Are there good eats in the Field Museum? Or can I bring food in with me? (just checking, based on your start time and time to finish)
Ooooo! Shibb and family are geeking out with us!
Based on what I saw on their site on the floor plan layouts, there’s a McDonald’s (bad eats) and a Corner Bakery (good but slightly overpriced eats). There’s also a picnic area outside, so I presume you could bring eats in with you, though I don’t know for sure.
I even took off Friday the 9th, in order to have enough time to locate and properly butcher a camel. My landlord will hate me. But that’s OK; I’m gonna move out soon.
Anyone have any camel-butchering tips to share? Oh, and Gundy, let me know how many people are coming to your place, OK, so I have at least some vague idea how much plov to make.
Another bit of attrition here. However, I will make it to Chicago someday…someday soon…before the year 2008…
Willing to share roomspace. I’ll be getting a room at the hotel Friday throught Sunday.
bump
Hey, if there are any hard-core fans of The Matrix out there, a couple of theaters will be showing the first movie at midnight shows both Friday the 9th and Saturday the 10th, in anticipation of the opening of The Matrix Reloaded on the 15th (we have tickets for a 10pm show the 14th).
My husband and I will probably be going to the Friday night midnight show at the “600 N. Michigan” (that’s its name) theater.
I can’t make it, unfortunately. 
I really wish I could, but unfortunately another event has come up that I can’t get out of. I hope I can make a ChiDope soon, though.
At some point in here, we should probably recap the agenda. Something along the lines of:
Friday Events:
- Camel butchering competition (gawd how I hope that’s a euphamism for something!)
- Chili crack (ditto above parenthetical comment) and plov (WTF?) eating at Gundy’s
- Imbibing somewhere
Saturday Day Events:
- Group going to Field Museum meet at X at 11:00 am.
- Group going to Shedd Aquarium?
- Group going to Art Museum?
- Group going to ???
Saturday Night Events:
- Party at (I forget the name already) at X:XX pm.
- After party at Gundy’s house
I might take a crack at it when I’m on my own computer later, but if anyone else wants to then feel free.
etc
etc
A plov recipe, for the uninitiated (the one I’m considering using, BTW), from Gil Marks’ The World of Jewish Cooking). I’ll probably substitute barberries (a small, red, rather tart berry, usually found dried around here in Perisan groceries) for the raisins, though, because I’m told by those in the know that this is more authentic. Other random substitutions may also occur, depending on my mood and whether I can find things like quinces, which aren’t in season in May. Substitution is also highly authentic; plov is like chili, or paella, in the sense that there are many regional variations and everyone swears their own recipe is the only authentic one. The word “plov” also varies: pilaff, pulao, palov, etc. depending on what part of the Eurasian landmass you are on. Since we’re not on the Eurasian landmass, and since I’m a Slavophile, I’m calling it “plov.”
Osh Palov (Bukharan Lamb and Fruit Pilaff), pp. 132-133
This Uzbek adaptation of the Persian polo is the region’s favorite dish, served at all special occasions as well as simple family gatherings. The best palov makers, almost always men [hey, nobody said Central Asia was a bastion of feminism!], are revered throughout the region. In the Uzbek manner, the rice is steamed on top of a stew called a zirvak. Palov is customarily cooked ina well-seasoned oval cast-iron pot called a *kazan, * but any oval, heavy-bottomed pot can be substituted. [Y’all will have to settle for Anolon nonstick.] *Dezira, * a pinkish-tinged medium-grained variety, is the preferred rice. [Y’all will have to settle for basmati; not even I, the queen of random ethnic ingredients, know where to find dezira in Chicago.] To make this dish, Uzbeks always use the meat and fat from a fat-tailed sheep, the fresher the better. The flavor is varied by adjusting the amount of spices (primarily cumin), meat, and vegetables in teh zirvak (stew) or by mixing in assorted additions. Carrots and onions form the basis of all zirvaks. Adding apple, quince, and raisins is a popular Jewish variation.
[Now don’t you know more about plov than you ever wanted to?]
2 cups medium-grain or long-grain rice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 lbs. boneless lamb shoulder, in 1’ cubes
1 lb. carrots, cut julienne-style
3 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. ground turmeric
1 large tart apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 quince, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 c. cooked chickpeas
1/2 c. raisins
1 head garlic, separated but the cloves left whole
Salt to taste
- Soak the rice in water to cover for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed, preferably oval pot over medium heat. Add the lamb and brown on all sides, about 10 min. Remove the lamb.
