Small Household Food Exchange @ Gogi, Sun April 28 5pm

The Small Household Food Exchange, among other things, is an opportunity for everyone to describe and show off their cooking skills (or in the case of a couple of my offerings, the lack thereof). So why not visit a restaurant that lets everyone cook in front of everyone else?

I’m talking Korean Barbeque. A selection of meats, a hot grill at the table, multiple side dishes (banchan) … what could be better?

I used to frequent the Korean Barbeque at Hae Woon Dae, in West Rogers Park. That restaurant is no longer with us. It’s been replaced with Gogi, a GNR that I have yet to try. I’ll remedy that Sunday, April 28 at 5 pm.

Gogi is one of the few Korean Barbeque joints that actually uses live coals for grilling, for true grilled flavor. From its opening day, it’s gotten great reviews on LTH, and also in its nomination for its GNR . Even WTTW’s Check Please! has featured Gogi favorably.

So get to work cooking dishes to share with other LTHers.

Or don’t … everyone’s welcome to join for camaraderie, conviviality and companionship.

Note that we cap attendance at 12 with a maximum of 10 people exchanging dishes. Those who exchange dishes will have first priority, but they should post by April 21, 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 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 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. 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 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 — Salmon Mousse with other stuff
moetchandon — Salisbury Steak
Cathy2 — Pasta a la Norma
Pie Lady — Sri Lankan fish curry with roasted cauliflower

Dinner and sparkling company
diversedancer
GAF

Gogi
6240 N. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 274-6669

Sunday, April 28 at 5 pm

(Do you really have something else that would be more fun already booked for this date and time? Really?)

Hi,

I am in for both!

Thank you for organizing.

Regards,
Cathy2

I would like to RSVP. For now, without food exchange, but that might change.

I'm in for both. Leaving the ordering up to you guys since I'm not sure I dig on Korean. Surprise me!

Hi,

I made three portions of Pasta a la Norma. If anyone else jumps in, I will make something else. Who gets what will be decided the day of.

Regards,
Cathy2

I will join: dinner only.

I'm making a Sri Lankan fish curry with roasted cauliflower. The recipe calls for mackerel but I may have to swap that with something else.

I see Tom has already posted what I’m bringing. Salisbury steak. I went old school.

1. Anybody else interested in one of the raw beef "salads"? (apologies not sure of correct terminology)

2. If it was in the original thread I missed it. Do they have lettuce leaves for wrapping meat? If not, does anybody know if can we bring out own? If nobody knows, I will try to call and ask. First had them at the place in Lincolnshire, and would like to always do now.

diversedancer wrote:1. Anybody else interested in one of the raw beef "salads"? (apologies not sure of correct terminology)

Yukhoe

diversedancer wrote:2. If it was in the original thread I missed it.

Pics of yukhoe in the original thread

diversedancer wrote:Do they have lettuce leaves for wrapping meat?

Does Pooh like honey? (Answer: Yes, of course)

Reservation is under "Tom."

Gah
Late
There was an incident

Pie Lady wrote:There was an incident

Those of us who weren't there want to know more. Incidents are intriguing.

A few pix are here, in the main Gogi thread.

lougord99 wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:There was an incident

Those of us who weren't there want to know more. Incidents are intriguing.

When I'm trying to rush, I turn into butterfingers. Within ten minutes' time, I dropped a jar of red pepper which broke and got everywhere, then dropped a pot of rice which also went everywhere, and trying to clean around a cat is not easy.

Today I ass-planted in mud—right outside work— and had to go back home and miss my meeting. So the incidents continue.

Pie Lady wrote:Today I ass-planted in mud

Spring is the appropriate season for planting.

nr706 wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:Today I ass-planted in mud

Spring is the appropriate season for planting.

Always looking on the bright side.