Street Food Chicago

This book focuses on two types of Chicago foods (page 7)--"everyday working man's 'street food'"; "ethnically oriented joints." The author sees such places as "the heart and soul of the city" (page 7). He concludes his brief introduction by saying that (page 8): "The chapters and recipes in this book are my interpretations of what Chicago eats and has loved through the generations." The volume considers many different types of cuisine--Greek to Polish to soul to Italian to Chinese to Caribbean to Middle Eastern to Thai to. . . . In short, a lot of different types of food! Want to know how to make the Irish classic, Corned Beef and Cabbage? Go to page 76 and take a look. I have made this dish before, but the recipe here is an upgrade over how I have prepared this simple and hearty dish. A particular favorite among the recipes--the Billy Goat Tavern's cheeseburger (made famous on "Saturday Night Live" decades ago, featuring John Belushi; indeed, as I recall, the Rolling Stones appeared in one such sketch when they were musical guests) (see page 161). Pretty simple recipe, but it's the real deal. On the next page is another great hamburger recipe, from Nicky's on the South Side. Cooking the burger in a sweet onion oil appears to be the key. On pages 170 and following, the author provides two accompaniments to barbecue ribs--one a rub and the other a barbecue sauce. Both would add a nice touch to ribs. Do you like Greek Town in Chicago? There are some nice recipes here, from classic Gyros to the great Greek feta salad. I wish there were a recipe for the flaming cheese that is so prominent at Greek restaurants. And so on. This is not a book of fancy recipes--but of everyday food. As such, it offers a nice view of what everyday food is like in Chicago. -- by Steven Peterson on Goodreads