Drive Thru

Hoosier Mama Pie Company Teams up with Ruth & Phils Ice Cream

2009-11-15T12:47:50Z

Patient Hoosier Mama pie fans spilled out onto Chicago Avenue on an unseasonably warm mid-November Saturday afternoon. With the line extending outside and past the picture window of the cozy West Town retail space, proud owner Paula Haney asked waiting customers what inspired them to stop in on this day of all days. No common thread emerged from the varied answers that could account for the day's exceptionally brisk business. Simply, word continues to spread that Haney and her quickly growing team are crafting outstanding pie. Now there is another reason to indulge in their creations: Ruth & Phils Gourmet Ice Cream. Starting this week, customers eating in the Hoosier Mama shop can get their slices of pie à la mode, while folks carrying out pie can bring home pints of Ruth & Phil's French-style ice cream. Alison Bower, owner of the Lincoln Square-based ice cream company, yesterday offered free samples of two flavors to the long line of pie fans: Madagascar vanilla bean and sour cream-cinnamon. Both flavors offered an exceptionally smooth mouthfeel and reserved sweetness which made them natural accompaniments to pie. Now it is almost impossible to imagine Hoosier Mama's double-crusted bourbon- and vanilla-infused pear pie without the headiness of Ruth & Phils vanilla ice cream, or the traditional apple pie minus the spicy tang of the sour cream-cinnamon. Unfortunately, anyone hoping to bring a Hoosier Mama pie to Thanksgiving dinner and without a reservation yet is out of luck. Haney and her staff are at capacity with existing orders totaling 400 pies. The Chicago Avenue shop will be open Tuesday through Thursday of Thanksgiving week (November 24-26) for advance order pick-up only. Folks willing to get up early the day before Thanksgiving, however, may be rewarded. Hoosier Mama will be selling 60 pies at Green City Market at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The pies will go fast. In the meantime, both pie and ice cream are readily available at the Hoosier Mama shop (1618 1/2 W. Chicago Ave.). Additional Ruth & Phils flavors will be available there after Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Cooking Classes for Everyone (Including Tofurky Fans)

2009-11-14T15:17:31Z

Wooden Spoon: The Thanksgiving Cliff Notes class will leave you with a veritable Plymouth feast. This $65 class will focus on stuffing, a vegetable, and cranberry sauce, but you'll also help put together the turkey with gravy and, of course, pumpkin pie. Tuesday, November 17 at 6:30pm 5047 N. Clark / 773.293.3190 Chopping Block: The Chopping Block has something for everyone this holiday. The following classes are all located at the Lincoln Square location (4747 N. Lincoln / 773.472.6700), but their Merchandise Mart spot offers classes, too. Prices range from $25 to $100: Sunday, November 15 from 10am-2:30pm: Thanksgiving Crash Course Tuesday, November 17 from 4-5pm: Kid's Cooking Class - The Great Pumpkin Tuesday, November 17 from 7-9:30pm: Vegetarians Eat Thanksgiving, Too! Wednesday, November 18 from 10am-2:30pm: Thanksgiving Workshop Saturday, November 21 from 10am-12:30pm: Harvest Pies Gallery 37 Center for the Arts: Gallery 37 is participating in the World Kitchen Series and is offering a $30 Traditional Thanksgiving class - one of the best deals in town. With turkey, gravy, dressing, and sides on the menu, the day couldn't get any more traditional. Saturday, November 21 from 11am-2pm 66 E. Randolph / 312.742.8497 Sur la Table: So I can't say that my family typically serves Dungeness Crab and Heirloom Bean Brandade, and Roast Turkey Breast Stuffed with Sausage, Fennel and Raisins on Thanksgiving. But, hello - YUM. If nothing else, you'll impress your guests with ingredients they've never heard of. Here are two upcoming classes - both $69 - that will help with your Turkey Day prep: Friday, November 19 at 6:30pm: Everything But the Turkey Saturday, November 20 at 6:30pm: All-American Thanksgiving (which includes the aforementioned deliciousness) 52-52 E. Walton / 312.337.8544 or email Cooking025@surlatable.com Have you tried any other holiday cooking classes in the area? Let us know!

