Melissa

I'll be in Chicago in October and was wondering what kind of unique stuff (not cheesy souvenirs) to bring home for family & friends, preferably food. I heard that Frango Mints would be something, but what else? Coffees? Cheeses? Sweets?

Cheryl

Krispy Kremes and this great cheese popcorn you get downtown (I don't remember the name of the place).

pj

The popcorn would be Garretts and you would do a mix,...caramel and cheese popcorn.

What?

Cheryl -

Krispy Kreme Donuts??? They originated in the Southeast (North Carolina) in the 1930s and weren't even available in Chicago until a few years ago.

MO

I can't resist: wouldn't cheeses be cheesy?

Seriously, see if you can get one of the deep-dish pizza places (Giordano's, etc.) to freeze a pizza, preferably one half-baked. By the time you get home, it will have thawed, and you can bake it for the REAL Chicago pizza experience.

THe other "Real" Chicago food is the Chicago hotdog, which is a large Vienna Beef hotdog with chili, sauerkraut, onion, mustard, catsup, relish, and celery salt, all in the kind of roll that is flat on the bottom and slit across the top (not hinged like a Kleenex coffin). Not worth carrying all that, but the recipe (plus the Vienna Beef dogs?) might be.

For sweets, go up to Long Grove (north of the suburban ring) to their candy-making shop. Love their chocolates much more than Frangos (which are a bit waxy and bland to me).


Other souvenirs are obviously anything Cubs or Sox related, anything Bulls related, anything Bears related, but they'd probably fall into the category of the usual cheesy stuff.

Chicago

MO -

NO, NO, NO!! - Catsup/Ketchup has NO place on a Chicago hotdog - ever.

Chili is optional and by special request only.

Ang

If you are looking for Long Grove Candy Company goodies, you no longer have to make the 1.5 hour trek out to Long Grove. They opened a store downtown 2 years ago. It is at the corner of Lake and Dearborn and is connected to the Renaissance Hotel. As a non-chocloate eater, I persoanlly like the sweets at Fannie May better but that is not uniques to Chicago. As far as the Frango Mints, (the original frangos are chocolate/nint), in the basement of the flagship Marshall fields on State, they sell them in boxes that have the Chicago skyline printed on them and it makes a nice gift. You might also try some special Marshall Field's Chicago label wine from there as well. I don't know how you would bring back a Chicago Hot dog? and by the way they don't have ketchup or chili on them, it is a poppy seed bun, beef dog, relish, CUCUMBERS, peppers and something else (YUCK in my humble opinion) Also one of the pizza places, I think it is Gino's but I am not positive, could be Malnati's will ship you a Chicago pizza anywhere in the country frozen! I also love the Garrett's popcorn idea or something from "Nuts on Clark" original location on clark near Wrigly, downtown location, State/Lake, they sell all kinds of nuts, honeyroasted etc, very yummy!

don

Ang, I also am a big fan of Fanny May candies. Although they are not unique to the Chicago area, aren't they still a Chicago company? I drive a pretty good deal every year to get my Fannie May candy for Christmas. This year I will be in Chicago in early Nov. and can pick up some then. Doesn.t it also come in souvenir boxes?

Candy's Dandy

Fannie May was established in Chicago but it was a very small concern until it acquired Fannie Farmer candies, which was founded in Mass. long before and had already gotten a national reputation for boxed chocolates.

Re:Chicago hot dogs -- depends on who ya talk to. Guy at Wrigley answered my question "what goes on a Chicago hat dag?" by saying "everything, sweetheart."

deb

Giordanos also does the frozen half-baked pizza thing.

My advice: If you're flying, carry the pizza on to the plane. Don't put it in your checked luggage. The temp in the cargo hold is not regulated.

Fannie May is still a wonderful Chicago candy company. They beat Sees out here on the West coast hands down! I can't wait to go home for Christmas and get some!

abc

-Pizza! Lou Malnati's (get the butter crust)or Giordano probably ship.
-Eli's Cheesecake also ships.
-Stop by Vosges chocolates in the Nordstrom mall on Michigan Ave.
-Frontera Grill has salsas, marinades, etc. They also sell them at Williams Sonoma so they might be available outside Chicago.

Melissa

WOW! You are all so awesome....I am hungry already! I forgot to mention I am flying home to Hawaii, so it is a 10 hour flight (with a stop in LA, I think). My friend brought a frozen Eli's cheesecake for me once but then told me they closed. Is that true, or.....?

That pizza idea is pretty unique. mmmm. I do have a cooler bag, maybe I could bring that, too! Keep them coming! I am going to buy a hot dog as soon as I deplane in Chicago!!!!!

KenCT

I'd go with Giordano's pizza, completly unique, completely Chicago. If you don't want to carry a few home, you can have them shipped.

Ang

Just so you Giordano's is not real Chicago pizza! I do't have anything against them the pizza is okay in my opinion and loved by my husband but we both know its not real Chicago pizza. Giordano's is STUFFED pizza not true Chicago deep dish like Gino's East, Lou Malnati's and the like.

chicagoan

A Chicago Style Hot Dog has, mustard, onions, relish, hot peppers, tomatoes, and celery salt. No ketchup, sauerkraut, or chili!!

me

White Castle Hamburgers.

xxx

why would she bring home krispy kremes? they are all over the nation now and are only tolerable when hot right there in the store. i hate cheese popcorn. seems like most people do, since it's the only one left in the big assortment cans that we receive at the office. the frozen pizza idea sounds good.

Chris

Bring home left over pizza from the best pizza joint in the city. Papa Milano on State and Oak. Awesome pizza.

Tom

I just returned from a wonderful 5 day trip to Chicago and if you have interest in baseball, football or Saturday Night Live, do what I brought home........ great T-shirts from the Harry Caray, Mike Ditka and the Billy Goat restaurants!

Harry Carey

HOLY COW!