LTHforum, the picnic - September 24

Whenever I think of picnics, my mind conjures up Meridith Wilson's song from The Music Man praising Iowa Stubborness … long before any of us knew of LTHforum stubborness:

Iowa Stubborn wrote: … And we're so by God stubborn
We could stand touchin' noses
For a week at a time
And never see eye-to-eye.
But what the heck, you're welcome,
Join us at the picnic.
You can eat your fill
Of all the food you bring yourself.
You really ought to give Iowa a try...

Date: Sunday, September 24th

Time:
- 9 AM (or earlier by arrangement): Smokers, offset grillers and grillers arrive to set up and prepare your food to roughly fit the schedule.
- 11:30 AM: Appetizers and tastings (bratwurst methods, bread, cheese)
- 12:30 PM: Lunch phase 1: Hot links, chickens, grilled food and side dishes
- 2:30 PM or as finished Lunch phase 2: Ribs + additional hot links to taste and snack on.
- 3:30 PM: Desserts (including brownie tastings)
- 5:45 PM: Sunset - party over and the Park District will chain the driveway.

Where: Forest Glen Forest Preserve.

Public transportation: Forest Glen Metra station at 5301 N. LeClaire. Check the Sunday/Holiday schedule here.

Driving: Take 94 to the Peterson Exit (only exits east), then turn right (south) onto Cicero Avenue. [Caldwell is not Peterson, do not go west!] Forest Glen Drive will be on the right (west side) taking you into quiet residential neighborhood in the midsts of is our picnic grove.

If the chicken is still alive and clucking, then look for her as you turn from Cicero Avenue to Forest Glen Drive.



The chicken seems to live in the nearby woods. She is constantly threatening to cross the road, which might answer the age-old question of why!

Fee: Free!

This is a true do-it-ourselves event where we bring food to share, help set up and clean up. This picnic will leave pleasant memories for all of us when we share the load.

Whatever food you choose to bring, please make sure to keep hot food hot and cold food cold

Thinking what to do ... may I be so bold as to provide a few ideas?

- Appetizers
- Grilling pizza
- Try out the various methods of Cooking Bratwurst. We had so much to recommend Bill/SFNM, though we could try them out in real time!
- Craving a hot link? We have people willing to smokem' if you will bringem.' So many vendors: Peoria Packing House, Uncle John's, Parker House (maybe grilled since they are already smoked?), Moo'n'Oink or whatever gets your hot link groove on.
-Make Rich4’s Lemon Soda with soda water and another with tonic water to zip up the bitterness.
- Taffy Apple Salad, add to the Caprese Salad index bean salad or just salad.
- brownies, pies and ice cream are always fine additions to any picnic.

If you are better at ordering take-out, then consider bringing the following:

- Baylor's Watermelons, both seeded and unseeded for a side-by-side comparison on their sweetness.
- Volunteer to bring one or two loaves of bread from bakers such as Crust, Red Hen, Medici et al for side-by-side comparisons
- Bring Bitter lemon or other foreign sodas
- Cevapcici, which you can make or buy. Make sure someone is bringing Ajvar and some flat bread.
- Cheese or salamis
- Plastic table settings, paper plates, (good) napkins or cups (from Costco, Sams Club)
- Baby wipes for cleaning hands
- Plastic garbage bags

Picnic Permit Rules and Regulations wrote:…
3. The Forest Preserve District is closed to all visitors after SUNSET. Night picnics are not permitted. Glass beverage containers are not permitted on the Forest Preserve District property.
…
5. The sale of alcoholic beverages in any form is prohibit.
6. Before leaving, you must extinguish all fires; collect all your paper debris, bottles and trash and deposit them in the appropriate containers.
…
10. All ordinances and regulations in effect of the Forest Preserve District must be observed and the instructions of its representatives obeyed. Please note that the consumption of alcohol upon or within 50 feet of any roadway, parking area or entranceway is prohibit. No admission fees or charges may be levied.
…

Alcohol consumption is allowed in this grove. As stated above, you cannot bring any glass bottles. BYOB -- if you share with someone then it is gift you're sharing.

