Howdy--bout time to start getting the food organized. Here's how the meals worked last year:Friday night: Grilled foods (with some Tuscan Feast Night pre-cooking
thrown in for fun)
Saturday AM (8:30-9 or so): Light breakfast.
Saturday 11 AM: Green Bean lunch stylings
Saturday 4 PM: Tuscan Feast, Captains Anna and Chris, with a host of
others bringing individual items.
Saturday night after-meal entertainment: AUCTION
after which we repair to the Hill for Star Gazing
Sunday 10-11 AM or so: Brunch, Captain Jenny Jen Jen
Sunday 6 PM or so: Burrito Night, Captain Paloma
Monday AM (8:30-9 or so): Light breakfast
Snacks (non-frozen): Paloma
Ice Cream Treats: Ea
* * * *
Is this how we want it to roll this year? I'm uncertain about Tuscan Feast--certain that I loved it and want it to happen again, but uncertain about whether or not Anna and Chris would be willing to spearhead the effort one more time. Last year Ea and I co-captained grill night. Does someone else want do to that this year? Let's get the meal captainship squared away, and then work on specifics, the list of common items, etc.
Thank you! See you in . . . LESS THAN A MONTH.
20 comments:
Thanks for getting this ball rolling...I am happy to captain Burrito night and do snacks unless anyone has any objections.
I may be able to help with Friday night dinner- I don't do the grill, but I could do other stuff, BUT first Rob and I need to determine our childcare situation to see how early we will be able to arrive.
I'm willing to do whatever! John is actually quite grill-capable & we'd be happy to do that Friday night if no one else is enthused about it/can't make it in time. We'd stick to ordinary stuff & have a vegetarian option, if anyone is worried.
Unless you're thinking of doing something entirely different Palo?
I'm flexible-- is anyone inspired to take on anything in particular?
hi all- cant wait to be with you in a month in VT.
i'd so love to take a little break from captaining this year and would love to be a little more on the sidelines. i'll make some stuff for tuscan feast, and bring my big white tablecloth again. does anyone else feel inspired to lead the charge?
again, it can be really simple... wine. pasta. meat. cheese. veggies. olive oil. bread. more wine. oh- and that fig jam ea fell in love with. must have that.
add your own twist!
mim and jen? mark and rob? ... any urges?? :)
love, anna
I think the discussion of Tuscan night boils down to what about it do we want to keep and what is flexible?
My sense of it is that the fun of the outdoor feast was a delight and unique (and I loved it) but we would need a dedicated crew to do the furniture moviing, etc.
Then the food: I loved the spread last year (Mamafigjam to you now), but really any combination of foods and yuminess could work, whether we had a theme or not.
THe decisions are: Are we committed to A Saturday NIght Feast held out of doors?
DO we want to simplify the Tuscan night menu from last year (JJJ had a good email where she examined what we could do with less, modifications, substitutions, etc)?
DO we want another theme (other than Canjun/Creole, sorry mim!)?
DO we want to sort of 'potluck it" and each committ to bringing or being in charge of one special dish for that night (or those not cooking are the deployment and cleanup team)?
Overall, I see that we are proposing that Sat night We are ALL on the dinner team, whether cooking/helping or moving furniture and setting up. No regular team can take this on. We have to each have a role for this to be doable--though the bonus is that with the deployment of the entirety of the PH force, it will seem easy!
I really like the idea of the whole group being involved, and agree that an outdoor feast (weather permitting) necessitates it. I also liked the pot-luck aspect of last year's Tuscan Feast, and think that that culinary focus lends itself to a lot of creative stuff that's also pretty easy to prepare. My vote is to keep Tuscan Feast, do it pot-luck style, and engage everyone with set-up and clean-up.
I guess I am not clear why everyone has to be "on Saturday"...if we want to keep it simple can't we just go back to having a captain and "crew" members?....I have to admit that if I am doing meal captain Sunday night I would prefer to be "off" Saturday night...I like the idea of knowing clearly when I am on and when I am off that's what makes it a vacation!!
