Cincinnati Chili Chat

Cincinnati Chili: A Veggie Perspective

Intern — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:41:44 +0000

Growing up in Cincinnati, I’ve always known the taste of Cincinnati-style chili. My favorite thing to order was always the 3-way when I was growing up, noodles, loads of chili, and of course a big pile of cheddar cheese. My family frequented chili parlors across the city on a weekly basis.

When I made my decision to become a vegetarian, there was no flavor I missed more than that of Cincinnati-style chili. I had many failed attempts at trying to make the chili in my own kitchen without using meat. While some were okay, nothing was as good as the stuff I was used to having in chili parlors. I was always disappointed.

A friend recently recommended Gold Star Chili’s vegetarian chili to me. She said it was both vegetarian and vegan friendly and told me that she loved it. I knew there had to be something good about the chili because she’s never been a vegetable fan and always turns her nose up at what I’m eating. The next day, I decided to try it for myself and was happy I did.

When I went to the parlor, I knew I had to try out the chili by ordering a 3-way just the way I had always liked it, but now with a vegetarian twist. The first bite was a bit of nostalgia I have been looking for for years now. The taste of Cincinnati-style chili with no meat, but loads of vegetables instead was a delicious one. It was everything I had remembered it to be and I was delighted to finally have my chili cravings satisfied. I still got the familiar flavor of Cincinnati chili but it was guilt free for my vegetarian lifestyle.

It’s a great thing that restaurants are becoming more accommodating to those that do not eat meat, especially a restaurant that is famous for chili, which is usually known as a meat filled dish. In the past, I may have been disowned in my own city for not eating our hometown dish, but now I am proud to be a Cincinnatian once again.

Cincinnati Chili Puts Us on the Map

Intern — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:53:55 +0000

We all know that in Cincinnati chili is the hometown dish and that Cincinnati is Chilitown, USA. What you may not know is that the whole country has become aware of the Cincinnati style chili that we enjoy so much. While these places may not have the chili parlors that we know and love, they have gotten creative and started making their own versions of Cincinnati chili. If you’re wondering how they match up to our favorites, I have included some recipes so you can try some home-made Cincinnati style chili for yourself!

The Food Channel recently posted this Cincinnati style chili recipe that only takes 15 minutes prep time to make:

http://torbit.recipebridge.com/recipe/cincinnati-chili-cheese-coney-MTAxMzY5OTc6Ojo6MTY4

This recipe is another way to make Cincinnati chili from the Food Network:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cincinnati-chili-recipe2/index.html

Here is another recipe that I stumbled upon from website “What’s Cooking America?”

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beef/CincinnatiChili.htm

Betty Crocker has a Cincinnati style chili recipe on their website:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cincinnati-style-chili/3a8abf6d-3d59-403c-8908-48189f12d141?WT.mc_id=Paid_Search_TDCore_BC&WT.srch=1&esrc=21163

Cooks.com provides this recipe:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1926,158181-244205,00.html

That’s not all, if you type “Cincinnati style chili recipe” into your search bar, thousands of entries show up. Cincinnati style chili has put our city on the map. Other places might be surprised when they see that these recipes include things like cinnamon or even cocoa, but here we are used to seeing those ingredients. With the popularity of Cincinnati chili rising, we can all take pride in the fact that we are the original Chilimeisters.

Let us know if you have any Cincinnati style recipes worth sharing!

Amy Tobin tackles Super Bowl Parties with Cincinnati Chili

Intern — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:22:49 +0000

At Super Bowl parties in Cincinnati you are always sure to find one thing-Cincinnati chili. No matter what form it takes, coneys, 3-ways, chili-dip, or a homemade creation, it has become part of our Super Bowl culture.

I was lucky enough to get to be a part of Gold Star Chili’s Super Bowl cooking class with local chef Amy Tobin. Amy Tobin has her own TV show, talks on a local radio station, and is the culinary director of EQ at the Party Source in Bellevue, Kentucky. Needless to say, I was excited. Even though the Cincinnati Bengals were not part of the Super Bowl this year, I could still have a piece of Cincinnati with dishes inspired by the famous Cincinnati Chili.

The class started off with Amy serving up a “Nati Mary” which was a twist on the popular Bloody Mary drink. She then showed us how to make “Gold Star Chili Dip” and of course everyone in attendance got to taste some of it. This was the best chili dip I had ever tasted because Amy puts extra ingredients in and explains how she loves to garnish things. I had never thought about garnishing this dish before but I can see why Amy does. The next time I make it I will definitely be making it exactly like hers. To go along with this she made another appetizer that would definitely be a hit for any Super Bowl party, “Loaded Potato Bites.” These were small red potatoes with a circle cut out in the middle where of course, Cincinnati chili went, and was topped with sour cream and cheese. They were delicious. Amy asked all of us in attendance to either put a thumbs up or thumbs down and we all seemed to agree on thumbs up for this one. Below you can see a picture of what I got to taste which Amy’s assistants plated and brought out to us.

Now it was time for a more main course type of food. Amy showed us how to make enchiladas for the big day and taught us how to season our rice with Gold Star Chili seasoning packets. I found this extremely helpful because I always have trouble with cooking rice. The idea of cooking it in something besides just water was new to me and I was taking mental notes of all her tips. The rice went inside the enchiladas along with ground beef. Gold Star Chili cans were poured over the top and then sprinkled with cheddar cheese. It was amazing to see all of the things you could do with the Gold Star Chili products-plus it would make cooking for the Super Bowl so much easier because you can just pick up the cans or packets in your local grocery store. Here’s a pictures of the enchiladas. I’m glad I got a picture right off the bat because these things went fast!

To top it off, Amy made dessert. I couldn’t believe that there was a way that Gold Star Chili could be incorporated in a dessert, but as a life long Cincinnati resident I should have known better. She made churros with sugar and Cincinnati chili spices. Amy announced that these were her favorite and I couldn’t disagree. The Mexican donuts were so sweet but the chili spices contrasted for a spicy bite right at the end. This is what I decided to share at the Super Bowl party that I went to. Everyone at the party was talking about how tasty they were. It’s something unique that incorporates our very own tradition of Cincinnati style chili. Here’s a picture of the churros, try not to drool!

All of these recipes can be made for two to 200 people and can be made at any kind of party you may be hosting. Let me know which ones were the hits with your friends and family members!

Cincinnati Chili & Cincinnati Politics

Charlie — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:18:54 +0000

Only in Cincinnati would the tight congressional race be compared to the debateas to which is the best Cincinnati-style chili; Gold Star Chili or Skyline Chili. But this is Chilitown USA and both chili and politics are part of the fabric of the city. Here is some fair and balanced reporting on how Cincinnati-style chili frames the political discussion for the city’s westside congressonal canidates.

Heart of a District: Ohio’s First Congressional District

by Chad Pergram | September 03, 2010

It’s a question that’s asked as casually as “paper or plastic?”

“Cream or sugar?”

”Ketchup or mustard?”

But on the west side of Cincinnati, the crucial question is “Skyline or Gold Star?”

And ths is an either-or. Kind of like you either root for the Cowboys OR the Redskins. It’s Ginger OR Mary Ann. Mac OR PC.

Skyline or Gold Star.

As in chili. Cincinnati chili. The delightfully, sloppy mess of meat sauce – sans peppers – that’s slathered over a bowl of spaghetti. It’s topped with a dollop of finely-shredded, Wisconsin cheddar cheese.

A Germanic, Catholic ethos permeates nearly every quarter of life in conservative Cincinnati. But only in the Queen City would no one direct you to the confessional if you told a fellow parishioner you wanted a three-way after mass.

A “three-way” of course, referring to the triumvirate of spaghetti, chili and cheese. It’s a staple of the Cincinnati diet. Locals call it a “five-way” if you add beans and onions.

Chili is woven into Cincinnati’s fabric as much as Pete Rose, the Ohio River or the city’s meat packing industry. And nearly everyone in the Queen City picks whether they prefer the chili served at Skyline or Gold Star, two local restaurant chains that compete against one another.

Skyline’s chili is much runnier and not very meaty. The taste is sweet, with hints of cinnamon, cloves and even chocolate (which is said to be the secret ingredient).

Chili at Gold Star is heartier. Meat chunks are common and it has a consistency similar to gravy.

But Cincinnatians know they have to pick one: Skyline or Gold Star.

Just like they’ll have to choose on November 2nd.

Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-OH) is pitted against former Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) in one of the most-hotly contested races of the midterm election cycle. It’s a classic rematch that political handicappers viewed as a bellwether as Democrats padded their majority in the House two years ago. And it’s a touchstone again in 2010. Republicans are salivating over a possible Chabot victory shifting the seat back into the GOP column and propelling them to a majority in the House of Representatives.

And just like picking between Skyline or Gold Star, Driehaus versus Chabot is going to be close.

Ohio’s First Congressional District covers the majority of the city of Cincinnati. It includes some western suburbs as well as farm country near the Indiana state line. Most Democratic votes come from inside the city of Cincinnati. But the suburbs and rural areas are solid Republican territory. In fact, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) ceded part of his home county to Chabot after the 2002 census. It was an effort to make the district a little more Republican.

