Let's cook and eat together: Sunday November 23rd

Buongiorno.
We're ready for our November fall dinner -- and we've been invited again to cook at the San Francisco Baking Institute! Special thanks to Brian and the SFBI for the kind invitation and opportunity.

We'll be featuring pizzas created with Northern California fall ingredients and baked in the wood-fired oven (see above) -- 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 winter squash, red onions, green beans, peppers, eggplants, mushrooms, bok choy, leeks, radishes and thyme.

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 persimmons and kiwis.

A presto,
Marco Flavio

The plan
40-45 of us will cook and eat together on November 23rd, starting at 2:30.

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. If you cancel closer to 4 days to the event, you can't join us for the following 2 events. If you didn't show at all, you can't join us for the next 3. Canceling on short 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) ALL SLOTS FILLED
5 participants will make main courses for 3-4 people each (including some vegetarian options)
7 participants will make appetizers for 8 people each ALL SLOTS FILLED
8 participants will make salads for 8 people each  ALL SLOTS FILLED
8 participants will make dessert for 8-10 people each ALL SLOTS FILLED
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.
3 participants will bring non-alcoholic beverages for 20 (sparkling water and juices, locally produced when possible)

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.

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

A presto,
Marco Flavio

Comments

[Rochelle McCune]

Would love to come & bring a guest. I'll bring an appetizer, my guest will bring a salad.

[Lisa Carey]

2 people bringing dessert, please!

[Ajay]

First-timer here!
I'll be there with a guest, and we'll make pizzas (including an attempt at a gluten-free pizza).

This is exciting!

[Cristina]

Me plus one, please. Dessert & sparkling wine. Thank you!

[Benny]

Lyora and I will be there and we'll make some salads. We're going to bring our parents, so they will make an appetizer and a dessert.

[Erika Kupfersberger]

Got ahead of myself - I'll bring appetizers!
Cheers,
Erika

[Marie DeOrio]

Appetizer

[Luke Watson]

locally produced wine / beer. firstimer, and looking forward to it!

[anastasia]

Anastasia and my roomate, Ariana would love to bring a salad for 8 people and some local beer and wine!

[Susan Weiner]

I will make a salad.

[Michael Terrigno]

Marco, Wood fired oven, sounds great! Would like to make some pizza. thxs, MT

[shannon smuts]

Hi -

I'd love to join you for the first time at the event on Nov. 23. I'd like to bring my friend Tamara too. We'll bring 1 salad and 1 dessert.

Also, what time does the meal usually begin?

Thanks.

[anna wilson]

Will be bringing a Main Course

[Cindi Rizzo]

I am new, read about these events in food & wine & would like to check out. I would like to bring 1 guest and we will be making

dessert - something with pear or pumpkin for fall
and
roasted beet salad

let me know if i need to do anything else. Looking forward to meeting a new group of epicureans!!

[Kelly Vargas]

One for pre-dinner champagne cocktails made with a homemade liquor that's been "cooking" all summer!

[irene fehr]

Great theme for a fall day! I am in and will make appetizers.

irene

[Michele Caramello]

Me and my girlfriend, Iulia, will like to be a pizza o pizza-like (:-) team.
Thanks,
Michele & Iulia

[Jumana Muwafi]

I would like to make a desert.

Thanks,
Jumana

[Andrea Jadwin]

My guest, Barb Florin and I would like to make a pizza!

Andrea

[Lorraine Garcia]

Lorraine Garcia & 3 guests
lorraine40s@yahoo.com
2 for pizza
2 for pizza

[Andrea Baldini]

I will be there with Michele and Julia (I think they signed in already)'

Andrea, che fai? Su, lo sai come funziona! We need some good local wines. That's the last open slot.
ciao,
MF

[Jody Litton]

Hi Marco,

I would like to do pizza! Main dish

[heba desouky]

Hi!

please put me down for appetizers this time.

Thanks,
Heba

[Amy and Dan]

Hi Marco-My dad's in town-pls. put us down for 3(Dan/Amy/Dad) -main dish, beverage, salad or appetizer, whichever you need. Hope you had a great trip! See you soon-Amy & Dan

Het guys: great to have all 3 of you!
Main dish, beverages, salad it is.
ciao
MF

[Scott W]

Hmmmm... entree.

[RTS]

Hi Marco!
I would like to come with my boyfriend, Mark. He will bring beverages; I will make dessert. I am so excited to meet you - Raj Patel is the one who told me about what you are doing - this sounds so fun!
Best,
Rachel Saunders
Mark Bernfield

[Susan Sheinkopf]

I will make a main dish. And so will my guest! Thanks!