The Gourmet Club begins...

Several months ago, on a cold, wintry work day, Erin and I had a lengthy discussion around our desire for a "gourmet club". She has been thinking about this for some time now, found a sounding board (and core member) in me and hence...the club was born.

Here are the details from the original email - this will set the stage for you:
- Meet once a month on a Saturday
- Everyone rotates hosting, and the host picks the theme for the next month (if your place is too small to host, someone else will happily step in while you still are officially the "host")
- We will have a core group of people who are serious about committing to this (criteria = having an interest in food, and genuinely excited to spend time cooking once a month, hosting, etc.) with some wiggle room for guests (i.e., dates, others we extend the invite to on a monthly basis but who may not be up for it EVERY month)

Core Group:
Erin
Sara
Chris
Sarah R.
Bill
Amanda
Tricia
Colleen
Sarah
Orin
Ryan
Mica (and Peter)

So, it's unlikely that all of these people would agree, but say they do... That said, if everyone in agrees, we're at 11. Maybe we just pick an additional person or two. And, as mentioned, we could always invite people on a monthly basis, maybe seeing how the first few months go and what attendance is like.

Possible themes to get excited about:
- Cuisine (Italian, French, etc.)
- Secret ingredient
- On a budget (i.e., less than $10 dishes)
- Cook-off (i.e., chili)
- Inspired by a movie, song or book
- Wine/beer pairings
- Small plates

Oh, the possibilities are endless!

Our first meeting is Friday, March 5 - they're 8, possibly 10 folks attending. Stay tuned for more!

Outstanding in the Field. Out, standing in the field.

How funny are commas? This is such a different sentence when you add the comma...both are relevant to this particular post! Anyway, Outstanding in the Field is a fabulous organization that my friend Amanda clued me into. It is a group based out of Santa Cruz, CA that focuses on bringing people closer to the origins of the food that they eat. The "local food movement" combined with a unique goal to honor all the local farmers, artisans, and culinary leaders within a community that create, nurture, and prepare the food that we eat.

C and I are going to check out one of the Chicago events in August - I would encourage everyone to sign up. It's a steep price tag, but promises to be a wonderful evening: tour of the farm, unlimited wine, family-style dining on local produce/meats/cheeses, celebrated chefs, and sitting outside in August!

For our meal, Mindy Segal from the restaurant Hot Chocolate will be the executive chef. We'll be visiting the Chicago City Farm - with a great view of the city!