Homestyle Filipino Dinner: July 29

My boyfriend and I would like to invite any interested LTHers to a very casual, backyard dinner of traditional Filipino dishes on Sunday, July 29 in Evanston. We're not professional cooks, don't have a catering business or anything like that...we just want to share a meal of foods we like, prepared from the recipes of family and friends. The tentative menu looks like this:

Lumpia (possibly lumpia sariwa)
Pancit of some sort (canton, bihon or palabok)
Pinakbet
Kare-kare
Dinuguan
Lechon kawali
Probably some kind of fish paksiw
Halo-halo/leche flan
Possibly other goodies TBA

I don't know what interest will be like for this dinner, but due to the size of the backyard, we probably have to limit the number of friends to 10, maybe 12 if we all get really cozy. If you'd like to attend, PM me with an email address, and I'll send you the evite with the exact details. Happy Summer!

Hi,

I would be interested. I can help make something. From my friend Helen, I know how to make Cassava dessert and sour soup. If that fits into your plan.

What can I contribute toward the expenses?

Regards,

I'd love to attend. Just me, since my wife will be out of town.

Best,
Michael

Would really like to attend -- how may I contribute

Sonja

The Wife and I are in. Thank you, Happy Stomach, for hosting.

HS,

Ellen and I would love to join you, thanks for organizing.

Enjoy,
Gary

Put me down as a definite maybe (I'll be coming back from Northern Wisconsin that day).

I can help make something. From my friend Helen, I know how to make Cassava dessert and sour soup. If that fits into your plan.

What can I contribute toward the expenses?

Cathy,

You're welcome to make something. My plan isn't fixed at all, definitely not spoil-able by any additions. I considered adding something like pichi-pichi or kutsinta to the menu, but I wanted to conserve most of my prep time for the main dishes. It's your call--you can also bring nothing and that would be fine. We've got the expenses covered.

Thanks,
Sharon

It's a little far in advance to know for sure, but I would very definitely be interested in attending. I would be happy to supply some beverages.

dave

Sounds wonderful. If there's still space, put me down for one.

I have to move the next day, so this would be a nice "calm before the storm" evening.

Thanks for the invitation. I would love to join you and, ofcourse, support your effort in any way I can.

Jyoti

Please count me in + 1... looking forward to it. Please let me know if there is anything I can bring as well. I love cooking filipino food! Chicken Adobo maybe?

The dinner is officially full. If you've already sent me a message or RSVP'd here, I should have sent you the evite. If you haven't heard from me yet, I will contact you tomorrow. (I'm out of town at the moment with limited internet access.)

Thanks!
Sharon

if anybody cancels let me know, you can count 2 as a definate. you can just PM me if somebody does cancel.

Mario wrote:if anybody cancels let me know, you can count 2 as a definate. you can just PM me if somebody does cancel.

I hope everyone who wants to come will be able to, but it's possible that happy_stomach has a wait list going for this event.

if anybody cancels let me know, you can count 2 as a definate.

Hi Mario and others interested in the dinner,

Unfortunately, there is a waiting list. I absolutely hate having to turn people away, but we're at our maximum-maximum capacity for our backyard and house. If I add any more people to the list at this point, some will be eating in the alley. I promise to let people know if there are any cancellations or if I can devise more space.

Thanks for your interest!
Sharon

It sounds like a great event. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it, but I'll look forward to the reports.

It sounds like a great event. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it, but I'll look forward to the reports.

I'm sorry you won't be able to make it. We'll document thoroughly!

OK--this is my last bump for the dinner unless I decide to document my shopping adventures tomorrow. Everyone who got the evite should be set. If you have any questions you can email or call me (my cell phone # is listed on the evite). See you Sunday!

Sharon

thanks for your efforts and hospitality. very much enjoyed myself.

Balut. It's a man's man's man's man's man's man's egg.

