Let's cook and eat together: Sunday May 18th

Buongiorno.
We're ready for our May spring dinner -- and we've been invited again to cook at the San Francisco Baking Institute! Thanks to Brian for the kind invitation.

We'll be featuring pizzas created with Northern California spring ingredients and baked in the wood-fired oven -- up for the challenge?

Be creative: come up with a recipe that combines seasonal vegetables with Northern California cheeses and meats for your toppings (please use free-range meats). There's a great selection of Northern California mozzarellas and goat cheeses at Rainbow (I often use Calabro's). Prime topping options this time of year include summer squash, spring garlic, asparagus, snap peas, english peas, mushrooms, artichokes, leeks, and basil.

For your reference, here are my posts on thin-crust pizza and pizza Margherita. There was also a great article on SFgate.com about cooking in wood fired ovens last fall. Go take a look.

Anyone not signed up for pizza: gas ovens and 6-8 gas and electric burners will also be available for your creations. Fruit will be cherries.

A presto,
Marco Flavio

The plan
40-45 of us will cook and eat together on May 18th, starting at 2:30 (before you sign up, remember it's the same day as the Bay to Breakers run).

The dinner will be in South San Francisco at the San Francisco Baking Institute.

We're expanding registration to 45 people, and I'm keeping at least 8 spots for newcomers to ensure everyone gets a chance to join us (we usually fill the spots in less than a day).
Every person coming (including any guest you bring) will have to sign up for a slot and either cook something or provide local wine and beer (if beverages slots are available, see below).

Since participation is limited, please let us know at least four days before the dinner if you're not going to be able to make it, so we can invite someone else to join us. Emailing me on shorter notice (or not at all) is unfair to everyone, especially the people who wanted to participate and couldn't because all the slots were taken.

We'll divide the meal plan this way:

6 teams of 2 people will make 3-4 pizzas each (including some vegetarian options) 
5 participants will make main courses for 3-4 people each (including some vegetarian options) 2 SLOTS LEFT
7 participants will make appetizers for 8 people each ALL SLOTS FULL
8 participants will make salads for 8 people each  
8 participants will make dessert for 8-10 people each 1 SLOT LEFT
9 participants will bring at least 2 bottles of good *locally produced* wine and some *locally-brewed* beer. Consider that most cooks spend $25-50 (and up!) just on their ingredients. If you're not cooking, you should be prepared to spend at least this much on beverages, out of respect for your chefs. 1 SLOT LEFT
3 participants will bring non-alcoholic beverages for 20 (sparkling water and juices, locally produced when possible) 2 SLOTS LEFT

Please let me know who is coming by name. Once we reach 45 people confirmed, I will close the event and start another post for the waiting list. If the slots are full for what you'd like to bring, please choose something else instead. (Don't worry: There will always be another event to showcase your skills.)

So post a comment on the blog (do NOT email me directly) under the call-for-participation post letting me know the following:
First and last name
Email address
What you'll be bringing (appetizer, main course, etc.) 
If you brought wine last time, you should now cook something (unless you cooked as part of a couple and made a large entree).

If too many people pick the same course, I'll have to assign a different course to the last entrant.
If the votes are tied for ingredients, I'll flip a coin.

This is going to be great! So sign up before the spaces are gone.

A presto,
Marco Flavio

Comments

[Lyora]

I will bring a dessert and Ben will bring a salad.

[Elsa]

I will bring a nice bottle of wine to share on my first visit! And no guests. Just me.

I'm excited :-)

[Gabriella Lettini]

I would like to come and prepare appetizers.

[Gabriella Lettini]

I forgot to add that I will bring a guest (firstcomer) and he will bring wine and beer.

[Lisa Carey]

Two people and we'll bring dessert. Thanks!

[Rebecca Bahr]

I would like to join, I can bring wines.

[Laurie Agrillo]

I am so excited to finally join in on one of these. I will bring a dessert. My friend will bring an appetizer

[Tamsen Salvador]

Ciao Marco! Tracy and I would love to attend and make pizza. We've been wanting to do this for a long time, and we've been wanting to see you and Alison for an even longer time. This will be the perfect way to do both. A presto, Tamsen

[Kelly Vargas]

One for a salad please! Looking forward to it!

[Sigrid Reinsch]

I am a newcomer. I can bring an appetizer or salad.

[Siddharth Bajaj]

I am a newcomer and have heard about this from my friend Zubin. Arati and I (two of us) would love to participate and make some pizza

[roberta gambetti]

I have been waitng to be able to join you for one of these meals for months!

I will be happy to make pizzas. I will be coming by myself, so can pair up with someone there to make some.

[margo]

I'm in for making pizza!

[Seth Roberts]

I'll bring a salad. My guest will bring wine.

[Margherita Navarro]

We will bring a salad and an appetizer.
Thanks

[michele petro]

Salad & Wine

[Dario Barbone]

Ciao Marco, I'm in preferentially for pizza but I'm malleable, everything will do.
So looking forward to coming.
Are newcomers welcome?

[Dan Schuster]

Hello,

The pizzas were incredible last time. I'll sit back and enjoy them this time. Put me down for a main course. Put my wife down for an appetizer.

[scott evan schlossberg]

I'm also malleable... but I'm going to make an appetizer!

[Mini Kahlon]

Raj & mummy will focus on pizza. I will do whatever you need - just let me know what slot you need filled

[Lynn Spitzer]

I'll bring wine and beer.

[Andrea Rossi]

I would like to make pizza!

[Vincent Chang]

Two people coming. We'll bring a veggie appetizer and a dessert. Been a long time. 2nd timer. :)

[Amanda Buhman]

I will bring a salad.

[Kim + 1 guest]

We'll bring a dessert & non-alcoholic beverages.