Plan: 2008 Heartland Gathering in Chicago Aug 8-10

[Jean Blanchard]

I've got one 9 and one 10 in. black, removable bottom tart pans. I'll bring them on Thursday night.

[nyokie6]

HI

We just got back and I did bring some cheese back. Shopped at a cheese store we shopped at in 1980 and told the storekeeper what I wanted the cheeses for and he recommended items that could travel and should be fine to our dinner. he vacuum sealed the cheese and suggested leaving it until I want to use it. Most of it traveled fine(I think) but a few things squished. Some looks interesting and included labels. It was enjoyable watching what the locals bought as we told him to stop and help them in between helping us.

I also have some Italian honey and some fruit spread.

Laz I was so happy to hear that you will do the american cheeses.

tammylc consider my stuff a contribution and can we use the budget for the american cheese and perhaps a piece of Stilton. Also I don't have Brie as he said it wouldn't travel, I do have something he suggested instead.

Laz my husband Ron and I would like to do the ethnic shopping on Sat. We will not have a car and will probably be staying at the Hyatt on Wacker. I am bringing a cooler and some other things, so we would consider a Taxi to where we are meeting and would someone be able to put those things in their car until the afternoon?

It sounds so good, now I will go try to pay for our dinners, I've been frozen by paypal before- I'm still not sure if I have a useable account since they added the new "safeguards", I think my husband did to prevent me spending anymore

[prasantrin]

I figured out the deal with PayPal, at least in my case. It isn't a problem with PayPal, per se, but with my credit card company. They block any "unusual activity" as part of their fraud protection program, and too many consecutive online purchases (especially from PayPal) qualify as "unusual activity" in my case. If you get a message saying you've exceeded your limit for your PayPal account, call your credit card company and explain the situation. They'll unblock your card and let you continue with the purchase.

Edited July 20, 2008 by prasantrin (log)

[nyokie6]

I just paid and what happened was I couldn't use any credit card more than once( I didn't use paypal). So I used 4 different credit cards!

Tobi

[CaliPoutine]

Can I add a plus 1 for the Fri dinner?

A local friend would like to join.

[ronnie_suburban]

BTW Ron, you can take us off the list for the Saturday shindig.  Still in for everything else though.

←

Can I add a plus 1 for the Fri dinner?

←

Updated lists . . .

Please note these lists do not yet reflect who has already paid

Thursday Dinner at Blackbird

=R= +4

Alchemist

newbie21

tammylc

jesteinf +1

edsel

prasantrin* +1*

Jean Blanchard +1

santo_grace +1

HOLLY_L

NancyH +1

Nina C.* +3*

nyokie6 +1

nsxtasy +1

yellow truffle +3

Sam Iam +1

Elrushbo

stuart_s

daniellewiley +1

Amy Viny +1

white lotus +1

cat lancaster

ricain + 1

REB +1

DutchMuse + 1**

-49- (42 definite, 6 probable, 1 wait list)

Only 'wait list' spots remain for Thursday's dinner, although it's likely that some who have signed up will drop out, especially since we still have 6 "probables".

Thursday Drinks at The Violet Hour

=R= +4

HeatherM

Alex

tammylc +1

jesteinf +1

edsel

tino27 +1

Lady T

prasantrin* +1*

Marmish* +1*

newbie21

Nina C.* +3*

Jean Blanchard +1

santo_grace +1

HOLLY_L

NancyH +1

nyokie6 +1

nsxtasy +1

yellow truffle +3

moreace01 +1

Sam Iam +1

LuckyGirl +1

Darcie B

stuart_s*

daniellewiley +1

Amy Viny +1

Aaron Deacon

white lotus +1

cat lancaster

ricain + 1

karen m

-57- (50 definite, 7 probable)

Only 3 spots remain for Thursday's cocktail session

Updated list for the Friday night dinner at Lao Sze Chuan:

=R= +4

prasantrin +1

torakris

tammylc

CaliPoutine +1

Alex

Sam Iam +3

Fresser

NancyH +1

nsxtasy +1

jesteinf +1

tino27 +1

HeatherM

santo_grace +1

Kerry Beal

edsel

Cathy2

yellow truffle +1

nyokie6 +1

stuart_s

HOLLY_L

white lotus +1

LuckyGirl +1

LAZ +1

daniellewiley +1

karen m

hsm +1

Amy Viny +1

Fat Guy

REB +1

DutchMuse +1

-55- (55 definite, 0 probable)

25 spots remain for Friday night's dinner at Lao Sze Chuan

Updated list for the Saturday dinner at Immanuel Lutheran Church:

=R= +4

NancyH +1

torakris

edsel

LuckyGirl +1

Alchemist

CaliPoutine

Alex +1

tammylc

nsxtasy +1

Kerry Beal

Marmish +1

moosnsqrl +1

Osnav +1

prasantrin* +1*

tino27 +1

Sam Iam +3

nr706 +1

hsm +1

Jean Blanchard +1

newbie21

moreace01 +1

HOLLY_L

santo_grace +1

daniellewiley +1

Cathy2

nyokie6 +1

Nina C. +1

LAZ +1

maggiethecat +1

Elrushbo

Darcie B

white lotus +1

Fresser

cat lancaster

Lady T

yellow truffle +3

Amy Viny +1

karen m +1

ricain + 1

elfin +1

Fat Guy

REB +1

-78- (76 definite, 2 probable)

Only 12 spots remain for Saturday's group meal

Again, please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.

Thanks!

=R=

[moosnsqrl]

Talk to me at the gathering about successfully boycotting Microsoft. Nary a Windows OS/office product will you find on any of my computers.

←

Me, too, Tino. Never had a PC at home and can't think that I ever will. And my PayPal boycott is also going as well as my Microsoft boycott - I had one nightmarish brush with them and ran away for good. If I can't buy it without using that "service" (and I use the term VERY loosely), I don't need it. It's as simple as that.

Edited July 21, 2008 by moosnsqrl (log)

[NancyH]

nsxtasy - you get a huge "thank you" for this post!

It has come to my attention that a few people are having some trouble with Paypal, which is the site to which EventBrite.com re-directs you to make payments for our events.

←

You are NOT required to open or use a Paypal account to make your payment on EventBrite.com for the Heartland Gathering activities (although you're welcome to do so if you want).

When you order your tickets, you click on "Order Now" and then you fill in your personal information. You then click on the Paypal logo or the credit card logos at the bottom of the page. Either way, they take you to the Paypal website. The right part of the screen says "Log in to Paypal" and the left part of the screen says:

Don't have a PayPal account?

Use your credit card or bank account (where available). Continue

If you click on Continue, it allows you to enter your credit card number and additional information. By doing so, you can charge it to your credit card or bank account, without having to open or use a Paypal account. (Note - this also asks for your e-mail address, and if you already have a Paypal account under that address, it will ask you again whether you would rather charge it to your Paypal account - but you can still say no and charge it to your credit card.)

I have nothing against Paypal, and you're welcome to use it if you like. I find it very useful for certain things, such as paying for purchases on eBay; however, I prefer some points/miles/cash programs with credit cards. In any case, you have the ability to pay for the Heartland Gathering either way.

←

[tino27]

For those interested in the Bread Class, I just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you and have been following up several leads for a venue. There is a very positive lead that I am in the process of discussing terms with right now, so I should know something very soon.

Once I have something concrete, I'll spill all the beans.

[ronnie_suburban]

Updated lists . . . (additional people have dropped out, via pm)

Please note these lists do not yet reflect who has already paid

Thursday Dinner at Blackbird

=R= +3

Alchemist

newbie21

tammylc

jesteinf +1

edsel

prasantrin* +1*

Jean Blanchard +1

santo_grace +1

HOLLY_L

NancyH +1

Nina C.* +3*

nyokie6 +1

nsxtasy +1

yellow truffle +3

Sam Iam +1

Elrushbo

stuart_s

daniellewiley +1

Amy Viny +1

white lotus +1

cat lancaster

ricain + 1

REB +1

DutchMuse + 1 (+1 now in, due to a cancelation)

-48- (42 definite, 6 probable)

Only 'wait list' spots remain for Thursday's dinner, although it's likely that some who have signed up will drop out, especially since we still have 6 "probables".