On a related note, celestial lumpia, really the best rendition of this Filipino fav that I've had in my many weeks of eating Filipino, just excellent (thanks, Dan)



My love for lechon is a matter of record; it rules. If Nagrant were to ask me for my gallows meal, this would be it:



Happy_stomach, all due respect, your ma is maybe not right about using processed peanut butter in the kare-kare; your version was excellent, with a rich undercurrent of freshly ground nuts, superb:



And who would have thunk it: an outstanding veggie dish (okay, there was a tiny bit of piggie in there):



Happy_stomach, this is the best Filipino chow I've had in the last two weeks, and I've had a lot. Thx for hosting,

Hammond

Many thanks to happy_stomach and Dan and everyone else who helped out. It was a really terrific evening full of great food, education, conversation, and libation. It was really a herculean effort of preparing and cooking. The meal varied and balanced and full of great flavors.

I'll echo Hammond with the culinary highlights of lumpia, lechon, and kare-kare. I also really enjoyed the pork blood stew, dessert lumpia, and halo-halo.

The balut was certainly an unexpected treat. Before I ate one, I had hoped for "gee that was interesting, but I don't need to do it again" at best. I was shocked to find that I really enjoyed it: tasty broth, a hard egg yolk dipped in salt, and a duck embryo that resembled a mild chicken liver in taste. Really, I could see myself killing an evening with bottle of booze and a few balut.

Thanks again for your hospitality and putting together a memorable and tasty evening.

Best,
Michael

Thanks to Sharon & Dan for their splendid hospitality and culinary skills -- lovely evening.

Sonja

I would also like to thank the hosts of this wonderful event. The food, the company and the setting (the twinkle lights were a nice touch) were all outstanding. Moreover, I learned many new things about the cuisine. Well done, Sharon and Dan.

Happy_stomach,

Thank you for a terrific evening, you and Dan are gracious hosts and terrific cooks.

Happy_stomach


Dan


In particular I enjoyed the kare-kare and both types of lumpia, though the full rich complex flavors of the kare-kare are what I am thinking of 24-hours later.

Kare-Kare


Halo-Halo was fun, milk candy Happy_stomach made a showstopper.



OK, I suppose I should address balut. First of all, I am nowhere near as enthused about it as Mr. Morowitz, the thought of curling up with a 6-pack and brace of balut would never occur to me, ever.

I noted alcohol consumption was mainly wine and beer until the balut made it's appearance, then straight to Old Weller.



Louis, husband of Foodie1, was our guide to the joys of balut.

Foodie1, Louis






Funniest moment of the evening, at least for me, was when I finished my balut I tossed the napkin on the plate. Hall monitor Hammond insisted on checking under the napkin to make sure I left no beak, feather or rubbery calcium deposit uneaten. And, yes, of course I had consumed every bit.

As with most LTH events the convivial company exceeded the food, but that kare-kare was really darn good.



Additional pictures may be found here

Enjoy,
Gary

Great event and if there's more interest for another filipino dinner, Louis and I would be more than happy to host a dinner in September. My set of pictures are reflected on the my blog link below.

Thanks Sharon & Dan for your kind hospitality!

Oh wow I haven't had balut and kare kare in 10 years or so. Looks like a lot of fun. The kare kare even comes complete with the pink bagoong (shrimp paste?) as a condiment. Did anyone happen to try it?

Andrew Zimmern, the host of "Bizarre Foods" on Travel Channel, was on tonight (as he will be, no doubt, again) eating balut on a Filipino-focused show.

I couldn't help but pity the guy, hunkering down the egg in a balut factory (be kind of like eating bacon at a CAFO). Oddly, he drained out the juice, my favorite part, before eating. He did, however, add a little vinegar, which seems like it could be a very fine idea.

More about this man and his show, here: http://travel.discovery.com/tv/bizarre- ... foods.html

In the Philippines, many people eat balut with rock salt sprinkled on top of the egg yolk. I don't know anyone who uses vinegar on it.