Democrats held the seat for years until Chabot won election to the House in the GOP’s 1994 landslide.

After that, Democrats tried in vain for years to unseat Chabot. They noted how Cincinnati would frequently elect a Democratic mayor. Political handicappers often pointed to the untapped potential of African American voters in the city of Cincinnati. In fact, Chabot struggled for years to carry Cincinnati, relying on conservatives outside the city to return him to Washington. When Democrats claimed the House in 2006, Chabot eked out a victory, securing just 52 of the vote. Barely more than a quarter of those who went to the polls in Cincinnati cast ballots for Chabot.

Chabot’s 2006 experience made him a leading target in 2008. And Driehaus was a major benefactor of President Obama topping the Democratic ticket. With Ohio as the quintessential 2008 swing state, turnout spiked. Particularly in urban areas. In 2008, voter participation ballooned by nearly two-thirds in predominantly black precincts of the district compared to 2006. That helped catapult Driehaus to victory.

The question now is can Driehaus rally those same voters.

It’s tough.

Chabot is a conservative Republican. He served as one of the GOP “managers” during the impeachment trial of President Clinton. Driehaus is a moderate Democrat who voted for the unpopular health care reform bill.

Chabot is one of the few Republican “establishment” candidates to secure a tea party endorsement. As a result, Driehaus has tried to portray Chabot as too conservative for the district. Meantime, one of the worst things going for Driehaus is that he has a “D” next to his name on the ballot in what appears to be an anti-Democratic year.

The race should be close. But several polls taken over the past six months place Chabot in command.

Both Driehaus and Chabot are well-funded. The latest data available for both contests shows Driehaus outraising Chabot by a little less than $200,000. Chabot has about $30,000 more cash on hand. But the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has much deeper pockets than its Republican counterpart and can infuse emergency money into a race if party elders believe that could help.

But, the DCCC may have to pick and choose winners and losers. With so many uphill races, Democrats could be forced to spread their money too thinly or cut off some candidates if the brass doesn’t think a particular candidate has a chance.

That said, Ohio alone has five competitive House seats, all held by Democrats. So, the Democratic braintrust could be forced to make some hard decisions in the Buckeye State alone.

Expect an intense air war. And it’s interesting to contrast the Chabot and Driehaus campaign commercials.

In his ad, Chabot goes out of his way to remind voters that he was a Congressman. Or at least make some voters think he never left. There’s a shot of Chabot writing at a desk with a nameplate reading “Steve Chabot, Member of Congress.” And the closing seconds of the ad shows Chabot walking toward the U.S. Capitol as the narrator calls him “Congressman Steve Chabot.”

Even Driehaus’s ad picks up on the “Congressman Chabot” theme. No fools they, the Driehaus campaign knows this is an anti-Washington year. So it’s more than happy to identify Chabot as “Congressman.” The Driehaus spot shows a graphic of a computer-generated Capitol next to the caption “Driehaus for Congress.” Driehaus stands in front of a front porch and introduces himself simply as “Steve Driehaus.” He then refers to his opponent as “Congressman Chabot.” The ad closes with a female narrator saying “Steve Driehaus for Congress.”

Throughout the commercial, Driehaus compares his voting record to Chabot’s. Still, by intimating he’s an outsider, there are subtle efforts by Driehaus to distance himself from the Democratic agenda of the past two years. An agenda that hasn’t exactly resonated in southwestern Ohio.

But there is one key difference between the Driehaus and Chabot ads.

Driehaus’s commercial is set exclusively in front of a house. Driehaus’s spot skips from his days at a local, Catholic high school to a shot of him talking with children. And then to the piece de resistance: Chabot appears in an unidentified Cincinnati chili parlor, surrounded by plates of cheese and chili, smothering a pile of spaghetti.

It’s unclear whether Chabot’s patronizing Skyline or Gold Star. And a smart Cincinnati candidate wouldn’t, lest he lose either Skyline or Gold Star loyalists.

Some months ago, a Democratic political strategist told me he hoped Chabot and Driehaus would get a bona fide, third party challenger. The theory was that the third party candidate would be conservative and run to the right of Chabot. That could split the Republican vote and propel Driehaus to victory.

But that’s not the case this year in Cincinnati. Voters will choose between Chabot and Driehaus without a major third party challenger. Just as they pick between Skyline and Gold Star.

And if there had been a robust, third-party candidate, the race would have inevitably been a “three-way.”

As in chili.

It couldn’t have been any more Cincinnati than that.

It’s a question that’s asked as casually as “paper or plastic?”

“Cream or sugar?”

”Ketchup or mustard?”

But on the west side of Cincinnati, the crucial question is “Skyline or Gold Star?”

And this is an either-or. Kind of like you either root for the Cowboys OR the Redskins. It’s Ginger OR Mary Ann. Mac OR PC.

Skyline or Gold Star.

A “three-way” of course, referring to the triumvirate of spaghetti, chili and cheese. It’s a staple of the Cincinnati diet. Locals call it a “five-way” if you add beans and onions.

Skyline’s chili is much runnier and not very meaty. The taste is sweet, with hints of cinnamon, cloves and even chocolate (which is said to be the secret ingredient).

Chili at Gold Star is heartier. Meat chunks are common and it has a consistency similar to gravy.

But Cincinnatians know they have to pick one: Skyline or Gold Star.

Just like they’ll have to choose on November 2nd.

And just like picking between Skyline or Gold Star, Driehaus versus Chabot is going to be close.

Democrats held the seat for years until Chabot won election to the House in the GOP’s 1994 landslide.

The question now is can Driehaus rally those same voters.

It’s tough.

The race should be close. But several polls taken over the past six months place Chabot in command.

That said, Ohio alone has five competitive House seats, all held by Democrats. So, the Democratic braintrust could be forced to make some hard decisions in the Buckeye State alone.

Expect an intense air war. And it’s interesting to contrast the Chabot and Driehaus campaign commercials.

But there is one key difference between the Driehaus and Chabot ads.

It’s unclear whether Chabot’s patronizing Skyline or Gold Star. And a smart Cincinnati candidate wouldn’t, lest he lose either Skyline or Gold Star loyalists.

But that’s not the case this year in Cincinnati. Voters will choose between Chabot and Driehaus without a major third party challenger. Just as they pick between Skyline and Gold Star.

And if there had been a robust, third-party candidate, the race would have inevitably been a “three-way.”

As in chili.

It couldn’t have been any more Cincinnati than that.

Unlike

The Art Of Cincinnati Chili, Part II

Charlie — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:06:24 +0000

Looks like Cincinnati-style chili has inspired another work to art immortalizing the local food. This time it’s by a big time artist with a huge national reputation and following, C.F Payne. While you may not recognize the name, you’re almost sure to recognize his work. Anybody who remembers seeing the portrait illustration of Barack Obama on the cover of Time magazine, has seen the work of CF Payne.

C.F. Payne

Best known for his portraits of the famous and powerful and for his cover illustrations for publications such as Time, Sports Illustrated, Readers Digest, The New York Times Book Review and The Atlantic Monthly, as well as his book illustrations for celebrity authors such as John Lithgow and Steve Martin, C.F. Payne is recognized by many as, “the Norman Rockwell of his generation.” But even more important than those credentials, Mr. Payne is a Cincinnati native and life-long lover of Cincinnati-style chili and therefore intimately familiar with the city’s irrational attachment to chili, spaghetti, hot dogs, cheddar cheese, onions and hot sauce.

Putting Cincinnati chili and Cincinnati artist together, Gold Star Chili commissioned Mr. Payne to create an illustration of the definitive Cincinnati chili parlor dining experience.

C. F. Payne's Tribute to Cincinnati Chili lovers.

After recruiting, posing and photographing real Gold Star Chili customers and employees as illustration models, Mr. Payne’s final product is a panoramic mural depicting a daily slice of life in a Gold Star Chili restaurant, the definitive Cincinnati-style chili experience. From kids having their first cheese coney to teenagers on a first date to family night dining to returning veterans craving a taste of home, this original painting captures the essence of the Cincinnati-style chili dining experience with emotion, humor and large servings of the food that made Cincinnati famous.

The illustration will be reproduced and installed as a wall mural in select Gold Star Chili restaurant locations throughout the Greater Cincinnati areas. Additionally, five to six close-up out-takes from the illustration will be framed and installed in Gold Star Chili restaurants to help provide an in-store ambiance that visually depicts Gold Star Chili’s brand position, The Flavor of Cincinnati. Gold Star Chili will also use the illustration and out-takes in future advertising and marketing initiatives as well as the cover art for the next generation of Gold Star menus.

Based on the success of this project, Gold Star Chili is planning future collaborations with C.F. Payne. Next up, to better leverage Gold Star’s NFL sponsorship status as the “Official Chili of the Cincinnati Bengals, over the next four years, Mr. Payne will create a series of paintings that offer a “tribute to Cincinnati Bengals fans.” The art will then be applied to upscale Bengals collectible merchandise that will be promoted and sold during football season with the purchase of specific food items targeted to the football fan.