Nourishing Neighborhoods

2009-11-13T17:50:53Z

We get jaded with age. The older we get, the harder we are to impress. "Ah ha!" light bulb moments grow fewer and farther between. Moments that when you see or hear something so smart or so innovative, you can't help but smile and think "what a great idea" or "how smart is that?" When that same idea is geared toward helping the underprivileged and underserved, it's all the more impressive.

Enter Michel Nischan, champion of the farmer, James Beard award-winning chef and New York Times best-selling author. On the forefront of the NY culinary scene for two decades, he was the force behind Heartbeat at the W Hotel, where he originated his "Cuisine of well being" after his child was diagnosed with diabetes. He later partnered with actor Paul Newman at the Dressing Room: A Homegrown Restaurant in Westport, CT, where he holds court today.

Nischan is an advocate of organic, sustainable cuisine and all its social implications. He's a nationally recognized authority and one of the leading champions of this movement. I'm honored to call him my friend and colleague and can attest that whenever we work together, he's responsible for numerous "ah ha!" moments.

It seems you can teach an old dog new tricks. If you hang with Michel, you're bound to learn something.

One of the many hats Nischan wears is as policy activist. As president and CEO of his not-for-profit Wholesome Wave Foundation, he has directed the foundation toward grassroots initiatives that bring fresh local foods to those most in need — low income communities. This diverse community outreach originated in the farmers market he organized in the parking lot of the Dressing Room, and has escalated to 10 states and 60 markets.

Chicago is the latest to benefit from his brilliant idea. The 61st Street Farmer's Market is the pilot program for Chicago and serves as an example that hopefully one day will spread to all farmers markets.

In the vast food desert of inner cities — places where supermarkets don't venture and the cheap, empty calories of fast food reign supreme — there is a need for wholesome organic products. It's more from lack of access than lack of need or want. Everyone would prefer to feed their family better if they could.

Nischan's idea was to coordinate funding via various grants, in turn matching or doubling the market value of WIC and Link users' benefits. $20 gets you $40 and so on. A win-win situation. The farmer's sell more product and the people in need get quality ingredients to help nourish their vulnerable families.

For those unfamiliar with WIC or Link, WIC is a federally funded health and nutrition program for women, infants and children. Link provides food stamp assistance through the Department of Human Services.

While you can't legislate nutrition, you can make it easier and more attractive for people to eat well. Warning signs, food pyramids and calorie counts aren't nearly as effective as money, honey.

Given the option for fresh food, plus a financial incentive, you'll find that most people choose to eat better food whenever possible. This idea helps bridge the gap to make higher quality sustainable food affordable to all.

Bringing it to the 'hood is what we're talking about.

Utilizing Wholesome Wave's model, Nischan partners with local chefs and nonprofits that have preexisting outreach infrastructure in place and takes his idea on the road. Wherever he lands, it's being met with phenomenal success.

A Wave Hits Chicago

Nischan has been coming to Chicago for the last few months to act as catalyst and counsel to help guide the implementation of this idea. Over the course of a few meetings, Experimental Station, the organization that runs the 61st Street market, has partnered with Art Smith's Common Threads, Growing Power and Family Farmed.

All four local nonprofits have perfectly aligned goals and mission statements and provide the local muscle to help cut through the politics to make this happen. They are already involved in the community and have relationships in place. Even Nischan was surprised with the speed they've been able to progress.

Also enlisted for support and outreach are some other friends of Nischan — a Chicago food world "A" list. Chefs Paul Kahan, Rick Bayless and Stephanie Izard are all on board as local advisors.

I've tagged along with Nischan and have seen the results.

