The History of Chicago-style Food
Most famous for its Chicago-style pizza, the mid-western metropolitan hub of Chicago has a rich food history. Known as the "Windy City," Chicago has long been a favorite spot for food lovers. Whether it's simple Chicago deep-dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs or one of the many ethnic cuisines of Chicago, there's a lot to taste, sample and love. Does this Spark an idea?
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Delicious History
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Chicago has a rich and delicious food history. Chicago claims many "first foods": deep-dish pizza, the hot dog, the Italian beef sandwich, Chicken Vesuvio and the brownie.
Chicago-style Pizza
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Chicago-style pizza is also known as deep-dish pizza. Chicago is the birthplace of the deep-dish pizza. The 2-inch-thick crust was first served in the Pizzeria Uno, on 29 E. Ohio St in 1943. The thick crust is piled with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and meat (usually sausage), according to the City of Chicago's official tourist website.
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Italian Beef Sandwich
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Italian beef sandwich features thinly sliced beef and gravy. The Italian beef sandwich is a part of Chicago food history. During the Depression in the 1930s, shops began offering a beef sandwich that they could sell cheaply. Beef was sliced paper-thin, topped with gravy and served on a roll. According to the website Italianbeef.com, the sandwich became a popular item at Italian weddings, where caterers and cooks would try to stretch out food for a lot of hungry guests.
Chicago-style Hot Dog
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Don't ask for ketchup in Chicago. The "hot dog" (a plain frankfurter) made its debut in Chicago at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Street vendors later added produce from their stalls, until the frankfurter featured seven toppings: mustard, dill pickle, sport peppers, relish, tomatoes, onions and celery salt. Served in a poppy seed bun, it offered an entire meal in lean economic times.
Chicago Food Tips
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When in Chicago, don't ask for ketchup for your hot dog; that's close to sacrilege. Windy City natives like their hot dogs without it. But you may want to ask for a knife and fork to eat your Chicago-style pizza.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit skyscrapers, chicago image by rese3282 from Fotolia.com a piece of deep dish pizza on a white plate, red background image by David Smith from Fotolia.com beef meat image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com hotdog image by blaine stiger from Fotolia.com