Only in Cincinnati would an artist find a muse in chili on spaghetti or hot dogs piled high with cheese. But to a Cincinnati chili lover, that’s a true work of art.

A Cincinnati Chili Summer Tradition – The Coney Eating Contest

Charlie — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:33:05 +0000

It’s a sure sign of summer in Cincinnati, the return of the Cincinnati-style cheese coney eating contest. Gold Star, Skyline, Dixie Chili; all of the leading chili brands sponsor coney eating contest all around the city, all summer long. That’s of couse because Cincinnati is the most chili-crazed city in the United States with more chili parlors per capita and per square mile than any other city in the country. According to the Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau, consume more than 2 million pounds of chili each year, topped with 850,000 pounds of shredded cheese. No wonder so many people sign up for this contest!

Here are highlights from annual favorite of Cincinnati chili fans, sponsored by Camp Washington Chili on Fountain Square in the heart of downtown Cincinnati.

In the contest, twelve people compete against each other in a timed event. The object is to eat as many cheese coneys as possible in three minutes. Watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf6erlzv3Lw&feature=player_embedded

Congratulations to Joe LaRue from Northern Kentucky, who took home the 2010 title of Coney Eating Champ, devouring 12 whole cheese coneys! He beat last years champion by two whole coneys. Matt Gates was the runner-up second year in a row with a little more than 11 coneys down.

Grand prize was a $50 gift card to Camp Washington Chili, a t-shirt, and 2010 championship trophy. The eleven runners-up received a $10 Camp Washington Chili gift card and t-shirt.

Special thanks to 2010 presenting sponsor Camp Washington Chili!

Camp Washington Chili is a family-owned business serving authentic Cincinnati-style chili since 1940. The restaurant is located at 3005 Colerain Ave in Camp Washington, just off I-75 at the Hopple Street exit.

The Coney Eating Contest is the second of four “Freaky Friday” events this summer.

Check out some of the 2010 pictures here and watch the video.

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Taking Cincinnati Chili To The Streets

Charlie — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:21:59 +0000

Even with more than 220 local chili restaurants, Greater Cincinnati still can’t get enough of it’s hometown dish. If you go to a Cincinnati Bengals game at Paul Brown Stadium or a Cincinnati Redsgame at Great American Ballpark, one of the most popular concession items is…you guessed it; Cincinnati-style cheese coneys and three-ways. It’s the same a all of the major venues around town; Riverbend, Bank of Kentucky Center, US Bank Arena, the Cincinnati Zoo, the college sports stadiums and arenas, fans are saying, “Chili please.”

Throughout the country, one of the hottest dining trends if the growth of mobile food vending trucks. Starting on both coasts and moving inward, mobile taco trucks, pizza trucks, burger trucks and the like are prowling the streets of major cities to provide a hip, fun way for people to enjoy their favorite food. These days, wherever there’s a crowd, there’s likely to be a food vending truck driving up to it. And here in Cincinnati, a city that is famously known for being 10 years behind the times when it comes t emerging trends, we are actually at the forefront of the mobile food vending truck craze. And the first food to embrace this concept is naturally, Cincinnati chili, courtesy of The Chilimobile, operated by one of the city’s iconic chili restaurant chains, Gold Star Chili. But what would you expect from a city known as Chilitown USA.

Here’s how restaurant industry trade publication, QSR,reviews the Gold Star Chilimobile:

Christa Hoyland

09 Jun 2010

Regional chain Gold Star Chili has launched a new mobile food vending truck with an updated look and completely refurbished food preparation and serving equipment.

The Cincinnati-based brand’s Chilimobile has been an innovative marketing and foodservice tool since its first introduction in December 2008, as the food truck trend was just emerging. These latest improvements give the Chilimobile more versatility as both a marketing vehicle and a rolling restaurant.

“Mobile food vending trucks are becoming more and more popular in the Greater Cincinnati community and throughout the United States,” said Gold Star Chili marketing director Charlie Howard in a news release. “As the original food truck in Cincinnati, we are excited to reintroduce our The Chilimobile as a fun, high-profile way to differentiate our brand of Cincinnati-style chili in a city that has more than 220 chili parlors. Our goal, literally and figuratively, is to take our product to the streets of Chilitown USA.”

The new and improved Chilimobile is complete with the latest, top-notch food service equipment, including a steam table, grill, fryer, oven, stovetop and three refrigerators. Gold Star Chili will be deploying the new Chilimobile in a variety of ways, including:

Event marketing– Gold Star Chili will sample and sell its famous Cheese Coneys from The Chilimobile at high-profile community events throughout Greater Cincinnati. Upcoming events include supporting local blood drive with the “I Bleed For Chili Summer Tour.’” Blood donors will be rewarded with Gold Star Chili’s signature cheese coneys, served from the Chilimobile at 15 locations throughout the summer, as well as with the official, “I Bleed For Chili Summer Tour” t-shirts.
Philanthropic endeavors– The local chili chain will donate the Chilimobile as a silent auction bid item for local non-profit charitable, arts and cultural organizations as a way to raise additional funds. Winners will receive a “Cincinnati-Style Block Party” with the Chilimobile that will serve Cheese Coneys and 3-Ways for up to 100 people.
Mobile lunch route– Throughout the summer, Gold Star Chili will launch “Lunch Runs” targeting areas throughout Greater Cincinnati with plenty of people but limited lunch options. Gold Star Chili will post The Chilimobile’s whereabouts weekdays from 11:00 a.m. through 1:00 p.m. on Twitter (@chilitownusa) and on Facebook.
Catering– Gold Star Chili will offer catering services from the Chilimobile for businesses, organizations and individuals to host a memorable Cincinnati-themed event.

A number of quick-service brands, including national chains Taco Bell and Arby’s, have mobile event vehicles that provide free full-size menu items at cause marketing events nationwide, but few take the restaurant to the streets. Northwest regional brand Burgerville has had success with its food truck, the Nomad.

The Reality of Chili in Cincinnati

Charlie — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:58:44 +0000

For reasons unknown, Cincinnati is the reality show viewing capital of America. Over recent years, Cincinnati (roughly the #29 TV market in the country) has been the number one market for Survivor, The Amazing Race and most recently, Dancing with the Stars. And with the popularity of food and cooking themed reality shows, and The Food Network’s parent company, Scripps, headquartered here, it was inevitable that these shows would find their way to Cincinnati. And when they got here, what do you think they found?

You guessed it. Cincinnati-style chili.

Currently airing on The Food Network, is its number 1 show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, featuring host, Guy Fieri’s visit to one of Cincinnati’s independent chili parlors, Blue Ash Chili. Guy says “thumbs” up to this restaurant’s signature Cincinnati-style dish, the Blue Ash 6-way: Chili, spaghetti, cheese, beans and onions topped with deep fried jalapeno bottle caps. There is also a new chili item on the Blue Ash menu, “Guy’s Way,” a bowl of Cincinnati chili with onions and oyster crackers. Guy also like the thick-stacked double decker sandwiches, another uniquely Cincinnati menu item served at many of the city’s independent chili parlors.

What’s next on the reality horizon for Cincinnati-style chili? The Travel Channel’s popular new food show, Food Wars, remains very much interested n coming to town for a chili battle. The preferred match up…based on votes cast on The Travel Channel’s Food Warswebsite is between local brand icons Gold Star Chili and Skyline Chili. Gold Stat has told the show’s producers, “Yes! This is Chilitown USA. The show must go on.” To date, Skyline Chili has said, “No way.” Cincinnati Cincinnati and its chili have received more votes on the Food Wars website than for any other city or type of food, producers are considering a change to it’s typical one-on-one format and invite Gold Star Chili,it’s across the river competitor, Dixie Chili and favorite independent chili parlor, Camp Washington Chili to go at in a Cincinnati-style “3-way” format.

Stay tuned.

Cincinnati Chili A Taste Of Home For Returning Troops

Charlie — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:32:24 +0000

Another indication of just how much eating Cincinnati-style chili is a part of daily life here in Greater Cincinnati is the number of servicemen and women who make a chili parlor one of their first stops when returning home from overseas or one of their last stops before being deployed.

Undoubtedly, nearly all Greater Cincinnati chili parlors have hosted groups of family and friends observing this ritual together. One chain, Gold Star Chili, has made reaching out to and celebrating our military heroes a top priority with its SERVING OUR TROOPS initiative. In recent years, Gold Star Chili has hosted hundreds of free parties for returning or deploying soldiers, sailors and Marines, providing free meals featuring Cincinnati-style favorites for family and friends.

Here is Greater Cincinnati, cheese coneys and three ways are not just food for returning servicemen and women; they are a taste of home and a delicious reminder of everyday life with the people who mean this most. AS we approach this Memorial Day Weekend, let’s make sure that we all to our part to recognize the service of those who keep out country safe.