Thursday Drinks at The Violet Hour

=R= +3

HeatherM

Alex

tammylc +1

jesteinf +1

edsel

tino27 +1

Lady T

prasantrin* +1*

Marmish* +1*

newbie21

Nina C.* +3*

Jean Blanchard +1

santo_grace +1

HOLLY_L

NancyH +1

nyokie6 +1

nsxtasy +1

yellow truffle +3

moreace01 +1

Sam Iam +1

LuckyGirl +1

Darcie B

stuart_s*

daniellewiley +1

Amy Viny +1

Aaron Deacon

white lotus +1

cat lancaster

ricain + 1

karen m

-56- (49 definite, 7 probable)

Only 4 spots remain for Thursday's cocktail session

Updated list for the Friday night dinner at Lao Sze Chuan:

=R= +4

prasantrin +1

torakris

tammylc

CaliPoutine +1

Alex

Sam Iam +3

Fresser

NancyH +1

nsxtasy +1

jesteinf +1

tino27 +1

HeatherM

santo_grace +1

Kerry Beal

edsel

Cathy2

yellow truffle +1

nyokie6 +1

stuart_s

HOLLY_L

white lotus +1

LuckyGirl +1

LAZ +1

daniellewiley +1

karen m

hsm

Amy Viny +1

Fat Guy

REB +1

DutchMuse +1

-54- (54 definite, 0 probable)

26 spots remain for Friday night's dinner at Lao Sze Chuan

Updated list for the Saturday dinner at Immanuel Lutheran Church:

=R= +4

NancyH +1

torakris

edsel

LuckyGirl +1

Alchemist

CaliPoutine

Alex +1

tammylc

nsxtasy +1

Kerry Beal

Marmish +1

moosnsqrl +1

Osnav +1

prasantrin* +1*

tino27 +1

Sam Iam +3

nr706 +1

hsm

Jean Blanchard +1

newbie21

moreace01 +1

HOLLY_L

santo_grace +1

daniellewiley +1

Cathy2

nyokie6 +1

Nina C. +1

LAZ +1

maggiethecat +1

Elrushbo

Darcie B

white lotus +1

Fresser

cat lancaster

Lady T

yellow truffle +3

Amy Viny +1

karen m +1

ricain + 1

elfin +1

Fat Guy

REB +1

-77- (75 definite, 2 probable)

Only 13 spots remain for Saturday's group meal

Again, please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.

Thanks!

=R=

Edited July 22, 2008 by ronnie_suburban (log)

[hsm]

Ronnie,

My +1 is also out for Friday's dinner.

Thanks,

Hilary

[ronnie_suburban]

Ronnie,

My +1 is also out for Friday's dinner.

Thanks,

Hilary

←

Ok, got it. I went back an edited the above list.

=R=

[Kerry Beal]

Ok all you chocolate workshop people - I've got to start doing some planning. I will haul along a couple of molds, I'll bring some chocolate to work with. But what shall we learn? I suspect the basic emulsion for a truffle ganache, how to temper - the really important one, we'll do a bit of molding (because our ganache may not be as firm as we'd like to make truffles)...

Any specific things folks want to learn?

[tino27]

Heartland Gathering Bread Class

Friday, August 8th

Noon - 5 PM

HOORAY! We have a place to hold our bread class. A local Chicago eG'er has graciously volunteered their kitchen for our class. It will be from Noon - 5 PM (which should give us plenty of time to get to Lao Sze Chuan). Once I get address location / public transportation information, I will be PM'ing the individuals who signed up for the class.

