lperry Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 If anyone would like some rosemary for either seasoning or skewers for the grill, bring a bag to take some home. I've got to do a serious pruning of my rosemary shrub/small tree, and would much rather it get used than composted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Johnston Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 We are now +2 and will bring a large platter of grilled vegetables or the Vegetable Torte I have brought in the past, plus deviled eggs. The Haggis is out for this spring, but will return for the fall. In addition I will bring NAME TAGS, Paper towels, Sharpies, First aid Kit, Wipes, Cooler of water, beer, plastic zip lock bags, some wine and some serving utensils. Please bring beer, wine, sodas, water, etc. to share. Please remember to bring books, magazines and cooking stuff for the swap. If anyone would like some rosemary for either seasoning or skewers for the grill, bring a bag to take some home. I've got to do a serious pruning of my rosemary shrub/small tree, and would much rather it get used than composted. I would love this and any other herbs that anyone would like to share with me. I have garlic chive plants and Sage cuttings if others are intrested. Just let me know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John William G Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 We'll bring the same cheese squares we brought last time. And probably some beer and/or wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbq4me Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I'm tentatively in. Not sure what I'll bring yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenticket Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Moving this to the 'front' page of the thread. Weather on Sunday looks great, so come on out and join the fun! Fort Hunt Park, Space C-2, take the GW Parkway south of Alexandria and follow the signs for the park exit. If you don't feel like cooking, bring your favorite cheese, baked good, charcuterie, etc from your favorite local spot. Beverages (water and non-alcoholic, as well as wine and beer) and paper goods are always good contributions. Also, don't forget to bring some cash to kick in the pot to help cover the rental cost of the picnic space Scott Johnston, cucas87 +2 deviled eggs, grilled veggies or veggie torte Goodeats dumplings/wontons John William G +1 cheese squares, beer or wine TheMatt DanielK +1 DCDeb + 1 (tentative) Weezy middle Eastern chicken salad, GF key lime bars (maybe) Iolaire +3 side, dessert, non-alcoholic beverage Barbara, DameEdna chicken liver pate, cheesecake Nena Ktmoomau thistle +2 pork butt, pound cake Goldenticket +1 mac n cheese, dessert lperry +1 agm, NotQuickDraw ribs Crackers, Jacques Gastreaux +1(?) goose pastrami, MPSfH 1000yregg Fishinnards lamb biryani (?) ol_ironstomach Rhone1998 +1 Pat +1 orzo feta salad, brownies Ilaine +1 beer, ice chest, ice, food TBD Skipper10 ice chest, ice bbq4me sparkycom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkycom Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm in, now, what to bring? Suggestions welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agm Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 We're coming. Still planning to bring ribs, but no mac & cheese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezy Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I'm +1 and she said she'll probably grab some paper products to bring along. GF Key Lime bars have moved from possibility to probability Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flygirl Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 What is the name of the park again? Our biz trip was cancelled. Not sure if I can make it as I happen to have a vet appt smack in the middle of the day (and I live out near Leesburg, so this is a road trip with pit stops) but I will try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 What is the name of the park again? Our biz trip was cancelled. Not sure if I can make it as I happen to have a vet appt smack in the middle of the day (and I live out near Leesburg, so this is a road trip with pit stops) but I will try. Fort Hunt Park, picnic space C-2. I hope you can make it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMatt Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Well, TSA-willing, I'll be bringing some Enstrom toffee in milk and dark chocolate variety (and a small block of sugar-free). If anyone has a culinary hammer, we can use it to ensmallen some pieces so all can try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 We're bringing a spicy shrimp couscous salad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Deb Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 I'll be heading down after work--ETA 2:30. Will bring appetizer + drinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bethesda Foodie Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 I'll be there with Laetitia Brock (FrenchTwistDC)! Husbands might come too... Bringing watermelon/goat cheese skewers, caprese salad, and some adult beverages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 We're heading out for a bike ride this morning to work up an appetite. Mr. lperry and I will be there with a black rice salad, rosemary, and home grown garlic for those who can use it. I look forward to seeing everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Sorry, can't make it after all. I am not feeling well. It is a beautiful day and I hope everybody has a good time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkycom Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Bringing kalbi, should be there around 2-2:30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bethesda Foodie Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 We're heading out for a bike ride this morning to work up an appetite. Mr. lperry and I will be there with a black rice salad, rosemary, and home grown garlic for those who can use it. I look forward to seeing everyone! I need the recipe for the black rice salad!!! It was DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1000yregg Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Here are pics from the picnic. As always, it was a pleasure to see everyone and to enjoy such great food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soup Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Fantastic. The food looks amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodeats Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Wow! It was super great to see everyone and meet new members!! The weather could not have cooperated more. Minus some apparently uncooperative neighbors in C-3 apparently, it was a very jovial crowd. Many thanks to thistle to the rescue! I didn't plan very well and couldn't boil my dumplings and wontons until thistle brought her camping stove. I really must get one of these too. Came late with little man and was already kind of full from a friend's lunch party, so I didn't try as many things as I wanted to. Here are the samples I did try. Traditional-great memories-deviled eggs from Scott and Cucas87 Blenheim Ginger Ale from ol_i Biriyani from fishinnards Ribs from agm Wild Goose Pastrami from jacquesc Pulled pork by thistle (and great pound cake!) Panchan from sparkycom (the kalbi looked awesome!!) Smoked salmon canapes from DCDeb Ricotta cheesecake prepared lovingly by barbara Fresh rosemary to take home from lperry Pie courtesy of 1000yregg (sorry you missed the dumplings...) (Nice pics, 1000yregg! Looks like I missed a few more dishes - the fried chicken looks great!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMatt Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I, too, had some great food and great conversation at the picnic. I wish I could have arrived earlier and stayed longer, but Sunday was a bit of an intense day for me. I'm not sure I had a bad thing and hope to get some recipes of many dishes. The black rice, the biryani, the salads, the caprese and watermelon poppers...so good. And all the desserts: key lime bars, cheesecake, brownies, pound cake, and these cookies which were very good, but I'm not sure who brought them or their official title save "yummy cookies". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezy Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Amazing food and, of course, amazing people. Kudos to fishinnards and his biryani -- the most tender lamb I have ever eaten! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhone1998 Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I'm really sorry I was a no-show yesterday, my son woke up with a bad cold...I'm sure I missed a great time as always. Will have to look forward to the Fall picnic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Johnston Posted June 4, 2012 Author Share Posted June 4, 2012 What a great event! What great weather, people, food and drinks. Great catching up with everyone and really impressed with everyone's clean up skills! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidsdc Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 So sorry we couldn't make it...but I do want to see some of these recipes. I have a party coming up on the 16th, and I'm already getting ideas! (part h.s. graduation for a vegetarian, and part meeting up of some friends from our own h.s.days) I'm interested in the orzo and feta salad, and very interested in the black rice dish. We have some black rice that we've been trying to go through, but neither my husband or I are big fans. To me, it is too sweet and begs to be in a dish that maybe has some sweet overtones. And since that dish already has some fans, I am anxious to see the recipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monavano Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I'm sorry that Mr. MV and I couldn't make it too. We were driving back from OBX and I was just too sacked to rally. I'm looking forward to the recipes and the Fall picnic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Second-best part of the picnic: remembering to bring tupperware containers. Leftover biriyani for lunch today: priceless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Many thanks to everyone, including Mother Nature, for great food and company in beautiful weather. I'm afraid there is no "recipe" for the black rice salad, but this is what I did. Cook black rice and brown rice (I used Costco organic long grain) in a 1:1 ratio together in salted water. I used 1 cup of each and a teaspoon of salt in my rice cooker on the brown rice setting. While it's cooking, make the dressing with 1/3 each of olive oil, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar. I made 3/4 cup for the ~four cups of cooked rice. Add some hot sauce. I used some that I make, but regular Tabasco or anything like that is fine. Use maybe a quarter teaspoon per two cups of cooked rice to start, then add later if you need to. Mince two spring onions (I used green Vidalias from the farmer's market) and let them marinate in the dressing while the rice cooks. Supreme three oranges and add the juice to the dressing. Toast up some nuts (I used fresh walnuts that Mr. lperry brought back from California this week) and set them to the side along with the supremed orange. When the rice is finished, toss it into the dressing while hot, then let it cool off a bit before you stir in the nuts and oranges. Enjoy! Edited to add that if my parsley had been up to the task, I would have put in some of that as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John William G Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I'd love to have the recipe for the Ancho Chile Brownies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishinnards Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I had a great time. Lots of good food and fun people. Ribs, fried chicken, kalbi, dumplings, salads, beer, martian pig slop, etc., a perfect way to spend the afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I'm interested in the orzo and feta salad, I found this recipe online long ago and have made it numerous times over the years. I usually slice the olives before adding to the salad, if