PLAN: 2011 Heartland Gathering

[NancyH]

Sunday lunch at AMP 150. I anticipate we'll have a tour of the hotel garden either before or after our meal - it would help to know who will be hurried to be done there earlier due to plane reservations or whatever - but we're planning lunch for noon (I posted the preliminary menu earlier) - $30 includes tax but not beverages or gratuity, and youngsters may order off of the restaurant menu; vegetarian substitutions will be available for all courses.

Sunday: Amp 150

NancyH +1

Ronnie Suburban +2

Edsel

Tino27

torakris

Kerry Beal+1

Chris Hennes +1 (1 veg)

rooftop1000 +1

David Ross

RockNRoller

Connie Hayashi +1 (1 veg)

Kasw (Karen) +1

Dave the Cook

JAZ

Jeff Meeker

SamIAm +1

prasantrin +1

Sheb +1

Luckygirl+1

BethG?

RockNRoller?

33

[NancyH]

Nancy, what time is the Sunday lunch? Sorry if I missed that.

Also, due to a change in plans, Dave and I will not be attending the Thursday night crawl. We'll probably be at the lunch on Friday and will definitely be there for drinks and dinner on Friday, and all of Saturday's activities. Sunday lunch will depend on the time.

Thanks!

Lunch is planned for noon, but could be earlier or later as needed; if people are on tight schedules, we'll probably tour the garden around 11am.

Is Dave David Ross?

[NancyH]

Nancy,

I'm not +1 on anything. Just me, myself and I.

Sorry Kerry, not sure how that happened. Fixed!

[NancyH]

Steve - I expect that if Ellen doesn't care for the AMP 150 menu, she could also order off of the restaurant menu.

[rooftop1000]

Nancy

We are in for Friday lunch but out for Sunday

tracey

[Sam Iam]

Nancy, we're in for everything starting with cocktail hour on Thursday, but we won't be able to stay for Sunday lunch.

Street addresses, hopefully, will follow.

What a great job of pulling this together!! We'll see you Thursday!

Warm regards,

Sam & Joyce

[NancyH]

Is lunch on Sunday too late? Would it help folks if we made it earlier and more "brunchy" than "lunchy"?

[tino27]

An update after several more of your posts...

----

Saturday Meal Prep Plan

Afternoon Noshing

* jsmeeker, Open-faced fried bologna slider on salt and pepper focaccia (Tino27)

* Karen Watson, Fruit Tray with a homemade marshmallow creme and cream cheese dipping sauce paired with a Guinness walnut bread (Tino27)

Cocktails/Beverages:

* JAZ, lime cordial/gimlets

* ronnie_suburban

* jsmeeker

* White Lotus, various teas for hot/iced teas

Dinner

Courses/Components:

* Scott Groth, Apricot "fruit roll up" over the foie gras on spiced toast (Amuse)

* Kerry Beal, Larb (Appetizer)

* David Ross, Stir-Fried Pork with Sweet Bean Paste and Rice Stick Noodles

* JAZ (and Dave), Roasted red pepper soup shooter with an aged gouda crouton

* ronnie_surburban, course TBD

* REB, course TBD

* SamIAm (and Joyce), Thomas Keller's Carrot Stew

* Fat Guy, Torakris and Tino27, course TBD

* Edsel, Macaroni and Cheese (Side)

Bread:

* Tino27 ... classic French and Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia

Dessert:

* Scott Groth, Lemon ice cream served in lemon halves

* Luckygirl, Pie (hopefully this won't be a lemon pie because I believe we have lemon represented during our dessert course)

* Kerry Beal, Molecular Lemon Curd

Available Talent Pool

* Chris Hennes and wife, dish washing and prep cooks

* Tino27, prep cook

* Edsel, prep cook

* JAZ and Dave, prep cooks and clean-up

* Fat Guy, expediting

* Kasw, prep cook and clean-up

Let me know of any additional changes at this point.

[tino27]

NancyH -- I won't be at the Thursday evening restaurant crawl in Tremont. I will more than likely be at lunch on Friday (unless something comes up at work), but I am a go for everything else.

[NancyH]

Just made a correction to the price for Thursday - Dante will be $38.50 (including tax and tip) for food; he's doing the second half of our dinner including dessert!

[Dave the Cook]

Nancy, what time is the Sunday lunch? Sorry if I missed that.

Also, due to a change in plans, Dave and I will not be attending the Thursday night crawl. We'll probably be at the lunch on Friday and will definitely be there for drinks and dinner on Friday, and all of Saturday's activities. Sunday lunch will depend on the time.

Thanks!

Lunch is planned for noon, but could be earlier or later as needed; if people are on tight schedules, we'll probably tour the garden around 11am.

Is Dave David Ross?

When Janet says "Dave," she means me.

[prasantrin]

Regarding Thursday, I'm a little confused about what's going on. I had assumed drinks at Fahrenheit, appetizers and maybe one course at Lolita, and main and dessert at Dante.

But if drinks are a la carte, what is the $11 at Farhenheit for?

Or a related question, just how much food is expected to be consumed? I'd love to see whatever dishes have been decided upon, if available. Given the prices, I'm assuming it's a fair bit of food (perhaps too much for my and my +1's tummies), or is it ingredients used that are reflected in the costs.

Edited August 1, 2011 by prasantrin (log)

[NancyH]

Regarding Thursday, I'm a little confused about what's going on. I had assumed drinks at Fahrenheit, appetizers and maybe one course and Lolita, and main and dessert at Dante.