The launch for the double value WIC/Link program at the 61st Street Farmers Market was Oct. 3. The figures tell the story better than I could:

On Oct. 3, the market had its biggest day overall and also its best for Link sales. In one day, they had about $500 in Link sales, 50 percent more than for the entire season last year. They then matched those purchases and handed out an equal amount of Link Dollars in the form of Double Value Coupons.
For 2009, they're on track to do 400 percent more in Link sales than they did in 2008 — and that's before you include the Double Value Coupons, of which they've already passed out $1,000.
Of the $1,000 in Double Value Coupons and Link Dollars given out, $585 has been used. The coupons expire Dec.19 (the last day of the 2009 season). The $585 was spent as follows:
• $325 on vegetables and fruit
• $136 spread between baked goods, eggs and misc. food items
• $68 on preserves, jams, salsas, etc.
• $56 on cheese

Through the strategic efforts and support of Family Farmed, the double value program is set to expand to farmers markets in North Lawndale, Englewood and Bronzeville next season, with Rogers Park and Logan Square considering it as well.

Getting the Word Out

One of the largest problems faced is getting the message out and increasing community awareness of its availability. When explained, near 100 percent choose to participate. Everyone understands two for one.

Education and availability are paramount. Lack of culinary options due to income or location has created a disenfranchised population. Generations of relief recipients are cut off from today's fresh food trends by not having the availability of fresh wholesome goods in their neighborhoods, the income to afford it nor the know-how to use them. Wholesome Wave partners with local action-based collaboratives that already have ongoing missions serving these communities, and provides them with seed money and expertise.

For instance, Experimental Station views itself as an incubator of innovative cultural, educational and environmental projects and small-scale enterprises, and has a long history of supporting "socially, artistically and environmentally significant projects."

Family Farmed's core values include "building public and private partnerships that support the growth of regional food systems that benefit farmers, consumers, and businesses" while they advocate for access to healthy and affordable food.

Common Threads has a project in place teaching kids about nutritious food, and how to cook it. The focus is on different cultures and countries. ("Today we're visiting Italy. This is what they eat and how they make it...") Many of the kids actually go home and cook what they learned for their parents.

Growing Power offers produce boxes, a type of community supported agriculture, donated by the farmers that they sell for $17 for 20lbs. of fresh local produce. That's a lot or product for the money. A half size version is available for $9 as well.

All of these programs work in alliance with each other. This in turn nourishes the economy by bringing new dollars to small-scale farmers and producers selling at local farmers' markets, and keeping federal and foundation dollars in the local community.

It also benefits the environment by reducing average "food miles" traveled and valuing local production and sustainable farming.

Changing bad eating habits is the task at hand. Telling someone they need more calcium for strong bones is all well and good, but providing education and options and helping people get the requisite dairy products into their refrigerator is a godsend.

This one small program will touch thousands of lives. I'd say Nischan's karma is golden.

About the Author

Alan Lake has been a professional chef for over 25 years and has won numerous awards, professional competitions and distinctions. He's mainly consulting now, setting up projects like kitchen design, menu development, hiring and training staff, research, etc. He's also been a professional musician most of his life and coined the term "Jazzfood" to describe his "solid technique based upon tasteful improvisational abilities" and views his food as he does his music.

Bayless and Burlesque

2009-11-12T22:52:55Z

Rick Bayless never rests. He just topped several other master chefs on Bravo's competition, then opened a new street-food restaurant. Next up: He's hitting the stage with local ensemble 500 Clown for The Madam Barker Holiday Variety Show at Prop Thtr. The burlesque show, which runs for the three Fridays from November 27th to December 11th, will feature Bayless in the last two shows. Along with the holiday-themed music, dancing, magic and comedy, Bayless will be on stage creating edible concoctions. Tickets are $10, available at the door only, so expect the same sorts of lines you find at other Bayless businesses around town--though the 11pm start time might cull the crowd a bit.

