Synopsis

A BookRiot Most Anticipated Travel Book of 2023 Italian beef and hot dogs get the headlines.

Cutting-edge cuisine and big-name chefs get the Michelin stars. But Chicago food shows its true depth in classic dishes conceived in the kitchens of immigrant innovators, neighborhood entrepreneurs, and mom-and-pop visionaries.

Monica Eng and David Hammond draw on decades of exploring the city’s food landscape to serve up thirty can’t-miss eats found in all corners of Chicago. From Mild Sauce to the Jibarito and from Taffy Grapes to Steak and Lemonade, Eng and Hammond present stories of the people and places behind each dish while illuminating how these local favorites reflect the multifaceted history of the city and the people who live there.

Each entry provides all the information you need to track down whatever sounds good and selected recipes even let you prepare your own Flaming Saganaki or Akutagawa.

Generously illustrated with full-color photos, Made in Chicago provides locals and visitors alike with loving profiles of a great food city’s defining dishes.

Review

Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites by Monica Eng

What a fun part of U.S. and rich history to read through and having a try at making all these recipes from popular, iconic restaurants in Chicago. I’d recommend this to anyone, for lovely recipes and historic value. I’ve already planned for adding to my cookbook collection and this will make a great gift as well.

I would like to thank University of Illinois Press for providing me with an advance readers copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program.

The Story
I’m still making my way through all the dishes, but so far, so good! The famous pizzas, burgers, add-ons, to dessert.

This book has it all, including the historical context, even such debated creation origin to ingredients and import to business pivot.

Multicultural cuisine, adaptation, integration influences of 1st wave and generational styles, preservation, and celebration of some of the most iconic neighborhood restaurant favorites in Chicago.

Etymology of some of the named dishes, which was super insightful.

Original restaurants including physical address location, along with related chains and franchise for in-dining experience or where to find the products online.

Process and presentation of the dishes to artistic creation.

The Writing
I really enjoyed the organization, which included historical timeline, beautiful photos of dishes, as well as historic photographs.

Measurements are in U.S. standard.

Lovely, and I look forward to seeing a copy on my kitchen cookbook shelf.

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