But if drinks are a la carte, what is the $11 at Farhenheit for?

Or a related question, just how much food is expected to be consumed? I'd love to see whatever dishes have been decided upon, if available. Given the prices, I'm assuming it's a fair bit of food (perhaps too much for my and my +1's tummies), or is it ingredients used that are reflected in the costs.

This will be a progressive meal. Fahrenheit will be upscale Happy Hour noshes for $11 (including tax and tip). Lolita will be family style pizzas and small plates, and Dante will be 2-3 savory items plus dessert (meat, fish, pasta probably, plus dessert). All of the food together should equal out to a regular 6-8 course tasting menu's worth of food and might be a bit more because I expect each restaurant to throw in a little more than they promised.

Beverages, as per usual for the Heartland Gathering, will be a la carte on separate checks.

Edited August 1, 2011 by NancyH (log)

[jsmeeker]

Saturday shopping - may I have a show of hands as to where people wish to shop? My thoughts were to have one group go to the West Side Market (where we shopped in 2007) and one group go to the North Union Farmers' Market at Shaker Square, which will have much better produce. I'll also need a local volunteer to shepard each group (I'll probably take the West Side Market). If there is anything else we want that can't be had at either place (such as wine), we should discuss how we want to organize that. Please reply to this post.

I guess I will go to whichever market is best to get bologna. I really don't know. I don't need produce for my course.

But if some locals have a better idea/source for bologna, I'm open.. I'll need some cheese. And some mustard. And maybe some pickles.

[NancyH]

Saturday shopping - may I have a show of hands as to where people wish to shop? My thoughts were to have one group go to the West Side Market (where we shopped in 2007) and one group go to the North Union Farmers' Market at Shaker Square, which will have much better produce. I'll also need a local volunteer to shepard each group (I'll probably take the West Side Market). If there is anything else we want that can't be had at either place (such as wine), we should discuss how we want to organize that. Please reply to this post.

I guess I will go to whichever market is best to get bologna. I really don't know. I don't need produce for my course.

But if some locals have a better idea/source for bologna, I'm open.. I'll need some cheese. And some mustard. And maybe some pickles.

Jeff - I'm thinking you want to go to the West Side Market.

[torakris]

How specific of a head count do we need for Friday lunch? I'm planning on possibly bringing all 3 kids and my sister is probably interested as well and might bring 2 or 3 of her kids....

[NancyH]

How specific of a head count do we need for Friday lunch? I'm planning on possibly bringing all 3 kids and my sister is probably interested as well and might bring 2 or 3 of her kids....

Just keep me posted. I expect that Chris will have enough food to sell to others in addition to our group, but I want to keep him posted on what to expect as we know.

[torakris]

Put me down as a +6 for Friday lunch.

[Kerry Beal]

Is lunch on Sunday too late? Would it help folks if we made it earlier and more "brunchy" than "lunchy"?

Yup - those who need to drive a ways would appreciate a more brunchy timing I think.

[Kerry Beal]

Saturday shopping - may I have a show of hands as to where people wish to shop? My thoughts were to have one group go to the West Side Market (where we shopped in 2007) and one group go to the North Union Farmers' Market at Shaker Square, which will have much better produce. I'll also need a local volunteer to shepard each group (I'll probably take the West Side Market). If there is anything else we want that can't be had at either place (such as wine), we should discuss how we want to organize that. Please reply to this post.

Where's the best place for Kaffir Lime leaves and lemongrass?

[rockandroller]

Hi Nancy - just reading through last several pages to get caught up. I am not participating in any of the Saturday or Sunday events and may have to bag on Friday daytime stuff as well as things are very busy at work and I may not be able to take the day off. My plan as of now is to attend Thursday night Farenheit/Lolita/Dante and Friday night GHT dinner but not VTR beforehand. Do we just show up at GHT at 7 for the dinner?

For what it's worth, I've been to Istanbul in Tremont twice and it is FABULOUS, if others are contemplating a Thursday lunch.

Edited August 1, 2011 by rockandroller (log)

[torakris]

Is lunch on Sunday too late? Would it help folks if we made it earlier and more "brunchy" than "lunchy"?

Yup - those who need to drive a ways would appreciate a more brunchy timing I think.

A Sunday brunch works a little better for me as well.

[edsel]

Where's the best place for Kaffir Lime leaves and lemongrass?

There are several Asian markets in the area. They almost always have lemongrass. Kaffir Lime leaves are usually available frozen, and sometimes fresh. I have a small Kaffir tree and a few stalks of lemongrass in the garden, so if you don't need a lot I can just harvest some for the dinner. It's a small tree so I don't want to defoliate it.

[NancyH]

Is lunch on Sunday too late? Would it help folks if we made it earlier and more "brunchy" than "lunchy"?

Yup - those who need to drive a ways would appreciate a more brunchy timing I think.

Jeff is amenable to adjusting the time and the menu - so what time do we want to schedule Sunday's meal? What time was brunch last year?

Edited August 1, 2011 by NancyH (log)

[prasantrin]

Can't remember what time brunch was last year, but I'd prefer it begin no later than 11 (though earlier is even better), with the garden tour happening before, not after.

About VTR and Fahrenheit, my +1 does not drink alcohol (well, she drinks very very little). I assume since both are pay-as-you-go, it's OK if she attends?