Small HH Food Exchange 11/21 Laschet's Inn 6:30 pm

It’s getting colder. It’s the start of a season that calls for hearty food. Like, German food.

I remember, not that many years ago, Chicago boasted many great German restaurants, like the Golden Ox, Zum Deutschen Eck, and Chicago Brauhaus. Not too many are left.

But, as BrendanR pointed out in a recent LTH post, “I happened to go to Bavarian Lodge a week after visiting Laschet's Inn. I had liver dumpling soup at both and the short time between visits made a comparison easier than usual. Laschet's was unquestionably superior.”

So, the Small Household Food Exchange will convene Sunday, November 21 at 6:30 pm at Laschet’s Inn, on Irving Park Road in Chicago.

The Small Household Food Exchange, among other things, is an opportunity for like-minded folks to gather, share the ordering power of a group, and describe and show off their cooking skills.

So get to work cooking dishes to share with other LTHers. (And don’t worry about the rumors about LTH palate sophistication — often the simplest dishes are the best.)

Or don’t … maybe you just want an excuse to try an interesting restaurant … everyone’s welcome to join for the three c's — camaraderie, conviviality and companionship.

We’ll cap attendance at 12. Those who exchange dishes will have first priority, but they should post by Wednesday November 17, to allow cooks to plan, shop and create.

The Basics
We’re always interested in fresh blood. Even if you can't exchange, please join us for dinner and conversation! But we encourage all to bring a few samples of the cuisine you enjoy at your home; it’s a great way for all of us to get to know each other better, discuss food and cooking techniques, and ultimately, later, have a meal at home that we might not have thought of making for ourselves.

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.

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 and bring a dish that month. The priority will be for entrees, meats, soups, salad, stews, pastas, grains, etc. (Check the Events Board, there’s a separate Dessert Exchange.)

The fine print
Number in the group: We will cap attendance for this gathering at 12, (food exchange participants at , so that, this month, participants are never making more than 8 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). Look for this on the label:


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. 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 no one has to run out and buy more. Ideally, everyone will find a way to label their containers, describing the contents, so we don’t end up staring into our freezers at a field of blue-lidded containers and wondering what’s in each one (not that there’s anything wrong with the occasional surprise …).

Please RSVP your attendance by responding in this thread, ideally about one week before the monthly gathering. If you're exchanging, please post what you're bringing at least three days before the gathering.

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.

Hope to see you there!

Attending:

Dinner and Exchange
nr706 — Machboos ala Dajaj
moetchandon — brisket
Cathy2 — čobanac

Dinner and sparkling company
GAF
????

Save the date!
Sunday, November 21, 2021, 6:30 pm

Laschet’s Inn
2119 W. Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 478-7915

Hi,

My European cooking group made bread dumplings with a mushroom cream sauce recently. My first attempt did not work out. I will try again, if it works right, it will be my contribution.

If not, it will be something else Germanic.

Regards,
CAthy2

I'm in for dinner.

HI,

I made Borscht for dinner, it is now packed up for the exchange.

I want to make a brisket. I’m looking at recipes that are considered old fashioned, so I’m leaning towards something like that for my exchange.

Hi,

I changed my mind on my offering, I am making Slavonian-Style Shepherds Stew made with pork from Milk Street.

From the Slavonia region of Croatia, čobanac is a meat-centric stew rich with paprika and thickened in part by shredded root vegetables that break down during a long, slow simmer. Though referred to as shepherd’s stew (čoban translates as shepherd), the dish traditionally is made with not only lamb but also beef, pork and wild game

NR706 spent time in Yugoslavia, so it will be interesting to see his reaction. Mine, too, because I am not sure I ever had this dish.

Regards,
Cathy2

Hi,

If anyone wishes to drop in for dinner, just say so. I cannot wait for Hackepeter and Sunday special of liver dumpling soup.

Regards,
Cathy2

Reservation is under the name "Tom."