Tuesday, August 26, 2008

The Democratic Foodie

There's going to be a lot of curiosity about Barack Obama's home town of Chicago. I know from my cousins living there this is a foodie town. It has everything thanks to Germans , Pole and Italians settling thee In the last two centuries.

The Germans took to Chicago back in the 1800's Beer gardens and good German restaurants sprang up all over, offering bratwurst and wiener schnitzel. The Poles came later, bringing with them kielbasa, a spicier version of bratwurst and different pastries. The Italians brought pizza to Chi-town but then reinvented it with the deep dish Chicago style pizza (this is really a version of the famous Italian pizza rustica.


The South Side also has been influenced by the South where down home cooking fond a new arena in this Illinois city. Later on South Americans brought their own flavor to Chicago. Empenadas now can be sold right next to true Bavarian pretzels on many Chicago streets.

Chicago may be Barack's heaven but it's also a foodie's heaven as well.

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