'Mother in Law' = 'Tamale with Chili'
'Mother in Law' = 'Tamale with Chili'
-
-
-
-
-
-
Post #91 - February 26th, 2013, 8:37 pmstevez wrote:Did we ever determine if there is a special name for a tamale on a bun sans chili?
I think it's usually called a tamale on a bun. Seriously, I think that's the most common name. But there are so many other names that I'm not certain which is most popular. Tamale dog is one I like. I ought to compile a list of names from all the hot dog stands I can find so I can answer this sort of question more definitively. It would be a significant project though. The nomenclature of tamale±bun±chili is complicated, that's for sure.
It doesn't prove much but I notice the three tamales in buns pictured earlier in this thread—from Henry's Drive In, John's GAR and Home Depot—are all referred to as tamale on a bun on the menus*. Also, the Nicky's menu I posted yesterday in the Big Baby thread uses that term as well.Panther in the Den wrote:I seem to remember at the now shuttered Parky's on Roosevelt Rd they called it a 'Las Vegas Dog'. I do not know why.
That's a great name; never heard it before. If anyone comes across a photo of the menu please post the link. Is the LVD for those willing to gamble with their digestive systems?David Hammond wrote:Kind of a shame it's short-term, as a French Market location would be, I believe, the most northerly outpost of the MiL.
Winter-only Mother in Laws aren't unknown around here. Eat local. Eat seasonal.
Don't forget the Mother in Law at Big Jack's, mentioned above, only ten miles from the Wisconsin border and the northernmost use of that term I've found.
* Actually, the menu board at both John's and Nicky's reads tamale on bun but it looks like there may have been space limitations.
-
-
Post #92 - February 27th, 2013, 11:02 amRiver Oaks Gyros serves a food service tamale in a cup of chili with onions but they call it a U-Boat.
River Oaks Gyros
293 River Oaks Drive
Calumet City, IL 60406
-
-
Post #93 - April 28th, 2013, 4:52 pmThe Daily Meal, a website I’d never heard of before, recently listed what they consider to be America’s 35 Best Hot Dogs. Fat Johnnie’s Mighty Dog—basically a mother in law plus a skinless David Berg wiener—was named the #1 dog in the country. Crazy.
Despite what Yelp says, Fat Johnnie’s is open for business.
Fat Johnnie’s
7232 S Western Av
Chicago
773-737-6294
-
-
-
Post #94 - May 9th, 2013, 10:50 amComrade Gebert does Johnny O.
Though it doesn't do much to illuminate the origin of the MiL (which remains a puzzle wrapped in a conundrum served in a bun with chili on top), this is a beautiful portrait of a real Chicagawan.
See if you can spot this thread in the video! Try it! It's fun!!"Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
-
-
-
-
Post #95 - December 18th, 2013, 6:33 pmIn an email exchange with Joseph Patrick, co-owner and operator of Eat Jo Dawg (six locations in Dallas), Mr. Patrick mentioned to me his "Sister-In-Law," which is, as he described it, "dawg topped with roasted Hatch green chiles, spiced peaches, and our sweet & savory sauce.""Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
-
-
-
-
Post #96 - December 18th, 2013, 6:43 pmDavid Hammond wrote:In an email exchange with Joseph Patrick, co-owner and operator of Eat Jo Dawg (six locations in Dallas), Mr. Patrick mentioned to me his "Sister-In-Law," which is, as he described it, "dawg topped with roasted Hatch green chiles, spiced peaches, and our sweet & savory sauce."
Damn. I'd like to eat his Sister-In-Law.Steve Z.
“Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
― Ludwig van Beethoven
-
-
-
-
Post #97 - December 18th, 2013, 6:45 pmstevez wrote:David Hammond wrote:In an email exchange with Joseph Patrick, co-owner and operator of Eat Jo Dawg (six locations in Dallas), Mr. Patrick mentioned to me his "Sister-In-Law," which is, as he described it, "dawg topped with roasted Hatch green chiles, spiced peaches, and our sweet & savory sauce."