Blue Sky Pie

2009-11-12T20:03:51Z

Are you looking for a great bakery for your holiday pies? Do you want to sample the goods before you commit? Want to support a great organization for Chicago's homeless and at-risk youth. Well you are in lucky. Blue Sky Bakery & Cafe is hosting a pie tasting on November 21st and 22nd from 10AM-3PM. $5 gets you a sample of pumpkin, apple and chocolate pecan pie with plenty of hot coffee, cider or tea to wash it down with. Orders for whole pies may be placed with 48 hours notice by calling the bakery at (773) 478-2233 or by e-mailing orders@blueskyinn.org. Prices range from $14 (pumpkin) to $20 (apple or chocolate pecan). A pumpkin cheesecake pie with gingersnap crust is also available for $24. Click through to learn more about Blue Sky Inn. Blue Sky Inn is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization established to provide educational, cultural and recreational activities to at-risk youth in Chicago. The youth in its programs are between the ages of 14-24. They have been affected by substance abuse, poverty, violence, abuse, neglect, mental health conditions, unstable housing, and economic and social injustice. Its work is mainly carried out via our two programs: eXpressions, which provides arts programming in several homeless shelters around the city, and The Blue Sky Employment Program, a job-training program whereby youth learn baking, customer service and restaurant management skills via its catering service and its retail space Blue Sky Bakery & Café, 4749 N. Albany Ave.

Brunch @ Glenn's

2009-11-12T15:35:26Z

Glenn's Diner is known as the place to go for fish, and it's true that the seafood menu at this Ravenswood diner is full of great fresh dishes. But brunch at Glenn's is equally tempting, especially because they take reservations, even for Sunday morning, so you can scoot right past the line and tuck yourself into a cozy table without waiting. On a recent weekend, I ordered a special: the Mediterranean hash. My plate was full of red and yellow peppers, red onions and spinach sautéed up with scrambled eggs. The "house-made potato pancake" that comes with all the egg dishes is moist and flavorful. And there were indeed seafood-centric options on the specials board, such as eggs Benedict with crab, so those craving fish don't have to go without.

Beeramisu

2009-11-11T22:16:15Z

I've been in a cranberry rut lately with my desserts, so yesterday in preparation for a dinner with friends, I hit went online for inspiration and something without berry or crumble in the name. Right away I found it, at one of my favorite sites, 101 Cookbooks: Beeramisu, or tiramisu made with beer. (follow the link for the recipe.) Fall is always a good time for cooking with beer. Especially something like Beeramisu, which doesn't require a lot of prep time or ingredients. After two trips to the grocery store, one to double the amount of mascarpone I'd initially bought, I began to assemble my dessert. When I popped open the bottle of beer I realized there were going to be three kids eating with us, so I decided it would be best to boil the alcohol out of the beer. I made a mistake with the beer. I didn't want to buy a six pack of stout or porter, so I bought Grimbergen, thinking it would be sweet and spicy enough. But when it came time to pour the beer over the lady fingers, I added a shot of coffee, as the recipe says to. I thought I could skip the coffee, and perhaps with a darker beer I could have, but not with a Belgian blonde. Since tiramisu, or Beeramisu, doesn't need to bake, it's a quick dessert to make. I layered lady fingers with the beer-coffee mixture poured over them, alternating with a creamy blend of mascarpone and whipped cream. When I served it I worried that my lady fingers looked a little dry, but my 6-year-old dinner guest assured me that, no, those lady fingers looked soggy. They tasted soggy, too. In the end it was hard to actually distinguish the beer taste, but the dessert was a hit. My husband even ate a spoonful at breakfast this morning. Next time, I'll try a richer, darker beer and leave out the coffee, for a more beer-thentic experience.

