The annual Taste of Chicago began June 25th and goes on until this Sunday, July 4th.
Our intrepid reporters Mark jacob and Stephen Benzkofer at the Chicago Tribune had a column June 20th about Chicago Food with lots of interesting stuff, much of which I didn't know.
1. STINKY PLANTS-- Centuries ago, Chicago already had a smelly reputation (and not one that spent $400,000 for clothes while governor). It seems that vast numbers of stinky wild onions, or leeks or garlic grew along the shores of Lake Michigan right where there came to be a small settlement called Chicago. Actually the Indians in the area had the same name for the plants and skunks which sounded something like the word Chicago. So that's how the name came to be. Think Stinky Cubs and Stinky Sox. No more Stinky Blackhawks, at least for now.
2. RUNAWAY SLAVES-- During the Civil War, one of the most popular restaurants in Chicago was run by two runaway slaves, Ambrose & Jackson on Clark Street. Such famous folk as Senator Stephen Douglas, Cyrus McCormick and Chicago's first mayor, William Ogden, ate there.
Eating My Way Through the 4th of July. --Cooter
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