First, the list of students I have signed up:

edsel

karen m

Amy Viny

CaliPoutine (*)

Jean Blanchard

santo_grace

torakris

LuckyGirl (*) +2 (*)

prasantrin's +1

NancyH's +1 (*)

white lotus +1

(*) = probable/maybe

You will not need any equipment, although if you want to work with the doughs, you may want to bring an apron of some kind to keep the flour off of your clothes. There is *no cost* as the kitchen we'll be using is in a private home. I figured we could donate the fruits of our labor to the appetizer/dinner on Saturday.

As for the itinerary, I want to get as much in as I can without it feeling too crazy. What I thought I would do is to make two doughs before class and then we'll make two doughs in the class, but we'll shape and bake all four doughs in class.

Here is what I was thinking as far as a schedule:

12:00 Introductions and welcome

12:15 Shape Honey Whole Wheat dough

12:30 Make Sweet Potato dough

13:00 Bake Honey Whole Wheat Bread

13:15 Shape Red and Black dough

13:30 Make Olive Rosemary dough

14:00 Bake Red and Black Bread

14:00 Discussion on Ingredients / Techniques

14:45 15 minute break

15:00 Shape Sweet Potato dough

15:30 Shape Olive Rosemary dough

15:45 Bake Sweet Potato Bread

16:15 Bake Olive Rosemary Bread

16:30 Clean-up / Questions

17:00 Class Ends

Because the mixing and kneading technique is similar for all of the breads we will be doing, making two of the doughs ahead of time shouldn't pose any issues. I included specific time at the end for questions, but please feel free to ask questions as they occur to you. I like to feel like my classes are interactive and welcome any input. Of course, recipes for all four breads will be provided to the attending students.

If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please feel free to PM me.

Edited July 22, 2008 by tino27 (log)

[tino27]

Tammylc --

Based on my previous post, here is what will be available for Saturday's event:

3 loaves of honey whole wheat bread

3 loaves of Red and Black bread

3 loaves of olive rosemary bread

2 loaves of sweet potato bread

We can use these for appetizers or for dinner, but my guess would be that this much bread wouldn't be enough for both (for 80 people), so we will probably have to supplement that with some locally baked bread.

Also, please add me as a sous chef to NancyH/Bob/Edsel's course for Saturday's dinner.

Thanks,

Tom

[Marmish]

I've sent pms to all those signed up for the chocolate class with directions. If you didn't receive it, please let me know. Apparently the first time I sent it, I must have done something wrong because it appears no one received it.

[LAZ]

Laz  my husband Ron and I would like to do the ethnic shopping on Sat.  We will not have a car and will probably be staying at the Hyatt on Wacker.  I am bringing a cooler and some other things, so  we would consider a Taxi to where we are meeting and would someone be able to put those things in their car until the afternoon?

←

A taxi to the northern suburbs will be quite expensive, so consider the L unless you really have too much to carry. For Niles, take the Red Line L to Howard, transfer to the Yellow Line to Skokie. From there, we may be able to get you a ride or else there's one of two bus lines. I'm working out the final itinerary and will send out PMs with the initial meeting place early in the week before the tour.

We should also have coolers in the car trunks in case people buy perishables on the tour. I will bring a large one.

Update:

Ethnic shopping tour

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9 (including lunch)

Niles ethnic grocers (list)

Drivers, if I have wrongly estimated the number of available seats in your car, please let me know. We are now at capacity unless someone else with a car joins. The number in brackets is car seats including the driver.

LAZ+1 [6]

tammylc

Jean Blanchard+1* [4]

LuckyGirl+2*(**) [3]

torakris

white lotus+1

Fresser* [4]

Fat Guy

tino27's Chris

NancyH or ?* [4]

prasantrin's guest

nyokie6+1

Total: 18

*Additional drivers [total car seats: 18]

(**)probable

[ronnie_suburban]

Thanks to our friend Alchemist, we now have the prospective menus for the Blackbird dinner. They are fairly set but as always, subject to minor changes if circumstances require it . . . .

