March 9, 7:00pm, 3rd LTH Small Household Food Exch @Smak Tak

For our March gathering (Monday March 9th) we have chosen GNR winner Smak Tak at 5961 N. Elston at 7:00 p.m. One change from previously, we have decided to cap the number of participants at ten, not twelve, given the complexity of organizing. (We have never had more than ten participants and that has seemed to be the proper number of contributors)

We now have reservations for twelve people (as things stand nine dishes). Smak Tak will be making a special duck dish for us, but if you want any other dish, they will be happy to oblige. So crack open your Polish cook books.

If anyone else wishes to join us, I will keep a waiting list. There is the possibility for sharing a dish and not dining with us.

Current roster (everyone will come to dinner):
GAF: Paella with Chicken, Shrimp, and Sausage
Yumi: Lentil and Bulgur Pilaf with Squash
David Hammond and wife: Peppers with Anchovies
Jyoti: Peppery Chicken Curry with Coconut Rice
Leek and husband: Carne in Chili
The GP: Beef rendang
Foodie1: Chicken and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna
Cookie Monster: straccietella almond semifredo with an espresso fudge sauce
Hellodali: Ropa Vieja

Tarte Tatin: dinner, no dish

BRING EIGHT SERVINGS

REVIEW OF HOW THIS EVENT IS RUN

Gathering time

Second Monday of the month, 7:00 pm

Location

GNR restaurants to be determined each month

Number in Group

Attendance at each gathering is capped at 10 so that participants are never making more than 12 servings of anything. Couples will be counted as one serving (unless each person wants to be counted as one participant, in which case they will bring multiple servings of two separate dishes.

The Food

Each participant will 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 say; 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 okay each month, but we don’t want 6-7 dessert offerings as everyone was mostly interested in main meals. There will be no restrictions on the food – we’re an omnivorous bunch, but we do have one mushroom allergy in the group, so please alert the group if you’re making something with mushrooms. Again, that doesn’t mean that the ingredient is off limits; it just means you need to let everyone know if you are using it that month. We decided we don’t want to start running any list of off-limit foods or ingredients.

The containers/delivery system: Everyone in the group will buy 12 or so of the Gladware 3 1/8 cup plastic containers (it’s the approximately 7” x 7” square). 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. Please label your containers with the name of the dish (an ingredients list is nice but not required). If there are garnishes or other elements that are to be added to your dish before serving, please indicate that on the container.

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.

Approximately two 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 (sooner is probably better). 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. Usually, we’ll buy dinner as a group and split the bill.

After dinner, each person will put their servings at their place at the table, and each participant will move about the table, collecting one serving from each of the other participants.

We all agreed to stay relaxed and flexible with the exchange as there will likely be some bumps in the first few months and questions we haven’t thought of will come up and we’ll have to figure them out. Remember that the core purpose of the exchange will be for a group of LTH’ers to exchange good food they’ve made with minimal hassle and restrictions.

MORE LATER

in for dinner and will bring "lentil & bulgur pilaf w/green & yellow squash"

thanks,
yumi

I cannot attend, but I just want to tip you to talk to Smak Tak ahead of time. 10 people would take up half the restaurant and the last two times I've been there around that time, they've been nearly full.

Best,
Michael

Good advice. I will wait a week or two to see the response and then will make reservations. Hopefully Monday will be a slow night.

The Wife and I are in. Not sure what we'll bring yet, but it will probably contain pork.

I'm in. Shared dish TBD.

Jyoti

Please put me in (plus the DH)

I'm going to throw my ring in the hat for this one. Dish TBD.

-Mary

>>Other LTHers are welcome to join us for dinner, even if they are not bringing food to exchange. <<

If space at Smak Tak allows and the rules in this area have not changed, could you please add me to the list for dinner only? Just let me know. Thanks.

tarte tatin wrote:>>Other LTHers are welcome to join us for dinner, even if they are not bringing food to exchange. <<

If space at Smak Tak allows and the rules in this area have not changed, could you please add me to the list for dinner only? Just let me know. Thanks.