Drink & Shop for a Cause

2009-11-11T19:55:43Z

Drinking and shopping goes together like peanut butter and chocolate, right? The Chicago Chapter of the Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC) certainly thinks so, and to that end, they've paired with twelve boutiques in the West Loop for an evening of shopping and cocktails tomorrow night from 5-9 PM. Each boutique will feature a different classic cocktail (for ages 21+), where you can sip and learn about the drink's history, and shop from unique clothing and accessory lines. LUPEC will also collect donations to benefit Greenhouse Shelter. The partnering boutiques include: 2 Sisters Boutique (1167 W. Madison), Spex & Spex Luminaire (1130 W. Madison), Smitten Boutique & Magnificent Milestones (1041 W. Madison), Fig Tree (1037 W. Madison), Tribeca Boutique (1035 W. Madison), Takohl Gallery, (110 N. Peoria), Bess & Loie (1015 W. Lake), Koros Art + Style (1039 W. Lake). Pick up a map from any participating store, and create your own tour of imbibing enjoyment.

Windy City Blogger Wednesday: Eating Bender

2009-11-11T17:45:18Z

This week I would like to introduce Jenn of Eating Bender. What brought you to Chicago? I was actually born in Lake Forest but moved away when I was very little, only to come back to Chicago to attend Northwestern University in Evanston (Go Wildcats)! I fell in love with the city after a summer internship my junior year and decided to move downtown and find work after graduation this past June. I love living where all the action is and experiencing city life! What do you do when you aren't blogging? I work in public relations at a big agency in the city, so a lot of my time is spent planning client events. I also work a lot with social media at my job, tweeting on behalf of brands and monitoring what people are saying about our clients on blogs, Twitter, and other digital mediums. When I'm not blogging OR working, I can be found running around the city, playing the occasional round of golf (though I wish it was more often) and vegging out in front of the TV with my favorite shows (too many to name). Favorite restaurant in Chicago? My absolute favorite restaurant in the Chicago area is Walker Bros. There isn't a downtown location but even if you have to cab it out to the suburbs, I highly recommend a visit! Try the Dutch Baby or baked omelettes - you won't be disappointed. Favorite restaurant in Chicago, if you aren't paying? I had the opportunity to visit Tru recently on behalf of the blog, and it was an unforgettable experience. Everything from the food to the presentation to the service was spot on and although my current budget would never allow me a return trip on my own dime, I have a goal to find my way back some day! Favorite recipe and/or post? My favorite recipe that I've created is my 'Pump' It Up Muffins because the teddy grahams I used for the "crust" make me smile every time I see them. As for my favorite post? That's a tough call, but one of the first posts I wrote that really solidified the idea that blogging for me can be informative and, at the same time, allow me to share a piece of myself and my life, was when I wrote a feature called My Portion: When Good Enough is Good Enough. I'll never forget how excited I was to see the responses to that post come in. How do take your coffee? This is the perfect question for me! Many of my blog friends know me for my Coffee Cocoa. I take mine with soy creamer, a sprinkle of hot chocolate and whipped cream. Don't knock it 'til you try it - it beats paying for fancy drinks at Starbucks and really takes the flavor to a whole new level! Cubs or Sox? Would you keep reading if I told you I'm a Twins baseball fan and a Packers football fan? I lived in Minnesota for 12 years but my dad is from Milwaukee and bleeds green and gold. It's been a tough year as I am a huge Brett Favre fan but not a Vikings fan. Maybe I need to step away from all the drama and become a Cubs/Bears fan? Sox/Bears fan? I'm open to a healthy debate! What is the one thing/place/restaurant that you recommend to your out of town guests? I love bringing new people to Walker Bros. for breakfast and making them official fans. For dinner, I am a fan of Wildfire or a big slice of deep dish at Lou Malnati's or Gino's East and last time my family was here, we returned to Carson's where I spent a lot of time in a booster seat as a baby. There's so much to love about food in Chicago. One (or two) things that you can't live without in your kitchen My Breville coffee maker (love the pumpkin spice K-Cups in the fall) and my coffee mugs. I have started quite the collection and love finding new ones! Catch up on all the previous Windy City Bloggers here. Do you have a favorite Chicagoland based food blogger? Email drivethru@gapersblock.com with [food blog interview] in the subject line with the name and URL of the blog and I will check it out!

