Small Household Food Exchange, Oct 18 @ Pleasant House Pub

The leaves are dropping, the sun is setting earlier and the wish to prepare for winter is upon us. It is now time for the small household meal exchange to click into gear.

Our season kicks off on Wednesday, October 18th at 7:00 pm. We will congregate at Pleasant House Pub, 2119 S Halsted St #1, Chicago, IL 60608.

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!

Dinner:
Cathy2
Pie Lady
nr706
moetchandon
Food Nut

Exchange: (Bring four dishes each)
Cathy2 - Spaetzle and sauerkraut
Pie Lady - Making some Indian chicken thing that I've already forgotten the name of. With cauliflower.
nr706 - pasta puttanesca.
Food Nut - a freezer full of the Earth's bounty of many peoples tomatoes, therefore homemade sauce and pasta from me. I will also bring a taste of bread and grape freezer jam from grapes I picked at Utopia Gardens.
moetchandon - Carnitas with rice, beans and flour tortillas.

Woo hoo! PIE!

Put me down for both, please.

This looks good. I need a day or two before I can commit!

I'll be there with food; so far, it looks like Sharon may just be there.

Ok, I am in. I'm looking at this recipe but will update upon actual completion of cooked item. Could be soup and bread?

https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/b ... omato-mint

Food Nut wrote:Ok, I am in. I'm looking at this recipe but will update upon actual completion of cooked item. Could be soup and bread?

https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/b ... omato-mint

Cannot wait to hear the final decision!

Regards,
Cathy2

I know everyone may have made their exchanges already but I will be bringing an exchange to offer. If you don't have one for me, it is not a problem as I was originally only doing dinner.

I made a lot of carnitas and will bring that for everyone.

Carnitas with rice, beans and flour tortillas.

Look forward to seeing everyone.

Sharon

Making pasta puttanesca.

Making some Indian chicken thing that I've already forgotten the name of. With cauliflower.

Hi,

My niece is coming for lunch on Thursday.

My contribution is spaetzle and sauerkraut and very likely a piece of apple cake. You will get the full ride of the ultimate in favorite family meals.

Regards,
Cathy2

I have a freezer full of the Earth's bounty of many peoples tomatoes, therefore homemade sauce and pasta from me. I will also bring a taste of bread and grape freezer jam from grapes I picked at Utopia Gardens. Quite a place that is, let me tell you--not too far from Monroe. Nice people. Great prices. Pick your own. Give them a follow on FB.

https://www.facebook.com/ourutopiagardens/

W8211 State Road 39
Blanchardville, Wisconsin

Oh. It's curry. It's a complicated name which is why I forgot it.

Hi,

I just attempted to make a reservation, but they do it only for parties of eight or more. There may be no wait or up to 30 minutes.

I just got home at 4 pm, my dish is in the oven. I leave just as quickly as it is done.

Cathy

I'm just looking at the menu and seeing there's no dessert pie. Sorely disappointed.

Of course it took me all the way to this morning, seeing the can right there on my table, to realize I forgot to add the tomato sauce. I wondered why it looked dry. Anyway, it made it's own gravy. Sorry, guys!