The Idea of Cincinnati as Chilitown USA is Catching On

Charlie — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:11:45 +0000

The article below from Nation’s Restaurant News shows that the restaurant industry is taking notice of the idea of branding Cincinnati based on the passion that its resident have for the city’s hometown dish, Cincinnati-style chili. Chilitown USA; it’s catching on!

Gold Star Chili campaigns for Chilitown USA
By Mark Brandau

CINCINNATI (May 26, 2010) Gold Star Chili’s hometown of Cincinnati may be known as “the Queen City,” but the 95-unit chain has spent most of the year lobbying for a new designation: Chilitown USA.

The multifaceted effort includes an online petition to the mayor and city council of Cincinnati hosted at the www.chilitownusa.com microsite, a “Cincinnati Chili Chat” blog and a “nondenominational” Facebook fan page imploring fans of Cincinnati-style chili everywhere to get involved on behalf of the city’s chili scene.

Gold Star acknowledges that the Chilitown USA campaign, which is meant to call attention to any restaurant that sells Cincinnati-style chili, potentially could lift all boats, said director of marketing Charlie Howard. Yet even if competitors like the Skyline Chili and Dixie Chili chains or independents like Camp Washington Chili benefit from the campaign, Gold Star tries to stand out by implying through the campaign’s messaging that it understands best what makes Cincinnatians love their signature item.

“Being an advocate for the Cincinnati chili category is something that nobody can disagree with,” Howard said. “The thought there was, maybe we’re gaining some market share or some trial, because there are people in town who grew up on one brand and never actually tasted the other. We hope they’ll say, ‘Those Gold Star people understand how I feel, so maybe I’ll give them a try.’ So it raises all boats, but maybe it’ll raise ours a little higher.”

Howard said social media was the clear way to go with the Chilitown USA program because the argument over which restaurant has the best Cincinnati-style chili rages on constantly, especially between Gold Star and its larger competitor Skyline.

“If you go on either brand’s website, you can see the chatter all the time,” Howard said. “But the whole nature of this dynamic is that, while we might not agree on preference, we all agree here in Cincinnati that chili is one of the things that defines us. With the community that’s online and on social media, there’s an opportunity to keep it going long term.

Gold Star also is using traditional media to bolster the Chilitown USA campaign, such as using the Chilitown USA term in its latest commercials along with billboards and other out-of-home materials, Howard said. The chain has staked out “gateway locations” to the city for billboards, such as the Interstate 75 bridge crossing the Ohio River from Northern Kentucky into downtown or the terminal at Cincinnati’s airport, where a 25-foot “Welcome to Chilitown” banner hangs. Gold Star also has Chilitown signage up at Paul Brown Stadium, where the Bengals football team plays.

And more attention could be coming to the city, as the Travel Channel is exploring an episode of “Food Wars” around Cincinnati’s chili restaurants, Howard said.

Gold Star already has agreed to participate, he added, and if Skyline opts not to take part, producers of the show have considered a three-way battle among Gold Star, Kentucky-based Dixie Chili and Camp Washington Chili, a one-off chili parlor that has been recognized as an “American Regional Classic” by the James Beard Foundation.

Even as competition for the devotion for Cincinnati-style chili fans remains as hot as ever, Howard said, all the players would continue to benefit from greater national exposure for the Queen City’s culinary crown jewel.

“Building a movement as a marketing strategy seems to have gotten legs for us,” Howard said. “Even though everybody has their own opinion, we’ve found something everyone can agree on. Before, it was us saying Cincinnati is Chilitown USA, trying to bring it into the local vernacular.

“But as we come across people out of our marketplace, the people are saying it, not just us,” he continued. “That’s the point of all this word-of-mouth, social-media phenomena. It’s not Chilitown until the people say it is, and we’re starting to see that.”

Contact Mark Brandau at mbrandau@nrn.com.

The Art Of Cincinnati Chili

Charlie — Mon, 10 May 2010 20:21:05 +0000

Monday, May 10, 2010

Hawk Krall showed up in today’s Google Alerts with some fun stuff on Cincinnati -style chili. It seems that when Hawk creates a piece of art featuring Cincinnati chili, the topic “draws” a crowd.

Cincinnati in NYC

Illustration for Cincinnati Magazine, about a bar in NYC that serves Skyline Chili & Graeters ice cream during Bengals games for displaced Cincinnatians.

Every time I draw Cincinnati Chili or Coneys people go wild and I get emails from strangers and friends who I didn’t even know were from Ohio. You people have some serious pride for your chili.. and for good reason, it’s great stuff.

As far as the process goes the concept was pretty straightforward. Bengals fans in a NYC bar with piles of Cincy chili and Graeter’s. Lucky for me, one of the bars that does this – Phebe’s – has an awesome “olde time NYC” feeling so the background is based on what the bar actually looks like.

So the next step is always to decide whether to do an actual painting (pretty time consuming for this much detail) or just do pen & ink and pop the colors in with Photoshop. Or this hybrid technique that I’ve used a few times, I think most successfully for a Willamette Week food guide cover.

I do the line work first, scan it and print a copy out, then transfer an outline onto printmaking paper. Then I paint a few important elements and anything that I want to have texture, and also establish a general color scheme, which comes a lot easier to me with paint than a blank screen.

Next comes the photoshop nightmare of lining up the painting with the black line, cleaning up the edges (or not) and filling in all the remaining details. Usually at this point it looks like hell and I scream at my computer, but eventually it looks sort of awesome.

Posted by hawk krall at 10:47 AM

Labels: Bengals, Cheese Coney, Cincinnati Chili, Cincinnati Magazine, Graeter’s, Oyster Crackers, Phebe’s

Cincinnati Chili – A Friendly Competition

Charlie — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:45:05 +0000

There’s been a friendly competition going between Cincinnati-style chili brands for 45 years or more. The rivalries are passionate and emotional, but that’s OK because rivalries are embraced and so much a part of Cincinnati’s unique nature.

Eastside Gold Star versus Westside Skyline. Dixie Chili on the Southbank versus Empress to the North. Small, one-store neighborhood independents like Camp Washington and Price Hill Chili take on the big chains and have carved out large constituencies from all around town.

As a city, we celebrate them all, because Greater Cincinnati would not have become Chilitown USA if any of these, or the dozen’s of other local chili parlors, had not been on the scene. Together, they have made our city the chili capital of the nation and we salute them all for helping to put Cincinnati-style chili on America’s culinary map.

With that said, I thought that you might like to view a video, recently produced by and run on Ohio PBS stations’ Our Ohio program, that provides some background on just how these chains, and rivalries got started. Please click on the link below…

http://ourohio.org/television/shows-links-and-more/season-five/show-509/cincinnati-chili/

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Restaurant Trade Pubs Take Up The Cause Cause of Cincinnati As Chilitown USA

Charlie — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:30:26 +0000

As reported in QSR Magazine on April 25th…

Restaurant News

Who Should Be Crowned Chilitown USA?

[2010-04-28] Gold Star Chili, a 95-store restaurant chain specializing in producing and serving Cincinnati-style chili, is campaigning to have Cincinnati officially recognized as Chilitown USA.

“Cincinnati-style chili is our hometown dish and has a growing national awareness,” says Gold Star Chili marketing director, Charlie Howard. “There are passionate, emotional debates as to the merits of each person’s favorite brand, but one thing that we can all agree on is that eating and celebrating Cincinnati-style chili is one of the defining characteristics and traditions of living here.”

This initiative is using a variety of traditional advertising and public relations tactics, combined with the new capabilities of social media to launch and sustain the initiative.

Traditional advertising efforts feature “Welcome To Chilitown USA” billboards and signage at gateway locations throughout the city, including the arrival terminal at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport, inside and outside of the Cincinnati Bengals Paul Brown stadium, and on the I-75 bridge entering downtown Cincinnati from Northern Kentucky. Gold Star is also using the term Chilitown USA in its newest television commercials.

The centerpiece of traditional public relations methods has been a well-publicized petition drive to collect 50,000 signatures that kicked off on February 28, which was National Chili Day. Once gathered, Gold Star plans a rally at Cincinnati City Hall to present the petition signatures to the mayor and city council. Petitions are available for signature at any Gold Star Chili restaurant, at a variety of community events throughout the spring and summer months, and online at www.ChilitownUSA.com.

In addition to the Chilitown USA website, other digital tactics have included regular Facebook and Twitter postings and the creation of a “non-denominational” Help Us Name Cincinnati Chilitown USA Facebook fan page targeted to all Cincinnati chili lovers, whatever their individual brand preference. The page, with no promotion other than viral, earned more than 5,000 fans in its first thee weeks of existence. A blog, Cincinnati Chili Chat, extolling the virtues and idiosyncrasies of Cincinnati-style chili, is also part of the digital toolkit for this initiative.

