Member-organized event: Heartland Gathering in MI

[annarborfoodie]

I have been lurking on this thread for ages, but I'm getting married in a month and I just knew that I wouldn't be able to participate in the full event. I might be able to sneak in the morning's Zingerman's tours though. Anyway, I was taking photos at the farmer's market and Zing's last Saturday for a different project and thought I'd share a few here to give you all a preview of what you're going to experience in Tree Town this weekend!

Zingerman's outside

Bread Counter

Line!

The market

[CaliPoutine]

Are you making the recipe from Barefoot Contessa?  If so, I'm sure that I have that size pan because I bought the pan specifically for that recipe.  I'll check tonight at home to be sure.

jb

←

Yes, I planned on making that recipe. If you could bring the pan, that would be great.

[tammylc]

Thanks, annarborfoodie. I'm sad that you won't be able to join us for the whole event, but we'd love to see you for whatever part of it you can make. PM me if you want contact information to connect up with us. Or perhaps you can come for Friday dinner or Sunday breakfast?

[tammylc]

Hey Alex - as the keeper of the list, can you please give us a rundown on attendance as of today? Everybody else - it's not too late to join us!

People arriving on Friday - if you're coming for dinner, you can meet up with us at Great Oak anytime after 5 and we'll carpool together (leaving around 6:45). Follow the directions in your PM, and go to #20. Otherwise, feel free to meet us at the restaurant, which is located at 609 W. Jefferson (I leave it up to you to you use your mapping program of choice to find the way).

If you're arriving too late for dinner but would still like some social time in the evening, we'll be drinking wine and noshing at my house (#20) post-dinner and you can meet up with us there. Just call my cell if you need more info, or if you'd be arriving after 10.

[Alex]

Currently for Saturday...

tammylc & crew

Alex

HeatherM

BeJam (iffy)

Maria & husband & friend and maybe friend's girlfriend

CaliPoutine & Robin and friends from Chelsea

TJHarris & spouse (maybe)

The Devilkitties

daniellewilley & Michael

Bacchusrogue & spouse

Jean Blanchard & husband

Sam Iam & Joyce

Fat Guy

torakris and friend and nephew

ronnie_suburban

edsel

Have I missed anyone?

[CaliPoutine]

Currently for Saturday...

tammylc & crew

Alex

HeatherM

BeJam (iffy)

Maria & husband & friend and maybe friend's girlfriend

CaliPoutine & Robin and friends from Chelsea

TJHarris & spouse (maybe)

The Devilkitties

daniellewilley & Michael

Bacchusrogue & spouse

Jean Blanchard & husband

Sam Iam & Joyce

Fat Guy

torakris and friend and nephew

ronnie_suburban

edsel

Have I missed anyone?

←

Sadly mrs bacchusrogue and myself have to decline. We had a death in the family and just got back from chicago and the funeral and have to travel to PA for more family meetings

But the next one, count us in

Alex,

I found this on the thread that i posted in the toronto forum.

[torakris]

Add one person to my group

My wonderful aunt who felt sorry for me not being able to find a car (none of the places take my JCB card--the only credit card I have ) has offered to drive us. So there will be 4 in my group.

[daniellewiley]

Michael and I will be arriving at about 11. I want to limit the amount of walking I do a bit, and I used to work at the bakehouse, so we will join everyone at the Creamery.

We're excited!

[jmsaul]

forgive me if this was discussed on previous pages...

What are we doing about lunch on Saturday?

←

After we're done at the Creamery we'll be heading down to the Farmer's Market area, where there are lots of lunch options - there's Kosmo Deli in the market with excellent Bi Bim Bop, Kav's Kafe with really good quiche and more, Zingerman's Deli, Mysore Woodlands vegetarian Indian, and more. Lunch will be on your own. If there's something particular someone's interested in, I'll be happy to offer suggestions.

←

Kav's is, alas, now gone.

However, you forgot Monahan's Fish Market -- where Mike will cook anything in the case for you while you watch! (My favorite place for seafood in Ann Arbor...)

[Sam Iam]

We'll meet you at the restaurant tonight.

Sam & Joyce

[Maria]

Ah, my friend backed out, so only my husband and I will be attending.

[torakris]

We will meet everyone tomorrow at 10 at Zingerman's!

[tammylc]

The Friday crew is back at my place, sipping port and Armagnac and petting the cats.

L-R: alex, tammylc, Joyce, Sam Iam, Devilkitty and Mrs. Devilkitty (Eric, my husband, is taking the picture)

People were as pleased with Jefferson Market as I expected. Sam Iam took pictures of all of our dinners, but I don't have those here, so the descriptions will have to suffice. Two of us had the lingunie with pan-seared scallops, shrimp and pesto, asparagus, roasted red pepper and toasted bread crumbs. Alex had the grilled flatiron steak with avocado salsa, black beans with cumin, rice and grilled vegetables. I had the pork scallopine with lemon, rosemary, and roasted peppers, crisped polenta sticks and green beans. Sam Iam had the grilled salmon with sweet and hot tomato sauce, cracked wheat salad and grilled vegetables. Yummm - see what you're missing not being here?

I spent the afternoon showing Alex some of Ann Arbor's hidden treasures, Big Ten and Village Corner. We got a couple treats that we'll share tomorrow.

[ronnie_suburban]

w00t!!!

I'll be leaving for the airport in about 7.5 hours. God willing and the crick don't rise, I'll be at DTW by 9:13 am EDT.

I can't wait to see/meet everyone.

=R=

. . . nice box, btw!

[tammylc]

w00t!!!

I'll be leaving for the airport in about 7.5 hours.  God willing and the crick don't rise, I'll be at DTW by 9:13 am EDT.

I can't wait to see/meet everyone.

=R=

. . . nice box, btw!