Damn. I'd like to eat his Sister-In-Law.
Banner quote for Steve "Hannibal" Zaransky."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
-
-
-
Post #98 - January 16th, 2014, 1:46 pmIt's been a busy news week for the Mother in Law. Mike Sula has been working the tamale beat hard, with stories on Slippery Slope and River Valley Farmer's Table.
A week ago the Scofflaw folks announced the name of their second bar: Slippery Slope. The stripped-down menu will feature little other than the Mother in Law. Reportedly Slippery Slope will open before winter's end. I hope so; it would be only proper to debut with a seasonally appropriate specialty.
At the beginning of January, River Valley opened in the old City Provisions location, to offer an interesting mushroom-focused menu. One real oddity is this unorthodox but tasty Mother in Law, featuring housemade deep-fried tamales covered with portabella chili.
Since Mike Sula's report, they've replaced the sturdy baguette with a toasted but soft and steamy brat bun that works quite well. I wonder if some sort of melted cheese (maybe an upscale nacho cheese sauce?) wouldn't also be an improvement. I love River Valley's 5-cheese garlic spread but it seems a little out of place here.
As Sula points out, "If just one more bar or restaurant puts an upscale mother-in-law on the menu it's a trend." I only hope the Mother in Law doesn't become Chicago's next poutine or chicken and waffles.
Edited to add 3 sentences after the River Valley photo.Last edited by Rene G on January 17th, 2014, 12:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
-
Post #99 - January 16th, 2014, 3:57 pmPeter,
They have offered a limited menu of items in their retail store in Burlington, WI. I have had their portabella chili and several soups as well as their mushroom enchiladas. It has all been pretty good.
However, the star of the show, in my opinion, is the freshness of their mushrooms. They have a crunchiness that you will find nowhere else.
-
-
Post #100 - January 20th, 2014, 11:01 amRene G wrote:I only hope the Mother in Law doesn't become Chicago's next poutine or chicken and waffles.
If that were to happen, we'd know who to blame.
Man : I can't understand how a poet like you can eat that stuff.
T. S. Eliot: Ah, but you're not a poet.
-
-
Post #101 - April 17th, 2015, 9:43 amThe Mother in Law is included in "A Field Guide to the American Sandwich" in the New York Times earlier this week.Sam Sifton wrote:Mother-in-Law
Found only in Chicago: a cornmeal tamale is nestled on a hot dog bun and covered in chili.
-
-
Post #102 - June 14th, 2018, 2:08 pmI'm pulling this thread out of the filing cabinet.
I am out the door here in a matter of minutes. I'm heading for S. Western Ave. to have a mother-in-law at Fat Johnnie's (to commemorate Anthony Bourdain), and from there, on to Horse Thief Hollow and Open Outcry Brwg. for more seals for my Drink Illinois Summer 2018 Passport.
All of this will be done via public transit, including the Pace route #349 S. Western bus (fueled by compressed natural gas). You're welcome to join me {why yes, I am coming apart} at any or all of these venues.
Valuable links you can use, without the sales pitch: http://208.84.112.25/~pudgym29/bookmark4.html
-
-
Post #103 - June 15th, 2018, 1:05 amI did not get to Fat Johnnie's Thursday.
I admit, leaving @ 3:10 pm was not keen for a shack which closes at 5:00 pm. But what did me in was; at Western Ave & Logan Blvd, a westbound auto decided to try taking a short cut and make a right turn in the curb lane while a semi-tractor trailer was making a similar right turn from the center lane (which it only could do due to its length). The auto did not make it. It got crunched by the truck. {Wherever the auto driver was headed in such a hurry - he did not get there.}
This impacted travel on Western Ave in both directions. I was on an #X49 Western Express bus. I was seated on the left of the bus. I espied the traffic northbound backed up to North Ave.