To date, Gold Star has collected nearly 10,000 petition signatures and believes that the 50,000-signature goal will be achieved by the end of the summer. “And by the end of that time,” says Howard, “there will be exponential awareness for Cincinnati’s unique embrace of its signature cheese coney and 3-way (spaghetti, chili, and mounds of shredded cheddar cheese). To state it ‘Cincinnati-style,’ to have Cincinnati recognized as Chilitown USA is a 3-way win; for the category of Cincinnati chili, for all of the local chili brands, and for the city.”

Who Should Be Crowned Chilitown USA Restaurant News QSR Magazine
Who Should Be Crowned Chilitown USA? : Cincinnati is hoping for the title, and Gold Star Chili is campaigning to secure it.
www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/news/story.phtml?id=10763

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Cincinnati Chili…Yes You Can!

Charlie — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:09:56 +0000

The 200-plus chili parlors in Greater Cincinnati are just the tip of the iceberg of the region’s love affair with the addictive concoction that we refer to as “Cincinnati-style.”

For every chili meal that is eaten in a local chili parlor, there are two to three more enjoyed at home, thanks to a large and growing canned and frozen food section for Cincinnati-style chili in all of the area grocery stores. For Kroger, Meijer, Wal Mart, Super Foods and a host of smaller chains and independent grocers, Cincinnati chili is big business. All of the major and minor local brands…Gold Star, Skyline, Dixie, and Empress…offer retail lines of frozen and/or canned chili and Cincinnati-style entrees.

Even the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport has both a Gold Star Chili restaurant and a large facing of Cincinnati’s favorite brands of canned chili in its gift shops.

Recent research shows that cans of Cincinnati chili are a staple in pantries throughout Greater Cincinnati, viewed as essential as bread, butter, eggs and milk, with the average shopper purchasing every three weeks. Best sellers are:

1. Basic canned Cincinnati chili, available in 10 and 15 oz. versions and used to create personal recipes for homemade cheese coneys and three-ways.

2. Frozen chili & spaghetti. To make a Cincinnati three-way, just pop in the oven, heat, add shredded cheddar cheese and enjoy.

3. Chili spice packs. The secret blend of spices that make each Cincinnati chili brand unique and different from each other. Chili lovers use these, mixed in with ground beef to make their own Cincinnati-style favorites from scratch.

Chili Dippin’

And here in Cincinnati, it’s not a party unless Cincinnati Chili Dip is served. It’s ubiquitous at any Greater Cincinnati gathering: wedding and wakes birthdays and baptisms, holiday picnics and sports tailgates.

Nothing could be simpler; nothing could be more delicious.

Take it 10” glass pie plate and coat bottle and sides with a 3/8” layer of cream cheese
Pour a 10 oz. can (15 oz. if you like to ‘sloppy”) over the cream cheese
Layer on a generous amount of mild cheddar cheese
Heat in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes
Serve with crackers or tortilla chips
Dip and savor Cincinnati-style

If I have made you hungry and you don’t live in the Greater Cincinnati area, you can order canned chili, spice packs, “Travel Packs” and other Cincinnati chili products on-line from some of the major brands at:

www.goldstarchili.com

www.dixiechili.com

www.skylinechili.com

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An Open Letter To Cincinnati Chili Lovers

Charlie — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:47:04 +0000

Speaking as a Cincinnati chili lover and a Cincinnatiophile, there is an opportunity for national recognition of our city and our hometown dish that we shouldn’t let get away.

The Travel Channel’s popular new program, Food Wars, has expressed a strong interest in coming to Cincinnati this spring to film an episode about Cincinnati Chili. The format of the show has a host that travels from city to city in search of a city’s iconic restaurant food and the two leading competitors. The program profiles those two competitors, the history of the food category and how it became rooted in a city’s culture and psyche and provides a positive, upbeat travelogue of the city featured.

The Travel Channel found Cincinnati and its chili thanks to the efforts of hundreds of Cincinnati Chili lovers who lobbied for Food Wars to come to Cincinnati via the channel’s website bulletin board. The good news is: They heard our call and they experienced our passion for chili. The better news: Food Wars wants to produce a Cincinnati chili battle between to the two category leaders: Gold Star Chili and Skyline Chili…a high profile continuation of the friendly competition that has been going on for the past 45 years in neighborhoods throughout Greater Cincinnati.

And now, the bad news: When contacted by the producers of Food Wars, Gold Star Chili said, “Yes!” Unfortunately, Skyline Chili said, “NO!” and this opportunity for positive, nationally televised publicity for our city is slipping away.

So let’s rally round our chili. Let’s support our city. What’s good for our city and good for our chili has to be good for Skyline as well. There is no downside in this for anyone, unless Food Wars can’t wait any longer and moves on to feature Texas chili instead of ours. Then, our chili loses; our city loses; we lose. A 3-way tragedy!

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Some Answers To The Often Asked Question…

Charlie — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:14:02 +0000

What Is Cincinnati Chili?

Contributor

By Connie Whiting, eHow Contributing Writer

What Is Cincinnati Chili?

http://www.flickr.com

Cincinnati chili ignores the “chili rules” for a one-of-a-kind, Greek-inspired taste. Created by a hot dog vendor in an unlikely place, Cincinnati chili has grown to become a favorite of chili lovers.

Origin

Empress Chili Sign

According to the Washington Post, Cincinnati chili was created in downtown Cincinnati in a burlesque theater. Tom Kiradjieff, a Greek immigrant, grew unhappy with selling hot dogs from his stand in the Empress Burlesque Theater in the 1920s. He began making a sauce using Greek spices. Eventually he opened a chili parlor in Cincinnati, serving an unusual dish made with his unique sauce. He named the parlor after the Empress theater, and there still are a couple of the Empress Chili Parlors in Cincinnati. Since then, other restaurants have made and sold Cincinnati Chili. The most recognized of these is the Skyline Chili Restaurant.

Main Ingredients
Tomato Base and Ground Beef

Cincinnati chili starts like other kinds of chili with a tomato base and ground beef. Cincinnati chili does not have beans–unless a customer requests them. In that case, the chili is loaded with beans.

Spices
Cincinnati Chili Spices

Cincinnati chili uses unusual spices. Other types of chili range from slightly spicy to flaming hot in taste. But Cincinnati chili spices include nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and cocoa. The result is a sweet, delicious chili with none of the heat associated with traditional chili.

Types
Cincinnati Chili Menu

Cincinnati chili is not served in a bowl. Instead, it is served over a mound of spaghetti. Customers are offered additional options. A 3- way, when the spaghetti and chili are topped with shredded cheddar cheese, is the most common. In the 4-way, red beans or chopped onions are added to the spaghetti, chili and cheese. In the 5-way, both beans and onions are added to the spaghetti, chili and cheese

Breaking News: Other Bloggers Are Chatting Chili

Charlie — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:47:17 +0000

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

I Challenge You To A Cincinnati Chili Throwdown!

So our little city is well-known for its chili. (We love it here at HQ.) To many folks, it’s not really chili, but that’s a whole other story.

The thing about chili in Cincinnati is there are factions of fans here that almost religiously support one establishment, never setting foot in a competitor. This has made for an interesting competition between the two main players, Skyline and Goldstar.

It looks like someone is trying to take that rivalry to the next level and settle once and for all, who the true Cincinnati chili champion is.

I’d like to go on record and state that I’m biased on the topic, but am psyched to see that people are lobbying for the Travel Channel’s ‘Food Wars’ to come to Cincinnati for a throwdown, Cincinnati Chili Style. Apparently, there were more requests on the “Food Wars” website for a Cincinnati Chili episode than for any other city or any other type of food, according to a story on Cincinnati.com.

Our city is becoming quite well known for its culinary delights, as Food Network’s “Diners, Drive Ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri was recently in town, and tiny OTR diner Tucker’s was named one of the best diners in the country by GQ Magazine (March 2009 issue).

We keep trying to tell you, there is fun stuff going on in Cincinnati. Come visit, you’ve always got a place to stay at HyperQuake.