- Add the carrots and onions and saute until softened, about 10 min. Stir in the cumin seeds, cinnamon, and turmeric.
- Return the lamb to the pot. Stir in the apple, quince, chickpeas, raisins, garlic, salt, and pepper and 1/2 c. water. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, shaking the pan occasionally, until the meat is nearly tender, about 40 minutes.
- Using the back of a spoon, press down on the meat mixture to flatten as much as possible. Sprinkle the rice over the top, then drizzle with the boiling water or broth. Press down on the rice without stirring it into the meat. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 min.
- Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke about 7 holes into the stew reaching to the bottom of the pan. Do not stir.
- Cover the pan with a towel or several paper towels, return the lid, and simmer over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the hat and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the rice to a serving platter, then spoon the meat mixture over the top. Serve accompanied with flat bread, Uzbek salads, and hot green tea.
Anyone volunteer to bring the accompaniments? I think I’ll have my hands full with the plov.
The art museum sounds interesting but if nobody is going to that then count me and punha in for the Field Museum.
I’m interested in going to the Field Museum on Saturday too. I’m bringing along a good friend of mine who is not a Doper, but maybe we could initiate her into our little secret society.
Put me down as a “maybe.” I’ll be in Chicago since I live here 
but have stuff going on from about 8am to 5pm that Saturday. So I reserve the right to find myself too damn tired to go anywhere but bed that night.
I could conceivably do a low-key Sunday afternoon thing, though, if such an animal exists.
Less than two weeks away, kids!
Kaio, so far I haven’t heard about anything going on Sunday. But that could certainly change.
Okay, here goes:
Friday Events:
- Camel butchering competition – see Eva Luna for butchering implements and camel procuring information
- Chili crack (a lovely chili-cheese dip that will have you selling your kitchen appliances for more) and plov (I do believe this has been explained sufficiently) eating at Gundy’s – if you are not Tiburon, Eva Luna, porcupine, UncleBeer, Garfield226, or Jane D’Oh e-mail me or post here if you intend to go so I can have chairs and stuff ready and so I can send you directions.
- Imbibing somewhere – I have no information on this, but I’m sure it’s happening somewhere.
- Midnight Matrix with Equipoise and her husband at 600 N. Michigan.
Saturday Day Events:
- Kyla et al going to Field Museum meet just east of the north entryway at 11:00 am.
- Pre-Grafton dinner at the Wild Goose with jarbaby.
Saturday Night Events:
- Party at The Grafton, at 8:00 pm.
- Naked Jell-O wrestling, 8:05 p.m. – so be on time!
- After-party at Shibb’s house – he’s provided airfare for everyone free of charge!
And that’s all I’ve got. No info about Sunday events from me.
Last but not least – **If you want to get on/receive the cell phone list, e-mail me. E-mail’s in my profile. **
Yep, a somewhat final RSVP list for Friday would be very helpful at some point for determining how many camels have to meet their maker for your eating pleasure. Otherwise, I tend to do the whole Jewish food thing, meaning prepare ten times as much as any normal Army division could possibly eat, and I wouldn’t want any camels to die in vain.
Sorry, folks, but it looks like I can’t make it. I’ve been looking forward to it for months, but I haven’t been getting enough work… and, well, same story as a bunch of other people on here.
I don’t think anyone will notice, since I’ve never met any of you, but it sucks.
Ben
My ticket is bought. My plans are cementing. I’m sooooooo excited. This will be my first trip to Chicago. Look for the lost looking very big girl and her not-so-big son.
Zoltarb (that’s my son) is jumping up and down very excitedly about The Midnight Matrix. Hopefully we can make it (Yeah Jane, I know I e-mailed you something that would give the impression that this would be an impossibility, but it looks like I’ll be able to swing an earlier flight). Zoltarb also wants to drool over jarbaby in person-- so if I can find it, I’ll be there too.
I’d like to see the museum. If I’m awake, I’m there!
I can’t wait!
Are we watching or can we participate? Cause I am *so *in.
And Shibb, I think I can make some money off ya there.
Aw, poo. I’ve yet to meet a Ben I didn’t like…so now I guess I’ll have to wait a little longer.
I neglected to mention Judith Prietht in the don’t-email-me-list for Friday. I’m a dope.