for no other reason than to make sure they really are pitted . I made a double batch for the picnic. The recipe multiplies well. I'd love to have the recipe for the Ancho Chile Brownies. I found the recipe problematic, so I'm glad they turned out after all. The original recipe from the cookbook can be found here. One prominent error is that it never mentions when to add the melted chocolate and butter. I ended up adding it at the end, after the flour was already added, but that was because I didn't notice the error in the recipe until that point. It worked, but it might be better to add the melted mixture after the eggs. The recipe has been reproduced in various places online and I only noticed one person who accounted for that error. She added the melted mixture after the flour. She also noted another problem I had: 20 to 25 minutes at 325F is nowhere near long enough to get these baked through. She said that it took her 40 minutes. In my case, I made it worse because I used a disposable pan. The batter was way too heavy to move a foil pan into and out of the oven without it being on a cookie sheet. That added an extra layer of metal and slowed the baking. It took me 1 1/4 hours to get the brownies sufficiently done. If I had baked them in a regular pan, it might have cut 1/2 hour off the time. When I tasted the final product, I thought they really needed some salt (which is why I brought some sea salt to add to the top). The recipe does not call for salt at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodeats Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Yikes, Pat!! (Sorry we only saw each other briefly -- I was concerned how I was going to boil the dumplings w/o a stovetop that I forgot my manners!) How can the original recipe omit salt in brownies? Seems contradictory. I always thought you added everything to the chocolate butter mix (after it has cooled a bit, of course)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Very sorry I missed the picnic, but I owed my garden partner a meeting and work day in the garden and it ended up coinciding. On the good news front at least the day was spent also in the effort of putting tasty food in my stomach at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Pat, goodeats: if the brownie recipe isn't working well, just try adding ancho chili powder to a recipe that you know and love. Also, I noticed a trend in certain magazines some years ago of printing dessert recipes that contained no salt. This is BS. Salt is necessary. If it's missing, try adding something on the order of 1/4 teaspoon for each 4 oz butter. That's a guideline, not a rule, though I suspect it's a rather conservative amount. ps sorry we missed the picnic. Total failure to communicate. Me: we should have gone to the picnic. Him: why didn't we? Me: because you didn't want to. Him: I would've gone! Me: what?! and so on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 The important thing is: Let's pick a date for the autumn picnic *now* and set a record attendance! This time, I'm going to encourage chefs to come with their families, not as guest stars, but as regular old members. If some restaurants want to sponsor, that's okay too. If we can get a dozen people, I'd like to have a Baltimore picnic this fall also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWBooneJr Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 We should also invite Barack Obama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Pat, goodeats: if the brownie recipe isn't working well, just try adding ancho chili powder to a recipe that you know and love. Also, I noticed a trend in certain magazines some years ago of printing dessert recipes that contained no salt. This is BS. Salt is necessary. If it's missing, try adding something on the order of 1/4 teaspoon for each 4 oz butter. That's a guideline, not a rule, though I suspect it's a rather conservative amount. Sorry you didn't make it to the picnic. Adding the chile powder to another recipe is probably the best bet. This had a lot of butter, so it would be a teaspoon of salt to match that. I've made other baked goods that didn't call for salt and they came out okay, but they weren't chocolate. I think chocolate especially needs the salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John William G Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 ..How can the original recipe omit salt in brownies? Seems contradictory... My wife and i both thought the brownies tasted fine without the salt. But I admitthat once I put a little salt on the first one, I added it to the second one, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thistle Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Another great picnic, I ate almost everything, & more than I should have of the dark chocolate toffee-now, I'm thinking about the fall picnic-no more pulled pork, I'm trying to think of a way to blend smoked food w/ Thai flavors (& bring a couple of tabletop grills for onsite cooking). Thank you all for coming to the picnic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thistle Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I fixed a small plate to take home for my son (who, to his infinite regret, had a lax team tryout at the same time)-dolmades (his favorite!), kalbi, some of all of the salads...I ate the 1 jalapeño cheese square before he got home, & of course, he spotted the tiny empty spot on the plate, & wanted to know what I cheated him out of... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 My wife and i both thought the brownies tasted fine without the salt. But I admitthat once I put a little salt on the first one, I added it to the second one, too. I think you are now doomed to bring those cheese squares to every subsequent picnic--or risk disappointing everybody on this site. Seriously, I was so looking forward to that from the last picnic, that I shamelessly grabbed two of them from the git-go. Look at it this way: you won't have to worry about what to bring. Easy-Peasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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