Chicago Food/Menu Ideas?

Next week I'm hosting a dinner party for several friends flying in from various parts of the country. For some, it will be their first time in Chicago. The theme for my dinner party is "Celebrate Chicago!" to not only welcome them to town but to also showcase some of our city's great eats & food history. I could use any additional suggestions to add to the table.

Something to note: We've got other food plans for the rest of the week which include pizza, steak, chocolate, & Chinese dimsum so these need not be suggested.

Here's what I have so far:

-- Vienna beef hot dogs w/traditional fixins (green relish, mustard, tomato slices, lettuce, celery salt, sport peppers, poppyseed bun)
-- "Maxwell Street" polish w/mustard & caramelized onions - should I look for a particular brand? if so, where/what?
-- Italian beef (making at home) on Gonnella italian rolls
-- green salad
-- crudite platter
-- Garrett's popcorn
-- Jay's potato chips
-- Frango mint brownies
-- Eli's cheesecake
-- Goose Island beer

** and for a little food gift, I'm packaging up individual packs of Oreos, Twinkies and Wrigley Gum

Sounds like you're off to a good start. Here's a thread that will have some good ideas to add.

Best,
Michael

It sounds like fun, but making some of those dishes at home (Italian Beef, Hot Dogs and Polishes come to mind) might be doing them a disservice. You can't easily duplicate the taste of those items at home as compared to one of the top tier places serving that food.

-- "Maxwell Street" polish w/mustard & caramelized onions - should I look for a particular brand? if so, where/what?

If you want to emulate Jim's Original Polish, then you want Slotkowski (a brand of Leon's). If you want to emulate Maxwell Express, then you want a Polish from Vienna.

If you haven't been to either location, they are next to each other on the frontage road adjacent to the southbound ramp to the Eisenhower from Roosevelt Road. The onions are not precisely caramelized as in deep brown. The onions are long cooked, supple but have not really colored much. IF you check out some of the images of Polish sandwiches, you can evaluate the condition of the onions.

Regards,

stevez wrote:It sounds like fun, but making some of those dishes at home (Italian Beef, Hot Dogs and Polishes come to mind) might be doing them a disservice. You can't easily duplicate the taste of those items at home as compared to one of the top tier places serving that food.

Totally right... I'm just serving a fun themed dinner. Its more about offering some fun Chicago inspired foods, sharing a little about the history and a good casual time with friends. I plan on picking up some hot dogs from Vienna beef and looking for the polishes from Cathy's rec. If I run into timing constraints, I may pick up some prepared italian beef from Portillos.

Sounds good to me. Don't forget to put a few Tootsie Rolls in the goodie bags.

Ah yes!... the goodie bags! Here's what I have tentatively planned:

Oreos
Twinkies
Wrigley gum
Tootsie rolls
Affy Taffy apples
McDonald Coupon book

Don't forget about Lemonheads and RedHots made by the local Ferrara Pan company! I included those in a recent Chicago-themed gift package and they were very well received.

Thanks The GP! I've added those in

Your green salad could be Chicago-ized by making it a diner Greek Salad, though IMHO you need to add a whole pepperocini.

foodie1 wrote:

stevez wrote:It sounds like fun, but making some of those dishes at home (Italian Beef, Hot Dogs and Polishes come to mind) might be doing them a disservice. You can't easily duplicate the taste of those items at home as compared to one of the top tier places serving that food.

Totally right... I'm just serving a fun themed dinner. Its more about offering some fun Chicago inspired foods, sharing a little about the history and a good casual time with friends. I plan on picking up some hot dogs from Vienna beef and looking for the polishes from Cathy's rec. If I run into timing constraints, I may pick up some prepared italian beef from Portillos.

That sounds like a fun idea. As long as you're going to Vienna Beef, get the polishes there at the same time. Those are the ones the Wolfy's (my standard bearer) uses. They cok thiers on the griddle, which gives is a great snap.

You mentioned all the Hot Dog fixin's, but not the Beef: you need green peppers sauteed until soft, and hot giardinera, available at numerous delis around Chicago in jars. It may be possible to get Scala's or one of the other brands mail order if needed.

The GP wrote:Don't forget about Lemonheads and RedHots made by the local Ferrara Pan company! I included those in a recent Chicago-themed gift package and they were very well received.

What? No Boston Baked Beans? My favorite Ferra Pan candy for sure.

kuhdo wrote:

The GP wrote:Don't forget about Lemonheads and RedHots made by the local Ferrara Pan company! I included those in a recent Chicago-themed gift package and they were very well received.

What? No Boston Baked Beans? My favorite Ferra Pan candy for sure.

God, I grew up less than a mile from the Ferrara Pan factory, and the days when they were making BBB were horrible. The stench filled the air, even that far away, ruining anything you were trying to do outdoors.

I know others love them, but because of that, the mere thought of a BBB makes me gag.

gleam wrote:God, I grew up less than a mile from the Ferrara Pan factory, and the days when they were making BBB were horrible. The stench filled the air, even that far away, ruining anything you were trying to do outdoors.

I know others love them, but because of that, the mere thought of a BBB makes me gag.

I used to live across the expressway from FP in a third floor apartment. When the wind was blowing my way, the smell was sometimes overwhelming. As you said, you could tell what candy they made on what days. I kind of liked when they made lemon heads, cherry chans and alexander the grapes, and I could actually tolerate the baked beans, but the atomic fireballs are what killed me. If I forgot it was fireball day, and left my windows open, everything in the apartment would smell like cinnamon for a week.

http://www.ferrarapan.com/html/fb_tour.html

Whoppers are another good Chicago original, although the company was bought out by Hershey's. And don't forget the black sheep of Chicago food inventions, the Pizza Puff.

eatchicago wrote:Sounds like you're off to a good start. Here's a thread that will have some good ideas to add.

Best,
Michael

They're mentioned in the above wedding baskets thread, but be sure to include Maurice Lenell pinwheels in your goodie bags. I had one for the first time in about 15 years last week, and I glowed Chicago (or is it Norridge?) pride all day. I think the pinwheels can be an acquired taste, but all the more reason to include them!

Also, you might consider Terry's Toffee, which I'm pretty sure originated in Chicago. I've seen the products at Fox & Obel and also walked past the Grand Ave. store a bunch of times but have not tasted anything.

Terry's Toffee
1117 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622

foodie1 wrote:-- Frango mint brownies

Frango Mints are no longer remotely local. Manufacturing had been moved to Pennsylvania even before Marshall Field's disappeared into the morass of Macy's.

I recently was given some of the product Macy's is selling as Frangos, and to me, they don't even taste the same. Much chalkier and waxier and less intensely minty.

Consider using chocolate from Blommer's or one of the smaller local chocolatiers.

I know Jay's is a Chicago thing, but so is Vitner's and I've always preferred the latter.

Cafe Intelligentsia coffee.
I know that my family enjoys fresh filled cannolis that they can't get in their home towns.
I've bought Bari italian subs and sliced them up for appetizers.

How about Chicken Vesuvio?