I shall try again on Friday. I will leave earlier. The plus to this is that I will now include the Blue Island Beer Co. on the route of the Pace #349 transit bus.Valuable links you can use, without the sales pitch: http://208.84.112.25/~pudgym29/bookmark4.html
-
-
Post #104 - June 18th, 2018, 11:35 amI had another pair of perfectly done Vienna Hot Dogs at Poochie's last week. My brother was considering asking them to make him a mother in law, but upon seeing the young girls running the joint at the time, he felt they might not understand what he was trying to do and how to charge him.
-
-
Post #105 - June 18th, 2018, 9:30 pmO.K. I left earlier on Friday. No visible traffic accidents along Western Ave.
But the regular #49 Western transit bus was more crowded. (The #X49 had not resumed running for the PM rush.)
At Fat Johnnie's, I had both a 'mother-in-law' and its less-frequently-glimpsed hot dog.
The 'mother-in-law' was interesting. But I likely will not develop a habit of ordering it from here or elsewhere. Then again, it would seem to be on the roster for vegetarians or vegans.
The hot dog was good. I could order that again.
Valuable links you can use, without the sales pitch: http://208.84.112.25/~pudgym29/bookmark4.html
-
-
Post #106 - August 20th, 2019, 7:57 amRecently had an unadorned Tom Tom Tamale. Note to self: going forward smother in chili.
Tom Tom Tamale
Tom Tom Tamale
Tom Tom Tamale
-
-
Post #107 - August 20th, 2019, 11:33 amG Wiv wrote:Recently had an unadorned Tom Tom Tamale. Note to self: going forward smother in chili.
IMO, Gary, "smother in chili" is to commercial tamales what "sauce on the side" is to BBQ.Objects in mirror appear to be losing.
-
-
-
Post #108 - August 20th, 2019, 4:12 pmCarolyn and I recently went out for an afternoon of Italian beef eating, and at one stop we got a tamale. It was a Supreme, which now comes in plastic for easier microwaving, and it was not good at all. What Tom Tom has going for it is the quaint paper, string closures, and funky cartoon of kids; I don't think there is much difference in the quality of the product, and both Supreme and Tom Tom are best eaten with a spoon when they're almost entirely submerged in a pool of chili."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
-
-
-
-
Post #109 - September 19th, 2019, 8:02 amRene G wrote:
The only other place I could positively remember serving Mother in Laws was Johnny O’s at 35th and Morgan so I headed off to Bridgeport.
Looking West on 35th Toward Morgan
Johnny O’s is another classic South Side hot dog stand, occupying the back end of a bar and liquor store. Like many South Side stands, they serve David Berg products. Ordering is odd because the inside floor is lower than street level so you look down at the guys behind the counter.
Johnny O’s Menu (Mother in Law at Center)
Johnny O’s has quite an extensive menu for a hot dog stand. I limited myself to a Mother in Law and asked the two guys working if they knew anything about the term. They didn’t.
Mother in Law (with onions and peppers) from Johnny O’s
This Mother in Law is served without a bun and is presented quite differently. They toss the tamale, together with chopped onion and sport peppers, into a cup and fill it with chili. Crackers come on the side to make up for the lack of a bun.
Mother in Law, Showing Tamale
The chili is pretty soupy and tomatoey but seemingly homemade and not bad at all. The tamale is like a corn dumpling that soaks up the juices nicely. Again, much better than I expected. This is probably the most I ever enjoyed a corn roll tamale (and absolutely the only day I ever ordered two).
As I was leaving I was confronted by the owner who had come out of the store to find out just what the hell was I doing taking pictures of his business. He turned out to be quite a nice guy and we talked a bit about hot dogs, South Side food, etc. After a while I remembered my mission and asked him if he knew where the term came from. “Sure,” he replied. “It’s because both kinds of Mothers in Law are known for giving you heartburn.” So there you have it. Good story, even if it isn’t true it should be.