I agree that it's nice to have the time off. I do think, though, that with just a bit of help from all, and significant input from a core team, that it makes it more doable & enjoyable for everyone. I remember the setup & dress up portion as being a particularly social and festive-feeling time-- everyone pitching in to make this meal special gave it sort of a holiday celebration feel. I will say that Anna had too much to do & it would be better to spread that responsibility to a couple of people.
I would think we would need varying degrees of help, though, that would allow some folks to put their feet up while still making it a do-able venture.
I'd propose something like this:
Core creation crew:
Folks willing to prepare & contribute some portion of the feast (i.e. Chris's kick-ass coldcuts & anna's white bean dip & similar yummy items; Jaylin taking on the beautiful lamb; Ea-- roasted chicken girl, weren't you? or was it Hayley? cocktails anyone?) One person would be needed to captain by coordinating this part, making sure we had everything covered without duplicating or getting too complicated. Anyone have a vision & some delegating skills?
Several contributing people would purchase & prep the potluck food they committed to bring, like last year. Preferably items that require little PH kitchen time-- if they are mostly prepped before you come, there's more feet-up time.
Head Grip-- Palo did a great job last year of motivating & organizing the furniture-moving crew & getting tablecloths put out, etc. Big strong PH men did great getting it moved. I have a large folding table that will fit in the back of John's truck & will bring it-- might allow us to dispense with having to move the antique, especially if someone else brings a folding table. So, we need a few people to take charge of setup & dismantling of the feast area, being mindful of number of people, place settings, etc.
Young men could be enlisted to help with the moving of chairs and platters (to and from the house)
Everyone could grab a plate & bring it to the kitchen afterwards without busting a nail. A trash bag could be brought to the table to clear up rubbish.
Clean up crew-- stand ready manned with the cheapo tupperware & baggies & foil we all bring to package leftovers & label them & load the dishwasher/handwash the rest. Clean up is a significant chore, so it would be left to those who don't captain another meal.
So, the question becomes (from small but necessary tasks to larger time &/or creative energy commitment)-- what are ya'll motivated to do for it? Personally, I can commit to a veggie antipasto platter (unless someone else is burning to do a veg thing) & the cheeses & fig jam like last year-- I can also take on the white & red wine, if agreeable and will bring the folding table. I could help with setting it up by organizing assignments (someone else take on food planning-- I'm just talking tasks).
Chime in-- if we're willing to pitch in for it, it'll work, if not, what other meal theme ideas are out there that someone would be willing to take on?
Speaking of assignments, I'm planning on setting up the chore list & schedule like we did for Winter Hill-- we had meal prep and clean up as separate tasks so that people weren't stuck in the kitchen for hours at a time-- do we want to set it up that way again or go back to the old way?
JJJ--the amount of labor is a key factor for all of this...so maybe (if you are able) we can start that spreadsheet and see what/who we have.
For instance, if you and John are on grill night (friday) as your primary captain night, perhaps there are others who want to take their hand at Sunday brunch?
Figuring out where the commitment is shifted first might make enough room to have a reasonable team to pull this off.
If we don't have the numbers to make a larger production work (food prep, moving/setup, and clean up crew) then we are back to the first question: is doing a big production just not feasible and what do we plan as an alternative?
I do share the concern that while Tuscan night was wonderful and we all want to see it replicated, it is a meal on a slightly more ambitious scale (arguably).
So perhaps filling the blanks with the knowns (Fri grill, Sunday B-Night) and then we can put out to everyone that without a captain/s to coordinate it, we are back to grilling, etc. (not a bad thing, just not an event thing).
(Also, to respond to JJJ-I brought the chickens to roast (i think) but Hayley did end up doing it friday night...cos I was grilling? I dunno. Maybe that was the year before. It's a jumble to me. I could do this though and would be happy to contribute this way, if I continue to co-captain B-Night with PLo- I wouldn't take on coordinating this one too.)
I'd be happy to be a key player in Saturday night's feast, and I'd like to get the coldcuts, cheeses and other stuff for a kick-ass antipasto. A co-leader, if you will.
I agree with Anna's initial proposal that we keep things not-so-ambitious, and more communal, with a focus on wine, song, friends and merriment. Just breaking bread outside in costume and lingering afterwards is what I yearn for.