Please reserve by posting below with what you plan to bring to the picnic, where it fits into the meal and how many are attending:

Appetizer
Bread
Cheese/Sausage (to be sliced)
Side Dishes
Salads
Main course
Snacks
Desserts
Non-alcoholic beverages
Tablesettings, paper products, garbage bags

Please advise if your food needs heating, grilling or smoking. Plan to bring your own equipment unless you have arranged to share grill space on someone elses. If you have a tabletop grill, then be prepared to have it sit on the ground.

***

Adjacent to our picnic area is a large field for games. I've heard adults are now playing games from their youth like kick ball. If someone brings a ball and refreshes our memories on the rules, there just might be a game. David Hammond has mused about playing bocce ball. There are trails to the north branch of the Chicago river to trek to. On the grove’s premises are flush toilets and water to clean your hands.

Come with the classic LTHforum open spirit to break bread with friends who share your culinary interests.

Regards,

Count me in for 2. I'll volunteer to bring a bunch of E&M Big Hot Dogs (Grill space needed) and a batch of soutwest black bean salad of my own device.

The four of us will be there with leaf lard pie and bells on.

I'll be there with potato salad [the herb/vinagrette one from Patricia Wells' "Bistro Cooking" because [A] it's good and {2} it doesn't need refrigeration] and maybe some kind of a fruit torte [plum, probably]. And beverages. And plastic cups.

Bocce is a must. I expect Antonious & Hammond to give me pointers.

And I had a thought... I was looking at the cookbook shelf and thinking that I need to cull the collection to make room. Again. Would a table for a cookbook exchange be appropriate for this event? Bring what you don't want and take something new-to-you home?

Giovanna

I will bring bread....and help with?

When I see the count, I will know how much to bring... I'm thinking LaBriola and possibly Turano( Italian in Berywn; has Italian, French, etc)...because they are close to the house and fresh would be good...

I am allergic to sour dough, so that won't be on my list.

Logistically, Red Hen is nearly impossible for me... JOJO

Hi,

I like the idea of a cookbook exchange.

Why don't we also extend it to take out menus? I could put them into a few boxes to keep them from blowing around while people work their way through them.

Regards,

Put me down for (probably) two. I can bring homemade beer (I have some in stoneware containers, and I can probably transfer others to plastic).

I'll probably bring a pasta salad, and maybe something else if thee's anything especially interesting at the farmers' market that weekend.

I'm in for two.

I'm leaing towards bringing some greens and black-eye peas. Possibly a gallon or more of lard to fry some tortillla chips or chicken wings in. I'll wait and adjust closer to the date.

The Wife and I will be there.

We are planning to invent a special cookie for the event.

Hammond

The Dritz family will be there, but at this point in time I have no idea what we're bringing. But there's still time to decide.

Suzy

Bruce wrote: I'll wait and adjust closer to the date.

Yea, I'm not sure what to bring yet, but the family and I (4) will be there. I'm sure we'll have some cookbooks and also some infused liquors, but real food, not quite sure yet.

Rob

Don't forget to wear those LTH Forum bowling shirts, if you've got 'em. The picnic will mark the premeire wearing of mine.

We three -- Amata, Lucantonius Antoniusque -- plan to attend. At the moment, I have an Italianate antipasto dish in mind; Amata is thinking of bringing a sweet dish. We'll update this.

Antonius

Foster Avenue bus will get ya there -- put me down for one -- I'll bring plates, cups,

I'm so bummed. We're flying back from NYC late that evening. Have a great time.

Count on the Ramons for 3 ('haps 4). We make a lot of noise but really don't eat much!

I need to obsess before committing to a food task. Will update.

-ramon

(Those of us bringing kids should try to coordinate a few organized activities. I'll certaintly bring a pinata stuffed with foreign candy.)

C2,

Just to clarify about our as-yet imaginary cookie (which for some inexplicable reason is designated "dessert"): it will likely be suitable for appetizer, side for main course, OR dessert. Actually, although it's still in the planning stage so I can't say for sure, it might even work as an entree. I'm thinking corn meal/flour, not-sweet chocolate and assorted chili peppers...but as I say, at the moment, still only a fig newton of my imagination.