Johnny O's Bar
3461 S Morgan St
(hot dog window is around corner on 35th St)
Chicago
773-927-1011
Closing suddenly on Saturday...
https://blockclubchicago.org/2019/09/18 ... of-an-era/"Very good... but not my favorite." ~ Johnny Depp as Roux the Gypsy in Chocolat
-
-
-
-
Post #110 - February 4th, 2020, 7:20 amRene G wrote:A couple years ago I made a halfhearted attempt to learn where the name originated. My pet theory was it was somehow related to Salsa de Suegra or Mother in Law Sauce. Perhaps in the first part of the twentieth century, certain Chicago hot dog stands mimicked more authentic Mexican eateries by saucing their tamales with a ladelful of chili con carne. One fact that doesn't necessarily fit with this theory is Salsa de Suegra is always a green sauce.
Busy guajolota stand in Mexico City
Few years ago, in Mexico City, standing outside the Witches' Market, I bought a guajolota, a tamale in a bun, drenched with salsa verde. The stand selling the guajolota was easily the busiest in the market, and it was delicious. According to reports I've read since then, the guajolota is frequently served dry, without sauce, which I can only imagine is quite the unmanageable mouthful. The green salsa (Salsa de Suegra?) helps a great deal. I told my driver about it, and he said it was something you always eat in the morning, and I'm guessing it gives one the requisite carb energy for a hard day's work.
In line with the theory that tamales made their way to the Delta from Mexico, and were handed off by Mexican field workers to African-American field workers, perhaps Fat Johnnie's is serving a kind of Mexican-American food.Guajolota, not pretty but damn delicious
"Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
-
-
-
Post #111 - February 4th, 2020, 7:48 pmThis is going into a train passing siding, but has anyone had the tamale @ Gene's & Jude's Hot Dog Stand?
How was it
Valuable links you can use, without the sales pitch: http://208.84.112.25/~pudgym29/bookmark4.html
-
-
-
Post #112 - February 4th, 2020, 9:14 pmpudgym29 wrote: This is going into a train passing siding, but has anyone had the tamale @ Gene's & Jude's Hot Dog Stand?
How was it
I would not recommend. It was Supreme, and no knock on that brand, but because few people buy the tamales, they sit around in the steamer, perhaps for more than a day or so, and the one I had there was very dried out and the exterior was kind of mottled, like constant heating/cooling had messed it up the texture.
If you must get one of the Chicago corn roll tamales, I'd recommend the "finger tamales" at Johnnie's, which seem like they're moister than the big ones and kind of fun to unwrap from their origami-like packaging."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
-
-
-
-
Post #113 - February 4th, 2020, 10:12 pmDavid Hammond wrote:pudgym29 wrote: This is going into a train passing siding, but has anyone had the tamale @ Gene's & Jude's Hot Dog Stand?
How was it
I would not recommend. It was Supreme, and no knock on that brand, but because few people buy the tamales, they sit around in the steamer, perhaps for more than a day or so, and the one I had there was very dried out and the exterior was kind of mottled, like constant heating/cooling had messed it up the texture.
If you must get one of the Chicago corn roll tamales, I'd recommend the "finger tamales" at Johnnie's, which seem like they're moister than the big ones and kind of fun to unwrap from their origami-like packaging.
YMMV
Fresh during my last visit.Gene and Jude’s
You can see the moistness in the bunch tamales...Johnnie’s
"Very good... but not my favorite." ~ Johnny Depp as Roux the Gypsy in Chocolat
-
-
-
Post #114 - February 4th, 2020, 10:19 pmHi,
I once had a Mother-in-law at Gene and Jude's.
I don't have a picture, though it is possible someone else does have one.
Regards,
Cathy2Cathy2
"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast
-
-
-
Post #115 - February 4th, 2020, 10:50 pmCathy2 wrote:Hi,
I once had a Mother-in-law at Gene and Jude's.
I don't have a picture, though it is possible someone else does have one.
Regards,
Cathy2
There was no chili involved, was there?"Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
-
