Friday, July 9, 2010

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Chicago Food-- Part 5

I sure love it when Mark Jacob and Stephan Benzkofer make one of these columns. They have to do a LOT of research to come up with this stuff.

I close out the look at Chicago food today.


9. CHICAGO-STYLE HOT DOGS-- There is always lots of discussion as to what is a proper Chicago-style hot dog, one of my favorite things in the world to eat. However, all agree that there can be NO KETCHUP, or do you say CATSUP? In November 1995, famous Chicago columnist Mike Royko denounced US Senator Carole Mosely Braun for including ketchup in her recipe printed in a hot dog cookbook. He was also upset that she omitted celery salt. It certainly isn't "proper" without a top dressing of that salt.


10. IT WAS A PEARL HARBOR THING, YOU KNOW-- Before World War II, Chicago-based potato chip maker Leonard Japp, Sr., had a great business going on selling his Mrs. Japp's Potato Chips. But, after December 7, 1941, that name was a public relations nightmare and sales dropped tremendously.

The solution was to change the name to Jay's Potato Chips. So, that's how that name came to be.

Every year, I'd spend several days in my classroom around December 7th talking about Pearl Harbor. I'd bring up how anti-Japanese Americans were, something that led to the internment camps and then would point out the name change. This struck home with the students especially because Jay's is a big snack food around the Chicago area.

Think I'll Go Out to Billy's or Hello Folks Today and Get Me One of Those Properly Dressed Chicagah Dawgs. --DaCoot

1 comment:

Capt. Schmoe said...

After 27 years of marriage, my wife has finally converted from the evil practice of putting ketchup on hot dogs. I didn't realize that this was a Chicago thing.

I didn't know about the celery salt either and will give it a try.

Thanks for the post.