Mmm...Midweek Links

2009-11-11T06:29:08Z

A nice alternative to heavy autumn pies: cranberry and vanilla bean sorbet, courtesy of Lottie + Doof.
Food Loves Writing knocks it out of the ballpark with peanut butter cookies in chocolate.
A Ploughman's Lunch is on the menu over at Food on the Dole.
Fantasy and Paranormal Writers love Eli's Cheesecake. Adore and you will be rewarded.
A winter vegetable soup is always In Good Taste.
Need a good scone recipe for your next tea party?
I'm calling up my crock pot from the farm team so that I can make some brisket.
Autumn cocktail ideas: not just a bunch of recipes for Glogg and Hot Toddy.
A Dash of Stash consults Rick Bayless on how to properly make rillettes.
A foodie's first visit to Lou Mitchell's. Ah, you never forget eating milk duds for breakfast.

Pause Cafe Closes

2009-11-11T05:00:22Z

Pause Café has apparently been sold. The venerable coffee shop on Berwyn closed over the weekend and will reopen as Kitchen Sink Café (1107 w. Berwyn) in early December. The new owners, Jeff and Ally, are former Pause Cafe baristas and plan on keeping many of the things that made Pause a great spot, they will continue to serve Metropolis Coffee and offer free wifi for customers. Jeff and Ally plan on stepping up the food menu with gourmet sandwiches and panini, some breakfast items, fresh salads, hot soups and fruit smoothies. The shop its self will be getting a makeover, most of the décor was being sold off during a weekend garage sale, yet some items remain such as the old phone booth, e-mail if interested.

Big Thai at Big Bowl

2009-11-11T03:26:38Z

Big Bowl (60 E Ohio) is hosting a Thai Luncheon at 12:30pm on Saturday November 14th. Writer and cook Nancy McDermott will be taking diners through a culinary tour of Thailand focusing on various regions and techniques. Presented by ChicaGourmets! and Big Bowl, you can make reservations here for this and other ChicaGourmets! events. The luncheon is $39 all inclusive.

Zombie Doug's

2009-11-10T06:13:00Z

Just a few last thoughts on eating Halloween this year, before the candy corn goes totally stale... Intrepid DT Editor Robyn Nisi clued me into dinner at Lula Café for what has become an annual tradition -- dressing up the entire establishment as another restaurant. This year, Lula briefly closed for zombification on Halloween, only to re-open to immediately lengthy lines as a spooky version of Hot Doug's -- real-life Doug Sohn included, chained to a desk at the front of the line to take orders. The illusion was so complete I had to ask our slightly decaying waitress if the entire Hot Doug's crew had been locked in the walk-in and forced to whip up a service of specialty dogs (or pay the price! or something...). But the entire menu was planned and executed in-house, with Doug's approval before he agreed to lend his name and t-shirts to the staff. After almost an hour waiting in the cold, fortified only by Nerds and hot cider from the hostesses, we couldn't limit ourselves to just one dog each, especially with prices in the $1.75 to $9 range. So we tried a variety, along with an all-too-small paper sleeve of the duck fat fries partially responsible for those lines at the real Doug's. The Evans City was my favorite, the priciest dog on the list, ringing up the extra dollars with a foie and sauternes sausage, black truffles, a generous shmear of duck liver and a gooey dollop of date honey on top. The flavors were perfect, smoky sweetness of the dog and honey playing against the rich, velvet saltiness of the duck liver -- I only wish the dog to bun ratio had been a little higher to fill out the entire, doughy hoagie roll it came on. I also ordered the Rob Zombie, a Thuringer sausage (sort of like a lean bratwurst, apparently differentiated by its inclusion of marjoram along with caraway and garlic) with a tangy beer mustard, choucroute-style chunky sauerkraut and scrapings of raclette cheese. A zombie German gave their life for that one somewhere. I tried to limit myself to just a bite or two of Robyn's selections, for fear of devouring her dinner along with my own. The Cherry Bomb featured duck sausage, sour cherries, blue cheese and sage -- a nice play on sweet and savory, though a less fierce cheese might have been less overwhelming. And the White Zombie rounded out the table with a hefty New Orleans inflected boudin blanc that was all chewy char on the outside and meltingly tender meat in the interior, garnished with Dijon mustard, shallots, and a bristly down of chopped cornichons and crispy leeks. Our zombie waitress strong-armed us into a pair of milkshakes for dessert, and we eventually lurched out, looking not unlike zombies ourselves, past a line still 20 people deep after almost three hours of service. A rundown of the very funny menu is on the TOC blog, in case you're dying to know what you missed (or if you went, what you might have missed eating). In the past, Lula's restaurant costumes have included Olive Garden and Houlihan's, and it's nice to see them turning to a local inspiration this year, to say nothing of the mad sausage-stuffing skills on display. One can only hope a little of the zombie residue remains, if only until next Halloween.