David "Million Dollar Ideas, Free of Charge" Hammond

PS. And maybe currants. Or capers.

I'll be sure to nail down, but a tentative RSVP for two. Right now I'm thinking a small assortment of homemade sorbets and ice creams, if someone else can handle bowls and spoons (or cones).

I'm going with a side dish -- most likely baked beans.

Suzy

C2,

I'm thinking pulled pork (low & slow) or jerk pork/chicken w/fungi. Either way Ellen and I will bring a smoker or grill and cook on site.

Looking forward to the picnic.

Enjoy,
Gary

David,

I put cookie on the list as dessert until it was better defined. Heck, you might switch to something entirely different. It is entirely conceivable other people will change their minds, then I will update the list to reflect that. The summary list is there just to help people decide what to do or avoid doing. It is not made of stone ... just internet ether!

Thanks for offering to bring something as well as everyone else. As hoped for, this will be one super picnic with great food.

I will bring 5# (maybe 10#) of Peoria Packing hot links. I know 5# fills one rack, so if someone offers to bring 5# hot links from another vendor, I can smoke those at the same time. I will bring my smoker to the festivities.

Regards,

I'm going to bring my BBQ pit if anyone wants grill, keep food warm, or BBQ. Anyone is free to use it. The pit can do all three at the same time. There is quite a bit of room to cook on it. I'l probably bring at least one if not two turkey fryers with propane and fresh lard for frying.

I'll be there. Not sure what I will bring: animal, mineral or vegetable.

I think the three of us will be there (Thing1 is off at UIUC, but Thing2 will join MrsF and I).

If I get lucky, I may have enough tomatillos from the volunteers to make a batch of my salsa -- if not, there's still frozen pulp from last year in the freezer.

We'll come up with something else to bring too.

[edit later]
Y'know, I just had a thought: Anybody bringing foie gras

JoelF wrote:[edit later]
Y'know, I just had a thought: Anybody bringing foie gras

Great idea!!



My husband and I tentatively plan to come. He has not made an account yet, but will do so soon. We just found this forum a couple weeks ago. You see, a month ago my husband accepted a job offer in Chicago and we were getting ready to move, so I thought I'd research pizza joints. With flaming cheeks, I googled "NYC style pizza in Chicago," fearing that I was a traitor since I understand that Chicago is known for its deep-dish pizzas. The LTH Spacco Napoli thread popped up as a hit, and my husband and I have been reading the forum ever since. In fact, we spent some time on Saturday driving around looking for a pastor joint that was mentioned in a thread. We didn't find it, but we did meander into Penguin for some pistachio gelato.

OK, anyway, back to the topic: we plan on bringing German potato salad. If you think this is a bad idea because of the bacon, maybe we could put it in a cooler with ice in it?

We also plan to bring an additional bag of ice for drinks, and two black garbage bags.

We will be bringing ourselves (2 adults) and 2 children (8yo & 6yo boys).

Has anyone mentioned forks & spoons, or are we all bringing our own? I don't mind bringing my own - I prefer metal anyway.

Saint Pizza,

German potato salad sounds terrific, though do bring it on ice to be on the safe side.

Ramon, Mike G, Antonius & Amata have children in your kids age groups ... so they already have playmates!

Regards,

Cathy,

Just out of curiousity are dogs allowed at this park?

Hi,

I forgot to ask ... I haven't seen anything prohibiting it either. I will check.

Regards,

Bruce wrote:Just out of curiousity are dogs allowed at this park?

Are you talking skinless or natural-casing?

Bruce wrote:Just out of curiousity are dogs allowed at this park?

Generally, dogs are permitted at all Cook County Forest Preserves, but they must be leashed. Depending on the mood of any Forest Preserve police officers, you may be warned or ticketed if they are running free.

Even with a coupld of dog attack incidents at Busse Woods in recent years, enforcement is still sporadic, but keep a leash handy.