Labels: food, local interest, tv

Posted by Chris Strong

Another Blogger Who Finds Cincinnati Chili Interesting

Charlie — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:39:46 +0000

Gone to the Dogs
By labd
In a town that is absolutely mad for its own unique blend of chili as well as proclaiming itself “Chili Town USA”, Mr. Gene’s Doghouse is an anomaly in that their specialty is also chili dogs but more akin to those slathered with a …
The Couscous Chronicles – http://couscouschronicles.com/

Gone to the Dogs

April 18th, 2010 ·

In a town that is absolutely mad for its own unique blend of chili as well as proclaiming itself “Chili Town USA”, Mr. Gene’s Doghouse is an anomaly in that their specialty is also chili dogs but more akin to those slathered with a chili you might find on a dog in Chicago or Texas versus Cincinnati.Cincinnati chili legacy runs deep. It is said to be home to more “chili parlors” than any other city in the U.S. It is also home to what I think is one of the best hot dog stands in America, Mr. Gene’s Doghouse. Add to the fact that Mr. Gene’s sits smack in the middle of Cincinnati style chili ground zero being located north of downtown near the intersection of Interstates 74 and 75 and only blocks from the venerable and James Beard award winning Camp Washington Chili. The location makes Mr. Gene’s that much more legendary.I also like Cincinnati style chili. I just don’t think of it as chili because I grew up on the thicker southern concoction that is usually called Texas style chili. Whether I order my Cincinnati style chili as a “three way” as in with spaghetti noodles, sauce, 1) onions, 2) cheese and 3) beans, on a coney hot dog or inverted as in the whole boulabaise assembled and then dumped upside down, I simply love the stuff. I would be remiss not to mention the ongoing chili war between Cincinnati’s two largest chili chains; Skyline and Gold Star. The amount of money these two spend on slugging it out on billboards and TV commercials is mind boggling. It is also amazing to what degree this stuff “travels”; as in I have seen it recently in some fairly far flung from Cincinnati places such as central Indiana, given it typically does not settle well on the stomachs and palates of folks not local to Cincinnati. I was told by a co-worker when I arrived in Cincinnati that it would take “three times” of eating Cincinnati style chili before my system would be fully acclimated (and he was right) to the saucy chili mixture that includes minced meat, cinnamon and chocolate among other things. In other words its more of a mole sauce with Greek origins than a chili, but no question about it it is a true American classic and I am sure that is part of the reason Camp Washington Chili deservedly has a James Beard Award to prove it!The strong and passionate Cincinnati chili scene is also even more reason why Mr. Gene’s is a real beacon in the Queen City. First of all they serve the best chili dogs in town. Better than the Coney’s of Detroit and even better than the gastronomic blip I experienced in 1998 when I visited Brooklyn’s Coney Island and had an original Nathan’s and thought it even tasted light years better than the ones they serve at the Nathan’s in the mall and airport food courts. I would also venture to say even better than the “papaya” and hot dog joints on almost every corner in Manhattan, where my cousin told me each and every hot dog “tasted different”. Of course I took him up on that one and could not tell any difference other than they all tasted like hot dog!The reason Mr. Gene’s dog’s are the best is real simple. It begins with the dog itself. It is not just any simple dog, it really has a good flavor with a very small hint of garlic (could it be a Nathan’s wiener?) and a nice snap in every bite. Next up is the bun. I love Mr. Gene’s hot dog buns as they have always been full, soft and fresh on every visit. Consistency. God I love consistency in good food! They also have those buns with the little sesame seeds which adds a bit of panache. The chili is a simple sauce that is similar in flavor and texture to what you would find at any chili dog establishment that takes itself seriously.Add to all of the above and Mr. Gene does not stop at the chili dog, he also has a Chicago dog on the menu and a pretty good one to boot! I also like the fact that Mr. Gene’s is a true road side stand. There is not any indoor seating what so ever. Simply walk up to the window, order and either return to yon car or make yourself at home at one of several picnic tables situated behind the building.Mr. Gene’s also attracts a diverse crowd as it is in a urban neighborhood not far from downtown Cincinnati. I overheard a conversation when I was last there from two gentlemen talking about the tough the economy. One stated he had recently went to the bank and noticed someone had left their deposit receipt on the ATM counter and he exclaimed, “it had $14000 on it…I have never had $14000 in my bank account and can you imagine the person who would”. I could because he or she was just as likely to be standing in line with me at Mr. Gene’s Doghouse as was the guy with fifty dollars in his bank account because they both know a good value when they see one. You too can experience Mr. Gene’s the next time you are passing through the Queen City of Cincinnati exit 1 off of I-74 and make the first three right turns and hang a left on to Beekman St. and you will almost immediately see Mr. Gene’s on the right (closed on Sundays).

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Making Cincinnati Chili At Home Is a Favorite Local Pastime

Charlie — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:16:16 +0000

How We Make Gold Star Chili

3 min 15 sec – Jan 10, 2010
Hey Guys! We know some of you have been wondering what Skyline Chili (or Gold Star Chili) is and how you make it! Gold Star Chili is …
youtube.com – Related videos

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Making Cincinnati Chili In Texas, Of All Places!

Charlie — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:08:09 +0000

Making Cincinnati Skyline Chili in Austin, TX

2 min 15 sec – Jan 13, 2008
Marty shows you how to make and consume Cincinnati Skyline Chili to the base. Well, actually it is Gold Star Chili, but who’s counting …
youtube.com – Related videos

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Cincinnati Chili Needs A Blogger And I Am It

Charlie — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:56:56 +0000

This should have been my first post, but better late than never. A brief introduction to why I created this blog.

The Cincinnati-style cheese coney

When Guy Fieri came to town last month (march 2010) to film an episode about Terry’s Turf Club for his Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, there was more speculation about which local chili parlor he might visit than how well he liked the burgers at Terry’s. And not to at all detract from Terry’s or any of Greater Cincinnati’s fabulous restaurants but let’s face it, this is first and foremost, a chili town. No, it’s more than a chili town. It’s the chili capital of the nation. With more than 200 local chili restaurants Greater Cincinnati is indisputably, Chilitown USA!

Cincinnati-style chili is our hometown dish, consumed for breakfast, lunch, dinner and anytime in-between. It’s a staple a weddings, wakes, tailgates, graduation parties, block parties, baptisms and bar mitzvahs .When Greater Cincinnatians are not eating chili in a restaurant they are buying it frozen and canned by the ton at any grocery store in town and making it at home or shipping it to expatriates who no longer live close enough to get their regular chili fix.

To outsiders sitting in a Cincinnati chili restaurant, listening in on the back-and–forth between customer, server and steam table chef, they must think that they’re talking in tongues…4- way bean, make it sloppy; two CCs mo, no o; 3-way, inverted. Yes, we even have our own language but ask any native and he or she can easily translate for you. Three way, inverted isn’t from the Karma Sutra; it is Cincinnati chili-speak for ordering spaghetti, chili and cheese with the spaghetti on top of the chili.

A Cincinnati-style 3-way

A food category that inspires so much emotion and passion and loyalty needs a champion. I’ve been eating it all of my life and consider myself an expert, therefore I am anointing myself.

Call me, Chilimeister.

Welcome to my blog.

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Cincinnati Chili Wars

Charlie — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:44:42 +0000

Before there was The Travel Channel’s Food Wars, there was the 45 year battle between Gold Star Chili, Skyline Chili, Dixie Chili and Empress Chili for the hearts and minds of Cincinnati-style chili lovers.

TM Cincinnati: The Chili Wars, Chain Edition January 19, 2009Posted by eviljwinter in Cincinnati, My Town Mondays.
trackback

A couple of weeks ago, I told you about Cincinnati-style chili. I also passed on posting a recipe, since I’ve never made it from scratch. George Matthai, in the comments section, offered one of his own. I also promised to give you a run-down of the different chains and a few indie shops. Today, I look at the chains after the jump.

I dined on Cincinnati-style chili for four straight days to compare one chain’s against the rest. With the exception of Dixie Chili (for reasons that will become apparent later), I ordered a four-way onion. That is chili over spaghetti with cheese and onions.

Although Cincinnati chili is an enjoyable dish, I can hardly recommend eating it everyday for lunch for the better part of a week. I also don’t recommend getting a four-way after you’ve had a salad after a business meeting followed by lunch with your wife (which I did on my trip to Empress Chili in Wyoming, just north of Cincinnati). It’s filling.

First up…

Skyline Chili is the largest chain and the mack daddy of Cincinnati-style chili. The name has become synonymous with Cincinnati-style chili. They’re everywhere in Greater Cincinnati, and have been spotted in Dayton, Columbus, and even a store in Strongsville, a suburb of Cleveland. (Incidentally, the unwritten rule is Dayton is the farthest you can get from downtown and still have passable Cincinnati-style chili. Hence, I’d avoid the Gold Star at Philadelphia Airport.) However, you never see Skyline in a booth in a mall and, away from downtown Cincinnati, almost always in its own building or a sizable section of a strip mall.

Skyline’s chili is a watery paste with finer ground meat. It’s most noticeable feature is the hint of cinnamon which gives it its distinctive flavor. As I said before, I used to prefer Gold Star for coneys and Skyline for a four-way. This is why. The thinner chili with its unusual flavoring is better suited spaghetti than hot dogs.

Gold Star is a newer chain, “the taste that’s taking over.” Unlike Skyline, they don’t think twice about taking over a mall booth and quite likely would be right at home in one of those gas station combo stores sharing space with a Subway or a Taco Bell. (Taco Bell? Bleck!) Gold Star offers a thicker chili with an odd touch: nutmeg. I don’t know if Gold Star actually puts nutmeg in its chili, but there’s a nutmeg flavor in it. Because of the flavor, it blends nicely with mustard on a coney. The thicker chili is ideally suited for coneys, but it’s not bad in a four-way.

Empress is an older chain, the original Cincinnati-style chili parlor. In fact, there are only three left in the city. Depressing, really. I first had Empress in Norwood. The store is now a Gold Star. Gone are the locations downtown; in New Richmond, east of the city; and Mt. Lookout, a neighborhood in the city overlooking the Ohio River. Not much has changed in the Empress stores beyond now taking credit cards. It’s almost like a cafeteria there. Pay for your food, grab a tray, and they hand you your order at the end of the line. The chili is very similar to Skyline’s and it’s no surprise. Skyline founder Nicholas Lambrinides started out working for Empress.