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Thought you'd appreciate that box, Ronnie.

To let everyone else in on the joke, Ronnie fed-exed me his knife, because he wasn't checking baggage and couldn't bear the thought of cooking without it. Now that's dedication. Or is that obsession?

[daniellewiley]

Small update on me and Michael: I spent all day suffering from vertigo, and am hoping to feel all better by tomorrow. I'm going to take it easy in the morning, so we will hope to meet everyone at Tammy's after the farmer's market. Looks like you guys are having fun already!

[tammylc]

Small update on me and Michael: I spent all day suffering from vertigo, and am hoping to feel all better by tomorrow. I'm going to take it easy in the morning, so we will hope to meet everyone at Tammy's after the farmer's market. Looks like you guys are having fun already!

←

Yuck. We'll have our fingers crossed that you'll feel better by tomorrow.

[Fat Guy]

See you all in the morning. Over and out.

[daniellewiley]

Small update on me and Michael: I spent all day suffering from vertigo, and am hoping to feel all better by tomorrow. I'm going to take it easy in the morning, so we will hope to meet everyone at Tammy's after the farmer's market. Looks like you guys are having fun already!

←

Yuck. We'll have our fingers crossed that you'll feel better by tomorrow.

←

Things are no longer spinning, so I think we're still on. Everyone here is just being paranoid b/c I'm so pregnant.

Thus my trip to the ER yesterday.

But, I can't miss an eGullet gathering!! Just keep me away from Ron's big knife in case things start to weave and spin again.

[ronnie_suburban]

Unfortunately, I have to extend my regrets.

After waiting in the airport for several hours and getting zero solid information from American Airlines about when my flight would actually depart, I decided to bail. An undisclosed mechanical problem with the plane was responsible for delaying the flight. When it was announced that they had no idea when the flight would actually depart, I decided to cut my losses, head home and be there in time to coach my son's little league game today.

I so wanted to be there with everyone but previous, similar experiences with American had me feeling that I could be waiting around in the airport all day only to see the flight eventually canceled outright. Since I have to catch another flight to NOLA tomorrow (out of Chicago), I started getting nervous that if the same thing happened tomorrow on my return from Michigan, I could end up missing my business trip.

I'm so mad too because I got up at 4 am so I could make it the airport on time. If I had instead, just jumped in my car and started driving, I'd be in Ann Arbor by now. :angry:

As of this moment, the flight still hasn't left O'Hare . . . (is there an F.U. emoticon somewhere?)

Have a great time everyone!

=R=

[torakris]

Well the Heartland gathering is in is full swing!

The wine is flowing, the knives are being sharpened, and the veal is in the oven....

[daniellewiley]

OK, I've been nominated to type up the menu. It's HUGE!

Appetizers

Guajolote's Beet Salad with Bacon (Alex)

Crostini with Fig Jam and Goat Cheese (CaliPoutine)

Cream of Mushroom Soup (DevilKitty)

Caprese Salad (Alex)

Roasted Cauliflower (Tammylc)

Sides

Couscous Salad with Butternut Squash, Green Beans and Yogurt Dressing (Torakris)

Green Beans and Bacon (Jacob - Torakris' nephew)

Carmelized Zucchini Stuffed Zucchini Blossom Tempura (Fat Guy and Torakris and Tammylc)*

Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary (Edsel)

Braised Shiitake Mushrooms (Alex)

Palette Cleanser

Watermelon Cubes with Gold Label Balsalmic (Balsamic courtesy of Eric)

Main Courses

Lake Trout with Lemon Caper Sauce (DevilKitty)

Braised Veal Roast with Shallots, Sage, Garlic and Dried Figs (Fat Guy and Tammylc)

Desserts

Barefoot Contessa's Outrageous Brownies (CaliPoutine and Jean Blanchard)

Musician Tarts (SamIAm)

Homemade Ice Cream (Maria's Husband)

Carrot Cake

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Drinks

Copious Amounts of Wine

*Fat Guy called Cafe Atlantico in DC from Kerrytown to get the recipe.

Also, many of those not listed above are helping out as sous chefs; chopping, sauteeing, mixing, peeling, etc.

Edited July 16, 2005 by daniellewiley (log)

[Fat Guy]

My involvement in the above is overstated -- it consists mostly of carrying the heavy bags of ingredients in from Tammy's car and meddling in preparation. The one thing I can sort of take credit for is the selection of the veal shoulder roast. We were at the butcher and had every intention of buying either a rib roast or a pork loin, but this gorgeous veal shoulder roast caught my eye so we started talking to the butcher about it. Then Tammy decided to get the pork loin, and that's when stuff started happening: unbeknownst to us, the butcher had become emotionally invested in us having the veal roast. So he offered a discount -- a big discount. In the end, he gave us an almost six-pound veal shoulder roast, tied and ready to go, for $20. So what we're doing now is braising it in a little stock, garlic, two varieties of sage (one from the farm market and one from the garden here) and thyme. Later we're going to let the roast rest and we're going to make a sauce from the pan liquid, shallots, a little wine and some figs. But that wasn't my idea -- Alex got the idea from Epicurious and we adapted it to what we have.

[ronnie_suburban]

Sounds like a fantastic time. I probably shouldn't have bailed at the airport. The flight ended up taking off about an hour after I left the O'Hare.

My consolation prize is that my son is spending the night at a friend's house, so my wife and I will have the evening to ourselves -- something I didn't know about until just a few minutes ago. Still, I wish I were there with you guys, but please, don't let her know

Bon appetit!

=R=

[tammylc]

Two little bites that we forgot - watermelon cubes with gold label real Balsalmic and Alex's braised shiitake mushrooms.

Not food, but important to the ambience - Joyce picked up flowers from the farmer's market to give us some lovely centerpieces.