My (unsolicited) opinion is that we should make it possible for people to attend these food events even if they are not bringing a dish to share, as long as space allows (and as eatchicago points out above, Smak Tak may be a tight fit).

Incidentally, I love the suggestion of Smak Tak, which is just a fine place. I wonder if we could prevail upon the owners to do any off-menu items for us...?

I'm in... and my dish is TBD

I am in. Food to share unknown at this time, but will think about it.
Smak Tak had good food last time I was there.

Here is my thought about distribution - it might take a bit longer to do, though. One person hands out his/her dishes at a time. Once everyone has that dish, the next person goes. OR we need to make much more discrete and separate piles.

leek wrote:Here is my thought about distribution - it might take a bit longer to do, though. One person hands out his/her dishes at a time. Once everyone has that dish, the next person goes. OR we need to make much more discrete and separate piles.

I agree that we need another distribution system.

An interesting additional element of what is becoming our ritual was suggested by foodie1: each person describes what they brought, how they made it, ingredients, a little background. If each person hands out their dishes one at a time, we could use that distribution period for this description.

David Hammond wrote:

leek wrote:Here is my thought about distribution - it might take a bit longer to do, though. One person hands out his/her dishes at a time. Once everyone has that dish, the next person goes. OR we need to make much more discrete and separate piles.

I agree that we need another distribution system.

An interesting additional element of what is becoming our ritual was suggested by foodie1: each person describes what they brought, how they made it, ingredients, a little background. If each person hands out their dishes one at a time, we could use that distribution period for this description.

I know I personally enjoyed hearing the stories and a little background of each dish as we went around the table. Now I'll be able to think of GAF going out to pick up preserved lemons for his lamb tagine... or of RAB's mom as I eat the stuffed cabbage... or of Cathy's dad and his enjoyment of super crispy spaetzle and sauerkraut. I think passing out the dishes one at at time after we talk about them is a fine idea and prevents us from having to recount our containers during/after the swapping.

I'm in and I'll make the ropa vieja this time.

I'm going to try to make the pork Ronnie described a few days ago (carne in chili).

I'll be making a chicken & spinach alfredo lasagna. Thanks and I'm looking forward to the next exchange!

Hey now - do make an effort to keep the tops and bottoms matching. I received a Glad top and a Non-Glad bottom, and they don't quite fit together. So if you have the opposite, make sure you bring it so we can reunite them.

Thanks

Hi,

I won't be present at this exchange, however my offer remains good to coordinate April's.

Sorry to miss all the good food!

Regards,

As this will be no surprise, I will make a straccietella almond semifredo with an espresso fudge sauce. If I don't like its flavor I will make a custard apple Normandy tart.

Cookie Monster, that sounds terrific, but if I can suggest (and perhaps you were planning) the espresso fudge sauce be served in a smaller, separate container. a) it might keep better (and perhaps can be used on other desserts) and b) those of us who are caffeine sensitive can eat the semifredo naked (!).

Although I'm still deciding on my dish, I would like to add +1 for dinner only. Mr. X would be sad if I went to Smak Tak without him.

I will need to place him on the waitlist. We have a reservation for 12. When time gets closer, I can call Smak Tak and find out if an additional person (or several) can be added. Of course, sometimes people need to cancel.

If space doesn't allow, that's okay. He will be sad, but I'm sure that can be solved with some pierogies.

Checking - are share entries now closed? Getting ready to plan my cook...

ALSO - something I thought of last time... we are sitting around with food slowly warming or cooling at room temp for around 3 hours. The already frozen dishes should be OK, but the ones that come hot or fridge temp probably will not stay that way. Should we be accounting for this in some way? Bringing food in coolers perhaps? (If you don't have a cooler, layers of newspaper and a bag of ice might do).

Unless I hear from someone soon, the share entrees are closed - Bring Eight.

And we should think about the other issue.

I've been bringing mine in an insulated bag I got from Whole Foods that is supposed to keep things either hot or cold for about 3 hours. It was less than $10, I think.

I will be bringing beef rendang. In a cooler.

I will bring:
Peppery Chicken Curry with Coconut Rice.

Jyoti