2012 KTC Business Meeting: Planning 2013 at J&J's

OK folks - First and foremost: Happy New Year!

Second: If this blog were my job, I would be getting a very poor performance review regarding the timeliness of my work. Boo, me! My apologies for the delay, and I hope that 2013 is a more punctual year!

Recently (Well, OK, NOT all that recently), we had the pleasure of meeting at Joyce and Jessica's house on a dark and stormy November night for our annual business meeting. The venue was a departure from that of years past, as was the format - our menu was quick-and-dirty potluck style, which sounded iffy in its initial description, but actually worked out beautifully!

Folks arrived around 4pm, with the exception of the Caballero-White household, whose consistent tardiness was justified because they attended a funeral earlier that afternoon. When they finally arrived, here's what they found:

That's right - everything was perfectly under control and humming along like a fine automobile! Damian's niece (Emily? Right?) was visiting, and had joined us for the evening. Which was fun, because she and Joyce got their Deutch on right there in the kitchen in front of everybody! Woo!

And speaking of Joyce, her parents were also visiting - they were downstairs for a good part of the meeting, but then joined us for dinner. Joyce's dad shared some great war stories!

As Fernando and Shawn organized their belongings to divest themselves of their funeral finery and slip into something a little more comfortable, they realized they had been more shaken by the funeral service than they had initially suspected - They had driven all the way to West Seattle from Issaquah in the driving rain with Sebastian plopped inside--but not strapped/fastened into--his car seat. Eeeek! Good thing we didn't have an accident!

Because we'd all brought a course for the potluck, there wasn't really much to prepare food-wise, so we sat around the living room and drank wine and snacked on appetizer goodies while we leisurely discussed our KTC plans for 2013. It was very relaxing!

Sebastian especially enjoyed himself:

Joyce faithfully recorded our conversation:

Meanwhile, Sebastian enjoyed being passed down the line.

Anne's attempted photobomb of Sebastian and Fernando's portrait inspired an evening of random baby-photobombing. Pretty hilarious stuff.

I'm  not sure what we were doing here, but I suspect it involved relaxing after our hours-long funeral-cremation service just prior. Ommmmmm..

Poor Damian was wiped out - here, his niece tickles his chinny-chin chin!

Then, these guys had a diabolical idea...

Photobombing with a baby!

I'm not sure who looks the most pleased with themselves. What do you think?

Meanwhile, we talked shop. Er, kitchen. That is, business! Here are the main points of discussion which Joyce so brilliantly captured:

November 11, 2012 KTC Business Meeting

Attending: Meg, Anne, Rick, Joyce, Jessica, Emily, Frank, Damian, Sebastian, Shawn, Fernando, Dale and Edda in the bedroom in the basement

Some observations and housekeeping items:

 ~All have moved or shifted

~Rosie’s muzzle is gray

~Do we want to continue to meet – motion by Meg, Seconded by Rick – passed

~William will continue to join us on occasion

~Do we want to grow?  If so, not more than by 1 or 2 (Jessica)

o   Nat and Tina – continue to be invited, but due to kids and time commitment not at this time

o   Henry and Elli – Rick and Anne will reach out to them to see, but we don’t think they may want to step up to this level of commitment.  Both will continue to be welcomed whenever they want to join us as a part of Rick and Anne’s family.

~If we have guests, we like having guest chefs, not just extra people.  We want them to bring particular skills and knowledge

Misc discussion points for 2013 KTC direction and events:

~Possibly focus on a regional cuisine for several months to deepen our skills/knowledge (Joyce)

~Focus on a technique and have a simple meal around it (Anne)

~Keep it simple this year has been really good (Damian)

~No French Laundry meal (Rick)

~Lopez and Walla Walla this year (Anne and Rick and Meg)

~Cook as a group for a large group as a social service activity or submit for an auction (Rick)

o   YouthCare to cook for Orion Center (Jessica)

o   Double connection as they also fund kids on the Adventuress (Meg)

Shawn and Fernando arrive from a funeral  - Sad Face.