So, how 'bout me and a couple others get the main fixin's, and when we blow the whistle at 4 on Saturday, everyone who doesn't have a well-reasoned excuse not to comes running to help set things up. Ditto on breakdown.
Afterwards, we throw those lazy-ass mo fos in the pond.
OK-- I just wrote this really really long (timewise!) response that was REALLY BUBBLY-- & it got totally lost. Grrrrr..frickin' Panther, or whatever big cat is the latest Mac thang.
Gist--
Yay Mark!! Wicked-- tell me what you want me to bring besides the table, & I'll do it! Sounds awesome
Ea--Yeah! Let's figure out who is doing what! I honestly do not care one bit what I do for food this year-- I love dearly to co-captain with Hayley, but our bonding time will not suffer one bit if someone else takes over brunch. I say, if someone is inspired, Have at it!!
Change is lovely-- I really want to find out what people WANT to do this year, & then worry about filling in the gaps, which I am more than happy to help do!
It sounds like we have Ea & Palo in for burrito night? (Both Stash & I have proclaimed it one of our favorite meal experiences EVER, but no pressure...)
& we have Ross throwing down for Tuscan Bacchanalia co-captain! Whoo!
Who else wants to take on a meal???
I am on for Bnight, can't imagine PH time without it!
Also, Avery just turned 14. Please plug him into a meal team of your choice-he's a great chopper, cheese grater, table setter, dish washer (jeff can verify that! he gave him a great review and a rasie this year). At 14, Avery and I agreed it's time he joined in to support the effort.
Hi--Mim and Jen have offered to captain brunch, and JJJ and John confirmed with me that they're on for Friday night grill, so I will co-captain, with Mark, Tuscan Feast night. I've emailed Jeff and Lori to get them to confirm on Saturday lunch, and then the "fend for yourself style" breakfasts remain unaccounted for.
Who is left to take it on? Arguably, Brunch folks can buy the light breakfast & we can chore it up to put it out in the AM, since many of the items tend to be the same. Or, I can buy the stuff. I'll check in with Mim & Jen & see what is easiest for all.
Ciao people!
I hereby nominate Mark for Mayor of Tuscany-in-the-Green-Mountains, for I too dream of breaking communal bread in costume outside and lingering afterwards. Mark, will you be my personal guru?
I say we potluck-it, with this difference: no one who doesn't want or doesn't feel inspired to has to bring or do anything. My guess is that enough people are so jazzed about this that it won't ever be an issue!
I volunteer to begin a new thread on this blog in which we can begin to discuss who wants to bring and do what. Sound good?
thanks all- what a fine lovely thoughtful crew of porterhillians. cant wait to be with you all.
i'd like to bring that white bean artichoke dip/ and a fresh pesto tortellini dish to tuscan feast. and at least one decadent chocolate finger food for desert.
also- tablecloths for the long tables.
and of course, happy to be part of the support team.
Fabulous! Yes, let's start a new thread on specific contributions to the Tuscan Feast. And, I heartily recommend that you all check out the Flickr account for the many, many outstanding photos (most taken by Rob) of last year's feast. Inspiring. Anna, your contributions sound delightful.
Frickin' YUM-- Thanks Anna ('kay, I wake in the night craving the bean thing-- there, I said it)! Yay Chris!!
I really can't wait to see all of you & put our feet up together. I find the balm of it daily creeps into my thoughts.
Big Love--
JJJ
P.S.--Hey Ea! Do you have kegerator parts?? John & I are totally willing to take it all on this year & can store the beast in his workshop afterwards until the next PH! Let me know if you can lay hands on the pieces-- I need to order a log or two if so.
P.S to Ea-- I'm on the spreadsheet! I have a wedding to bejewel, with this weekend a big deadline-- after that, will focus & forward to you for approval / edits!
Kisses--JJJ
I ended up with the kegorator parts after Ea's move. I cannot vouch for certain that I have all the parts as I have no idea what all that stuff is- but I'll bring it all!
Yay Palo!!
Anna-- do you have a number or email for Jenn so we could get in touch about picking up the rest of the beast?
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