Turkish Feast

2009-11-09T20:44:48Z

Istanbul Restaurant (3613 N. Broadway) is hosting a Turkish Feast tomorrow night. The reception starts at 6:30pm with dinner served at 7pm. Owner-Chef Yasar Demir is presenting each course with a wine pairing. Starters of hummus, baba ghanoush, and ezme are paired with a 2008 Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Reisling, and an entree of chicken shish kebab or beef kebab are being served with 2006 Zwei.1 Zweigelt. This dinner is presented by ChicaGourmets!, and you can find a PDF of the event menu and more information here. The dinner is $39 all inclusive, and is limited to 40 diners.

The Dog Show: Superdawg

2009-11-09T14:25:04Z

I don't know why hot dogs are my favorite food. Putting Freudian analysis aside, these cylindrical encased meats have been invading my food dreams from a very young age. Growing up in and around Chicago has only fueled this insane love for hot dogs because here it's almost a cultural staple. If you're getting a hot dog in Chicago, it's comprised of a poppy seed bun, one all-beef hot dog (usually Vienna Beef), yellow mustard, chopped raw white onions, green relish (the more abnormal the color the better), tomato wedges, sports peppers, a dash of celery salt, and a pickle on top to seal the deal. When I've taken out-of-staters to my favorite hot dog joints and shown them this amazing meal, they've usually shirked away in pure fear. Hot dogs shouldn't be feared as that strange mystery meat at sporting events and family cook-outs. They're a culinary delicacy that can be dressed up or down for the occasion. In Chicago, it's usually the latter. I say embrace this culinary piece of heaven, and learn the best places to go in the process.

The Dog Show is something for hot dog aficionados and casual eaters alike to find and experience Chicago standards in the art of hot dogs as well as fresh new finds. Though the Chicago hot dog has a standard build there are plenty of restaurants in the area that add their own flair to it. The Dog Show isn't all about finding the best Chicago style hot dog, though that is an added bonus. We're ready to try any encased meat on a bun that's been concocted in the Chicagoland area. Since Chicago has more hot dog stands than McDonalds, Wendys and Burger Kings combined, there is more than enough fodder to explore and sift through. Twice a month I'll dive into the dish that started as a simple meal for poverty-stricken locals during the Depression and evolved into a cultural icon.

I remember driving past Superdawg on one of my many high school excursions to the city and thinking that it was the greatest place on Earth. Superdawg started as a drive-in in the late '40s owned by Maurie and Flaurie Berman. Topped by two large girl and boy hot dogs, Superdawg has outlasted all other Chicago car hops and carved out its own piece of Chicago's hot dog empire. The atmosphere of this place is perfect for a lunchtime romp. Seating is restricted to a room off of the kitchen or your own car, where car hops bring your food to you. The food at Superdawg is typical American drive-in food, including the Superburger, Superfish, Grilled Cheese (one of the few dishes without a "super" name) and, of course, the Superdawg.