Offal 'Nasty Bits' Menu

first

chopped chicken liver ravioli

second

pickled beef tongue, fried bologna, tomato, horseradish

third

roasted hudson valley foie gras with preserved grapefruit, sherry-braised radishes,

sea beans and lychee-espresso

fourth

braised rack of lamb with fresh soybeans, spring radishes, pickled feta and lovage

fifth

crispy veal sweetbreads with cashew butter, rye waffle, black mission figs, black olive honey and cashew ice cream

Vegetarian Menu

first

cardamom tofu, jicama, snow peas, fried chocolate, nasturtium

second

gouda, watermelon confit, dandelion greens, wild rice granola

third

eggplant pave with eggplant consome

fourth

cornbread, buttermilk, boiled peanuts, sugar snaps

fifth

avocado cremeux with local blueberries, hyssop and chartreuse granite

It looks like it's going to be quite a spectacular meal at Blackbird.

Thanks again, Toby, for arranging this for us!

=R=

Edited July 23, 2008 by ronnie_suburban (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

Updated lists . . . (additional people have dropped out, via pm)

Please note these lists do not yet reflect who has already paid

Thursday Dinner at Blackbird

=R= +3

Alchemist

newbie21

tammylc

jesteinf +1

edsel

prasantrin* +1*

Jean Blanchard +1

santo_grace +1

HOLLY_L

NancyH +1

nyokie6 +1

nsxtasy +1

yellow truffle +3

Sam Iam +1

Elrushbo

stuart_s

daniellewiley +1

Amy Viny +1

white lotus +1

cat lancaster

ricain + 1

REB +1

DutchMuse + 1 (+1 now in, due to a cancelation)

-44- (42 definite, 2 probable)

Please note, 4 spots are now open for Thursday's dinner.

Thursday Drinks at The Violet Hour

=R= +3

HeatherM

Alex

tammylc +1

jesteinf +1

edsel

tino27 +1

Lady T

prasantrin* +1*

Marmish* +1*

newbie21

Jean Blanchard +1

santo_grace +1

HOLLY_L

NancyH +1

nyokie6 +1

nsxtasy +1

yellow truffle +3

moreace01 +1

Sam Iam +1

LuckyGirl +1

Darcie B

stuart_s*

daniellewiley +1

Amy Viny +1

Aaron Deacon

cat lancaster

ricain + 1

karen m

-50- (47 definite, 3 probable)

10 spots remain for Thursday's cocktail session

Updated list for the Friday night dinner at Lao Sze Chuan:

=R= +4

prasantrin +1

torakris

tammylc

CaliPoutine +1

Alex

Sam Iam +3

Fresser

NancyH +1

nsxtasy +1

jesteinf +1

tino27 +1

HeatherM

santo_grace +1

Kerry Beal

edsel

Cathy2

yellow truffle +1

nyokie6 +1

stuart_s

HOLLY_L

white lotus +1

LuckyGirl +1

LAZ +1

daniellewiley +1

karen m

hsm

Amy Viny +1

Fat Guy

REB +1

DutchMuse +1

-54- (54 definite, 0 probable)

26 spots remain for Friday night's dinner at Lao Sze Chuan

Updated list for the Saturday dinner at Immanuel Lutheran Church:

=R= +4

NancyH +1

torakris

edsel

LuckyGirl +1

Alchemist

CaliPoutine

Alex +1

tammylc

nsxtasy +1

Kerry Beal

Marmish +1

prasantrin* +1*

tino27 +1

Sam Iam +3

nr706 +1

hsm

Jean Blanchard +1

newbie21

moreace01 +1

HOLLY_L

santo_grace +1

daniellewiley +1

Cathy2

nyokie6 +1

LAZ +1

maggiethecat +1

Elrushbo

Darcie B

white lotus +1

Fresser

cat lancaster

Lady T

yellow truffle +3

Amy Viny +1

karen m +1

ricain + 1

elfin +1

Fat Guy

REB +1

-71- (69 definite, 2 probable)

19 spots remain for Saturday's group meal

Again, please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.