Empress is a very satisfying alternative to the two big upstarts. It does not have as much of a cinnamon taste to it as Skyline, but it is meatier than both Skyline and Gold Star. It also is a little saltier, not a bad thing for chili. It may have been the chili, but I’m pretty sure Empress uses a sharper cheddar cheese than Skyline or Gold Star. Empress bites you back, with or without the hot sauce.

Which brings us to Dixie Chili. I moved to Cincinnati in 1991. I did not have my first bite of Dixie Chili until 2009. There’s a reason for that. It’s a small chain (currently three locations) located over in Northern Kentucky. I’ve had Gold Star in Northern Kentucky. I’ve had Skyline over there. And I think I may have had Empress once over in Alexandria. But I’ve never had Dixie, until now.

As I said, I had Skyline, Gold Star, and Empress as four-ways. Dixie is different. For starters, their five-ways and four-way beans use pinto beans instead of kidney beans. Dixie also offers a six-way. What’s a six-way?

Just add fresh garlic.

And let me tell you something. The Dixie six-way is something special. For starters, you can tell founder Nicholas Sarakatsannis originally worked for Empress, the same as Skyline founder Nicholas Lambrinides. Like Empress, Dixie Chili is meatier. Like Skyline, the cinnamon taste is very much in evidence. And like Gold Star, it’s a thicker sauce. The fresh garlic on a six-way, however, pushes Dixie Chili over the top. I almost went back for seconds.

Almost. The research for this post is slowing my efforts to slim down. Sacrifices must be made.

So after four days of four-ways (and one six-way), I have to call it for Dixie. I went home and raved about it to my wife, almost asking her to go down to Newport with me for dinner there. (We ate at Rusty’s in Deer Park. I needed salmon after 4 days of chili.)

I had fun checking out the four local heavyweights. I’m sorry to see Empress fading away in the face of two bigger competitors, but glad to see Dixie carry on the tradition. And there will always be a Skyline and a Gold Star.

In two or three weeks, I’ll post about some favorite indie shops, such as Camp Washington Chili.

Check out more My Town Monday posts hosted by Sepiru Chris and Junosmom until Travis gets his house back.

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Food Wars Wants A Cincinnati Chili Battle

Charlie — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:48:44 +0000

As reported in the Cincinnati Enquirer, April 8, 2010…

By John Kiesewetter • jkiesewetter@enquirer.com • April 7, 2010

Gold Star Chili wants a food fight with Skyline Chili on TV’s new “Food Wars” show. But Skyline, the area’s No. 1 chili chain, seems to have no stomach for such a fight. It has refused to participate in the new Travel Channel show that features judges doing blind taste tests of the city’s iconic dish.

“Being No. 2, we always look for opportunities to go head-to-head with the big guys,” said Charlie Howard, Gold Star marketing director.

• Poll: Which local restaurant has the best chili?

New York-based producers became interested in Cincinnati chili after reading repeated postings from here on the show’s online forum.

The producers confirmed they have been talking to Gold Star for about two weeks.
Gold Star announced Wednesday that “the Travel Channel hopes to shoot a Cincinnati-style segment for ‘Food Wars’ in late April or early May.”

The Travel Channel’s “Food Wars” publicist declined comment, saying that Gold Star had not spoken to anyone at the channel. “Food Wars” premiered March 9 with a face-off between two wings restaurants in Buffalo, N.Y. The 10 p.m. Tuesday series also has aired shows about rival Italian beef sandwich shops in Chicago, and two barbecue joints in Lockhart, Texas.

Producers “would really like to see Skyline and Gold Star matched up, because they represent the biggest fan base here,” Gold Star’s Howard said.

Skyline executives aren’t interested in a two-way with Gold Star, says spokeswoman Laura Kaster. “We’d rather focus all of our efforts on serving customers the very best possible food and dining experience,” she said.

“Food Wars” may substitute another chili in Greater Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky, according to the Gold Star announcement.

“It would be a real coup for a national show to focus on one of the defining characteristics of living here. This town is nuts about chili,” Howard said.

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A Petition Drive To Name Cincinnati Chilitown USA

Charlie — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:16:29 +0000

A new movement by Cincinnati chili lovers

Cincinnati Chili lovers are rallying around their unique style of chili with a petition drive to have the city officially recognized as Chilitown USA. Fanatic fans of Cincinnati-style chili can sign the petition online at www.ChilitownUSA.com.

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“Chilinomics” – The Economic Impact of Cincinnati Chili

Charlie — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:55:12 +0000

Friday, April 9, 2010 | Modified: Tuesday, April 13, 2010, 5:00am EDT

Media

The plot thickened plenty, even if the chili never did.

Cincinnati’s chili industry, which traces its roots to a Prohibition-era discovery by immigrant brothers Tom and John Kiradjieff, has grown into a $159 million economic engine.

That’s the conclusion of a new “Chilinomics” study conducted by Gold Star Chili.

“No other area restaurant concept has this kind of positive impact,” said Gold Star CEO Mike Rohrkemper, who offers the following data to support his claim:

More than 200 local chili parlors employ 2,700 people. Their $48 million annual payroll works out to about $18,000 per employee.

Tri-State chili companies spend about $45 million each year on ingredients, most of it supplied by local food vendors. They spend another $38 million with suppliers of insurance, maintenance services and other operating expenses.

The chili industry typically turns out 10 new stores a year, which cost a combined $12 million to build and equip.

Finally, our craving for that spicy stew that Cincinnatians call chili but outsiders call soup over noodles supports annual grocery spending of $16 million.

Gold Star’s financial executives started crunching numbers last year to support a new marketing campaign. Gold Star is trying to collect 50,000 signatures on a petition asking local governments to designate Cincinnati as Chili Town USA.

The marketing campaign comes at a tough time for the nation’s restaurants, which endured two straight years of declining sales and are projected to see flat revenue in 2010, according to an industry forecast released in January by the National Restaurant Association.

Rohrkemper said Gold Star’s revenue remained at $65 million last year. It’s exploring new contract opportunities at its Linwood Commissary, which cost about $2 million to build but is only used four days a week (see sidebar).

Skyline Chili CEO Kevin McDonnell wouldn’t provide sales data but said his company is focusing on product quality and customer service during the downturn.

“We’re hanging in there,” he said.

The Kiradjieff brothers could not have foreseen the impact of their culinary concoction, but their descendants are no less proud of what their Macedonian ancestors wrought.

“Sure, we’re the first,” said Joe Kiradjieff, whose father, Tom, was co-founder of Empress Chili. “We still think we’re the best.”

Joe Kiradjieff is semi-retired, now that he’s 80. The Bridgetown resident sold Empress in 2009 to Jim Papakirk, a Blue Ash attorney whose father-in-law, John Johnson, owns Camp Washington Chili. Joe Kiradjieff still helps Empress with franchise startups. And he still guards with vigilance that “secret formula.” Is it chocolate? Cinnamon? Or is it cumin and cloves that unlock the taste buds, turning its consumers into Cincinnati devotees?

“Your biggest kicker is your spice formula,” but the real magic lies in how all of the ingredients come together, Joe Kiradjieff explained. “Tomato puree, for example. If you’ve got too much of that, you’ve got too much tomato flavor.”

Hand-measured spices

Neither Joe Kiradjieff nor his cousins, Ed and John, could remember how their fathers stumbled upon that singular spice blend. But his sons remember John Kiradjieff making daily batches of it before he went to work each morning.

“The spices were hand-measured every day in my father’s kitchen,” said Ed Kiradjieff, who lives near Boston. “He scooped them into little brown bags and carried them into work.”

His employees watched and learned. The Kiradjieff descendants say the spice formula was never shared with outsiders, but two former chefs left Empress to build chili empires of their own. Nicholas Sarakatsannis left Empress in 1929 to form Dixie Chili, now with three Northern Kentucky locations.

And another Greek immigrant left Empress in 1949 to start Skyline Chili, named for the view that Nicholas Lambrinides enjoyed from the kitchen window in his first Price Hill restaurant. By the 1960s, Skyline was on a growth curve that would lead to more than 100 local restaurants.

The brothers Daoud took notice. In 1965, the four Jordanian immigrants who would later Americanize their name to the David family, were proprietors of Hamburger Heaven. The Mount Washington restaurant offered Cincinnati-style chili as one of its menu items.

As the owners tweaked the recipe, they found customers ordering more chili than burgers. So, they changed its name to Gold Star Chili and spent the next 30 years building a franchise system that competes head to head against Skyline.

That corporate rivalry now accounts for the vast majority of Cincinnati’s chili-tary industrial complex. The Chicago-based research firm Technomic Inc. estimates combined revenue for Gold Star and Skyline at $152 million. The companies have 227 locations, mostly in the Cincinnati area. While other cities might have culinary concepts that exceed Cincinnati’s chili parlors in total sales, they probably do not outshine the cheese coney and three-way in market share.