The Superdawg is this restaurant's shining achievement. The Superdawg is a pure beef hot dog hidden underneath a pile of onions, radioactive green piccalilli, yellow mustard, a dill pickle and sport peppers. When you first open that red box, it's hard to discern what to do with it. Hidden beneath a pile of crinkle-cut fries is your hot dog. It's a complete meal in a box, but where to start?

The franchise uses their own special brand of hot dogs (called the Superdawg, duh) as the basis of this "meal on a bun." Though the Superdawg doesn't have the snap that a Vienna Red Hot would have, it's still a tasty treat. The Superdawg is a more tender hot dog, and because it's all beef it still offers that signature Chicago taste with its retro twist. Normally a red hot or a kosher frank would offer something a bit more to the overall flavor of a hot dog when combined with its toppings. On a Superdawg, that subtle beefy and almost buttery taste complements its toppings instead of masking them. A Chicago hot dog is an intimidating dish because of its massive heap of condiments and the Superdawg isn't any different. It omits the sweet taste of freshly cut tomatoes and salty bite of celery salt, but since the hot dog is a less intense sausage this actually helps the overall taste. It's a mouthful of relish and onions with the pickle acting as a sealant for the dog. The sport peppers add that blast of heat throughout. The flavor is pretty mild compared to the pickled pop other restaurants have to offer but the Superdawg is a nice introduction to what a Chicago dog should be -- full of toppings with a plump all-beef dog underneath. Usually I like the salty pickled taste of a standard Chicago dog, but Superdawg's version is just the right taste for an afternoon meal. It's a dish that won't knock the wind out of you but still satisfies your craving.

Gapers Block editor Andrew Huff met me for lunch and got Superdawg's other addition to the hot dog world, the Whoopskidawg. Here are his thoughts on the dish:

The Whoopskidawg is wholly different from your typical Chicago-style dog. The link itself is described on the Superdawg menu as "Romanian, Hungarian, Polish sausage" and is smokier and spicier than a hot dog, and it's served on a "Whoopskiroll" -- basically an onion roll for sausages -- with well-grilled onions, a dill pickle spear and "special sauce." It comes in a larger Superdawg box with the customary crinkle-cut fries and pickled green tomato. It is bigger than a standard hot dog, but I don't think it's so big as to require cutting in half, which Superdawg does for you in the box.

I wouldn't have expected barbecue sauce on a sausage, but that's basically what the special sauce is. And it works well with the flavors of the Whoopskidawg, roll and onions. The pickle spear is the odd man out here, and I set it aside to eat as a chaser -- an old-school waitress once told me pickles aid in digestion. Overall, it's a great sandwich: I'd eat this before I went with one of those bacon western burgers the fast food chains come out with every so often.

Superdawg's fries pair well with their hot dogs, but it's their onion chips that make a better side to their dish. Instead of traditional onion rings, Superdawg slices strips of onions and deep fries them. The result is a super salty side that adds a different taste to the mild Superdawg. Drink-wise, Superdawg offers the regular affair of soft drinks and shakes. The Supersoda is Superdawg's traditional take on the fountain drink and is a bit too intense to accompany a whole meal, but a good dessert to split if you're coming with a guest. However their pineapple shake, with nice chunks of real pineapple, and their blackkows, which is basically a root beer float, are recommended for the patron with a sweet tooth.

The Superdawg is not the most intense Chicago dog out there, but it's a great start for tourist and hot dog newbies alike and a good stand-by for hot dog enthusiasts. Where else can you get the experience Superdawg offers? Superdawg is quite a trek using the CTA (I would recommend taking the blue line to Jefferson Park and taking the 56A to Devon) but an easy 20 minute drive for those with a car. Look for those two hot dogs on the roof, and you'll know you're there.

Superdawg
6363 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Open Sunday-Thursday 11am-1am, Friday-Saturday 11am-2am