Thanks!

=R=

Edited July 23, 2008 by ronnie_suburban (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

Hi all,

As long as we are no longer capped out on any of the events, I'm not going to post links to the sign-ups here.

Instead, if you haven't already signed up, please post here or send me a pm and I will pm you the link to the EventBrite.com sign-ups.

And please, regarding the Blackbird dinner, sign up asap, so we can give them a breakdown, as early as possible, on how many of each meal type we'll be ordering.

We'll continue ticket sales through Tuesday August 5, as originally posted.

Thanks,

=R=

[Fat Guy]

Ronnie, thanks for doing all this organizational work. It can't be easy.

[nsxtasy]

A taxi to the northern suburbs will be quite expensive, so consider the L unless you really have too much to carry.

You're probably looking at somewhere around $25 for a cab from the Hyatt Regency Chicago to Evanston, and if it's not prime commuting time, it will take about 25 minutes. That compares with $1.75-2.00 per person for the el. With the el, you're looking at a walk of between 1/4 and 1/2 mile at both ends, from the Hyatt to the el (the stops at Grand/State and State/Lake are about equidistant from the hotel) and from the el to the Evanston Farmer's Market and from the el to the location of the Heartland Gathering. The el doesn't go to Niles. There are also commuter trains to the northern suburbs, but they leave from the train stations on the opposite side of the Loop from the Hyatt. Another option is to rent a car for the day from a location near your hotel.

You can see a complete map of public transportation in the Chicago area, combining the CTA (el/subway and buses in the city and a few suburbs), Metra (commuter trains) and Pace (suburban buses) on the RTA website here. I've found that their "Trip Planner" function (same one as on the individual websites of those three agencies) is often inaccurate, because it fails to recognize geographical locations when they are typed in.

Edited July 23, 2008 by nsxtasy (log)

[prasantrin]

Ok all you chocolate workshop people - I've got to start doing some planning.  I will haul along a couple of molds, I'll bring some chocolate to work with.  But what shall we learn?  I suspect the basic emulsion for a truffle ganache, how to temper - the really important one, we'll do a bit of molding (because our ganache may not be as firm as we'd like to make truffles)...

Any specific things folks want to learn?

←

I want to make bark with lots of nuts, but I guess that's just tempering chocolate and mixing nuts in?

I'd really like to see some dipping, too. Will there be dipping?

But I'm just happy with anything, as long as we get to eat some of them!

[Alex]

Ok all you chocolate workshop people - I've got to start doing some planning.  I will haul along a couple of molds, I'll bring some chocolate to work with.  But what shall we learn?  I suspect the basic emulsion for a truffle ganache, how to temper - the really important one, we'll do a bit of molding (because our ganache may not be as firm as we'd like to make truffles)...

Any specific things folks want to learn?

←

I want to make bark with lots of nuts, but I guess that's just tempering chocolate and mixing nuts in?

I'd really like to see some dipping, too. Will there be dipping?

But I'm just happy with anything, as long as we get to eat some of them!

←

I'd vote for dipping, too. Truffles would be great, if possible, especially how best to make liqueur-flavored ones, and perhaps a discussion of unusual flavors, à la Vosges.

[Kerry Beal]

Ok all you chocolate workshop people - I've got to start doing some planning.  I will haul along a couple of molds, I'll bring some chocolate to work with.  But what shall we learn?  I suspect the basic emulsion for a truffle ganache, how to temper - the really important one, we'll do a bit of molding (because our ganache may not be as firm as we'd like to make truffles)...

Any specific things folks want to learn?

←

I want to make bark with lots of nuts, but I guess that's just tempering chocolate and mixing nuts in?

I'd really like to see some dipping, too. Will there be dipping?

But I'm just happy with anything, as long as we get to eat some of them!

←

There will be dipping if you would like!