![]() In a 2015 article in USA Today, it was claimed that “the breaded steak sandwich from Ricobene’s in Chicago is the best sandwich in the world.” This outrageous claim is impossible to prove, of course, but it reflects the passion of many for this Chicago original. After eating a breaded steak sandwich from Ricobene’s, a friend of mine reflected, “There were moments when I was absolutely convinced that I was eating breaded carpet padding.” There are clearly those who love this sandwich and those who do not. The standard condiments, as with the Italian beef sandwich, are sweet peppers, giardiniera, or both we go with both, as this combination provides a good blast of sweet and heat that complement the savory meat. Armour Square’s Ricobene’s is one of Chicago’s best-known sources for the breaded steak sandwich, which is simply a chicken-fried steak with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella, served on a segment of Gonnella bread. I just thought it would be so cool to do this.” It is.īreaded Steak Sandwich. Tremaine Atkinson, co-founder and distiller at Chicago’s CH Distillery, bought the Malört name, and, he confessed, “I wasn’t even that interested in making money on it. It’s like the old Chicago Cubs before they took the World Series: Malört was rarely thought of as genuinely great, but Chicagoans had a soft spot in their hearts, and perhaps their heads, for the yellowish spirit. Malört has a reputation for being almost undrinkable. Such tortured expressions are what we Chicagoans call “Malört face.” A kind of amaro, akin to Jägermeister or Fernet Branca, Jeppson’s Malört liqueur originated in Chicago. Any local will recognize these screwed-up faces as the tell-tale symptoms of someone who has thrown back a first shot of Malört. At Chicago bars, you can spot people, usually out-of-towners, eyes squinting, mouths contorted into a mixture of terror and disgust, surrounded by barmates who are laughing uproariously. Taffy Grapes at Baba’s Famous Steak and Lemonade/Photo: David Hammond The big name in Chicago Taffy Grapes is Nadia’s Gourmet Grapes (currently closed), which supplied many local restaurants and stands and has experimented with other toppings, including toffee and key lime. Grapes, it turns out, were just the beginning. Like taffy apples, Taffy Grapes are dipped in a sweet coating that hardens a little as it cools. Affy Tapples, marketed as “Chicago’s Original Caramel Apple,” have long been a local and national favorite-we send them to our daughter in Oakland, California, every autumn. Why “taffy,” especially as no taffy is involved in the creation of these treats? Probably because they’re like taffy apples. There is no machine to do that work, and it’s important to keep each dipped grape separate from the others so that they don’t all merge into one sweet and difficult-to-eat blob. Taffy Grapes are handcrafted: each grape must be dipped and placed in the container by hand. These single-bite treats are sold in clear plastic clamshell containers with a few dozen or so Taffy Grapes in every order. They’re served at smaller, non-chain quick-service restaurants and seem to have been created specifically to serve as a dessert or side dish at one of Chicagoland’s many steak and lemonade stores, BBQ joints, fish stands and chicken shacks. Taffy Grapes are fresh, seedless green grapes dipped in frosting or candy and sprinkled with nuts. They’re surprisingly pandemic-proof: they don’t require elaborate supply chains to bring the ingredients together, and can be made using household ingredients and cooking gear. Here are two Chicago original foods-and one Chicago original drink-found nowhere but here and that, for better or worse, have become a Chicago thing. I’ve eaten Chicago hot dogs in Paris and seen Chicago hot dogs served at a stand on Hong Kong’s Kowloon Bay. These foods of our city, often beloved only by members of the immediate community, have spread their influence across the country and even the world. In the course of researching and writing a book on Chicago original foods, co-written with WBEZ’s Monica Eng and to be published by University of Illinois Press, I’ve come across foods I’d never heard about and that many people in other parts of the country will never hear about. These menu items may have been developed by Chicagoans to gain market advantage, or just for fun or to express the local culture in a new or unique way.įoods including the Chicago hot dog and Italian beef are signifiers of participation in the larger community of Chicago food lovers, among those who adore the taste of wieners and beef but who, with every bite, also affirm that they are a part of the city that brought forth these delectables.
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