper.

They might even participate in the exchange. Is it reasonable they need to decide by today, if they will participate in the exchange? Or should they just do dinner and do exchange another day?

Regards,
CAthy2

Another exchanger would be welcome. It'll be helpful to know for sure ahead of time, as soon as possible, so we'll know how many portions to share. (At this point, it looks like everyone should bring six servings.)

Cheddar corn chowder w/bacon!

I'm making a ragu.

We're reserved under "Tom."

Pie Lady wrote:I'm not sure if this will affect us or not, but since Sheridan is so far east:
Big O will be making his farewell address at McCormick Place on 1/10, so be careful, especially those who are traveling up from the south. This has been a public service announcement.

And for no reason tied to this, I'm making cider chicken.

I appreciate the PSA and I look forward to the cider chicken!

Hi,

I am going now to make my contribution.

If I am late, which I hope not to be, please put aside a portion of the appetizers for me.

Thanks!

Regards,
CAthy2

That place was delish. Thanks for arranging! Can't wait to dig in to the chow.

Mom and I had the Tinga for lunch today. It was terrific!

Thanks, lougord99!