~We like the idea of Indian and Japanese – we seem to have several connections across the group with folks who can help us with these cuisines and techniques

~Default is 3^rd Saturday – This works for folks. Problem weekends January with MLK and President’s day

o   Meg will contact Julie to determine if we can have the house for the 3^rd weekend in January.

o   Walla Walla in September – 3^rd weekend – Jessica’s birthday weekend, she requests chocolate and wine.

~How to set cooks for the year.  We will add Meg to the “SFS” household, so now Shawn, Fernando, Sebastian and Meg will be scheduled together.  Others will be scheduled as an intact household unit.

~Meg wants to join a wine club and she will get a better cost if she can join as a group.  Case a month is the normal amount.  Peju or Cuvaison are the ones Meg is interested in joining.  She will check into the cost of membership and email the group for determine.

~Total wine in Bellevue is another place that has many choices for wine.  Also now located in South Center.

~Do we want to make any changes to the blog process?  Shawn will continue to publish slowly and Joyce commits to learning the process and helping to reduce the burden.

~Another idea to incorporate is a sommelier to our group at some point this year.

~Shawn would like to explore doing a restaurant dinner out together – we could look at eating out in May after our focus on Indian for 3 months.  There was good energy around this idea.  The restaurant that came to mind for this was – Shanik, a new Seattle Indian restaurant in South Lake Union run by the same family as who runs Vij’s in Vancouver.

Tentative 2013 schedule:

·         January 18-21 weekend – Lopez.-Meg will get a quote for 3 nights and email the group to determine if we go with splitting the cost all ways or divide by 2 or 3 nights depending on who spends 2 or 3 nights. 

·         February 16 –Regional cuisine theme for our first few meetings in 2013 will be is Indian (Joyce and Jessica host)

·         March 16 – Indian (SFSM household)

·         April 20 – Indian (Frank and Damian)

·         May 18 – (Anne and Rick) – AND/OR – Dinner out at a restaurant?

·         June 15 – (Maybe J&J?)

·         July 20 (Maybe SFSM?)

·         August 17 (Maybe F&D?)

·         September 21 weekend – Walla Walla Trip

·         October 19 (Maybe A&R?)

·         November 16 – (Date to be confirmed/host TBD) Business Meeting – host provides main course, others provide potluck additions

·         December 21 – (Date to be confirmed/host TBD) Cookie bake with premixed items to bake  - host provides simple meal

And speaking of cookie bake…

This year:  Each family brings one or two premixed or premeasured – guests okay but RSVP, same rules for them. At Meg’s house.  Meg will make a big ole pot of soup and everyone should bring apps and salad.  10:07 am start time.  December 16^th, Sunday. 

·         Apps – Rick and Anne smoked something,

·         Salad – Fernando and Shawn

·         Bread – Jessica and Joyce

·         Beverages – Frank and Damian

·         Cookies – send out what you are planning on making so we have a good mix.  Rick, Meg really wants your pb dipped in chocolate cookie recipe

***And now, back to our regularly-scheduled blog update***

Frank and Damian put the final touches on a simply delightful salad they'd brought. Smothered with salami and cheese, it could have easily been a main dish on its own. It was so yummy!

And, look how pretty it is dressed!

Joyce and Jessica had prepared a delicious soup with kale and beans - it was a perfect light supper!

Shawn and Fernando picked up a Chocolate Ginger cake from Metropolitan Market that turned out to be surprisingly delicious.

It was so good, Shawn had two pieces!

After we finished dinner, Joyce's dad shared some incredible remembrances from his time as a pilot in the war. Sebastian takes a bit of exercise after his own supper.

We did a pretty good job on the cake!

And somehow, that's all the photos we took! Stay tuned for an entry about our recent cookie bake event - Looking forward to seeing you all next weekend! Happy January, all!