“Deep-dish pizza is pretty big in Chicago,” said Darren Tristano, an executive vice president for information services at Technomic. He’s never done a market-share study on Chicago’s thick-crust pizza producers. Nor does he know how many restaurant dollars are consumed by Philadelphia’s cheesesteak or Pittsburgh’s pierogi. But his guess is that Cincinnati chili holds a larger market share here than any other regional fare.

“It’s pretty significant,” he said.

On the other hand, Tristano is not sold on the idea that chili has a measurable economic impact. That’s because the money now spent on chili and shredded cheddar would likely find its way to other delicacies if the Kiradjieff brothers never existed.

“There is a cravability to the product,” Tristano said. “But my guess is that if they didn’t exist, the money would be spent at other restaurants that are comparable.”
dmonk@bizjournals.com | (513) 337-9438

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Cincinnati Chili. Yes, We Even Have Our Own Language

Charlie — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:45:33 +0000

Two CC, no Mo, heavy O.

Three-way, inverted and sloppy.

Phony coney.

Yes, in this town, Greater Cincinnati, Chilitown USA, we even have our own language. So if you’re not from around here, let me translate.

Two CC, no Mo, heavy O – Not rap lyrics but rather; two cheese coneys, no mustard, heavy onions. Three-way, inverted and sloppy – Nothing that will get you in trouble with the vice squad; spaghetti, chili and cheese with the cheese on the bottom and extra, extra chili on top. Phony coney – Not a new kind of cell phone plan; bun, chili, cheese, but hold the hot dog.

Here in Cincinnati, when someone says “cracker bomb” there’s no need to duck and cover. Any local can tell you that it’s a crispy oyster cracker filled with hot sauce and self-administered as a “Cincinnati appetizer” while waiting for one’s chili. “Dry” isn’t the weather forecast; it’s a 3, 4 or 5-way served with more spaghetti, less chili. And when Cincinnati-style chili fans want the best of both worlds, they order a ”Spagoney.” Instead of a hot dog, load up a warm steamed bun with spaghetti, then add chili, onions and/or beans and then pile on the shredded cheddar. Natives think of it as a 4-way “traveler.” Only in Cincinnati!

And along with our own lingo, Chilitown USA has its own etiquette. For example, 3-way plates are oblong, not round. That’s so they can be turned to face the diner length-wise, allowing the meal to be slowly, precisely consumed front to back, cutting bite-size portions of chili, cheese and spaghetti with the fork. And never, never twirl your spaghetti onto your fork. Nothing says “outsider,” “rookie” or “Clevelander” like twirling your spaghetti. Just a warning so you won’t have to deal with the ridicule. Bibs are optional, but most of us prefer to go without. That’s why, this being Cincinnati, the chili eater’s best friend is the Tide® stick, perfect for after lunch touch-ups before heading back to the office.

So what can you say about a town that has its very own hometown dish, its own special language to converse about it and definite “rules of engagement” for its consumption. I say, “There’s no place like home”…Cincinnati Ohio, Chilitown USA.

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The Chi of Cincinnati Chili

Charlie — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:34:15 +0000

Chi…the essential force of life that in Chinese philosophy is thought to be inherent in all things; an all-encompassing universal life force that flows in and around our body and connects and energizes all things; a life force to feed and maintain our physical being

Did you ever notice that the first three letters of chili are, chi? Here in Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati-style chili is chi, an omnipresent force that sustains us. Without our chili, life as we know it would cease to exist. That’s because Cincinnati-style chili is not just a unique food group, it is one of the defining characteristics of living in the Greater Cincinnati area. It’s an essential part of our way of life. To prove that point, here’s a slice of that life; direct quotes from chili lovers all around town; eastside, westside, northern burbs and south bank…

“Cincinnati-style chili is about the total experience: quick, friendly, neighborhood service; hot, simple, flavorful food; and somewhere to go with friends, the team, late at night, when you’re hungry and don’t want typical fast food.”

“A tasty experience that most of the country will not understand. Totally unique to our city. It is the most Cincinnati thing about Cincinnati! “

“Cincinnati Style Chili; it’s a way of life here. We walk in like we own the place. It’s what we do (sometimes more than once a week). It’s a quick fix. It’s consistent. It’s satisfying. It’s a bright spot in the day. It’s a common bond. It’s a part of the culture and sometimes a part of a white shirt.”

“The perfect bite of Cincinnati chili has spaghetti coated with chili and then a combination of melted and a crown of un-melted cheese. The first taste is “yum” and then you taste the cheese and then you taste the spices. Your stomach gets full before you want the meal to be over.”

“Cincinnati’s pride. Gets us through Cincinnati winters. Friday office lunch.”

“Rich in history. Part of Cincinnati heritage. Tradition. Family. Where relationships are strengthened.”

“You can’t say that you’ve been to Cincinnati unless you have tried the chili.”

“Our tradition of eating chili when we return from any out of town journey is the perfect way to say welcome home. MMMMMMM! Delicious!”

“Cincinnati’s own comfort food.”

“Addictive, in a good way.”“People all over the United States have heard about this chili and come from far and wide to try it. Without it, Cincinnati just wouldn’t be the same.”

“The quirky essence of Cincinnati.”

“Cincinnati Chili: More than food, Cincinnati chili is a way of life that is best when served inside a parlor with steamed up windows and an aroma that has seeped so deeply into the pores of the building.”You don’t find people talking that way, expressing that kind of passion and emotion about chicken wings, burgers or tacos. That’s because wings, burgers and tacos are everybody’s food, anyplace in the country. Cincinnati-style chili is uniquely, Greater Cincinnati’s. It’s part of our chi and that’s why Greater Cincinnati is Chilitown USA.

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In Cincinnati, We Are What We Eat

Charlie — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:44:29 +0000

Here in Cincinnati, it’s one of the first things you do when you’re back in town after an extended time away. You head straight to a Cincinnati-style chili parlor. What’s one “must-do” when you’re entertaining out-of-town visitors? If you’re like thousands more Greater Cincinnatians, you take them out to sample our local chili.

For “natives”, Cincinnati-style chili is in our blood, figuratively and literally; we’ve been eating the stuff all of our lives. It’s not just food; it’s a fix, an addiction, a craving that has to be regularly satisfied. If you’re a “transplant,” you’re not really considered a true Cincinnatian until you finally embraced, then became a passionate advocate for our unique hometown dish. Our preferred brand of Cincinnati-style chili is one of our most strongly held opinions, nearly impossible to change. A staunch fan of “gold and red” would never be seen ordering at the counter of “yellow and blue” and vice versa. Someone raised in and on “Dixie” wouldn’t be caught in either.

But whatever our preferred brand, one thing we all agree upon is that we love our chili. We’re passionate about it. It’s one of the signature characteristics that define us as a community and the way we feel about our chili is the way we feel about our town. It’s about tradition and for countless Cincinnatians eating chili with family and friends is one of their earliest and longest standing traditions. It’s about pride; pride in our city and its hometown dish. It’s about neighborhoods and whether it’s eastside, westside, Northside or across the river, nearly every neighborhood has its own unique chili parlor. More than 200 of them in Greater Cincinnati. More than anyplace else in the country; the world.

There’s a billboard as you cross the I-75 Brent Spence Bridge into downtown Cincinnati. Its message proclaims, WELCOME TO CHILITOWN USA.

Finally, a nickname for our town that tells visitors something about all of us. We are what we eat and here in Greater Cincinnati, we have a passionate, inexplicable and emotional connection to chili, spaghetti, cheese, beans and onions; served on an oblong plate so that it can be eaten front to back, cut not twirled; usually with a cheese coney on the side.

Want to know why Cincinnati is a great place to live? Chilitown USA says it all.

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Welcome

Charlie — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 20:06:26 +0000

Welcome to the new Cincinnati Chili Chat blog! If you love the flavor of Cincinnati, you’re in the right place. Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay informed.

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Cincinnati Chili Chat

Cincinnati Chili: A Veggie Perspective

Cincinnati Chili Puts Us on the Map

Amy Tobin tackles Super Bowl Parties with Cincinnati Chili

Cincinnati Chili & Cincinnati Politics

Heart of a District: Ohio’s First Congressional District

The Art Of Cincinnati Chili, Part II

A Cincinnati Chili Summer Tradition – The Coney Eating Contest

Taking Cincinnati Chili To The Streets

The Reality of Chili in Cincinnati

Cincinnati Chili A Taste Of Home For Returning Troops

The Idea of Cincinnati as Chilitown USA is Catching On

The Art Of Cincinnati Chili

Monday, May 10, 2010

Hawk Krall showed up in today’s Google Alerts with some fun stuff on Cincinnati -style chili. It seems that when Hawk creates a piece of art featuring Cincinnati chili, the topic “draws” a crowd.

Cincinnati in NYC

Cincinnati Chili – A Friendly Competition

Restaurant Trade Pubs Take Up The Cause Cause of Cincinnati As Chilitown USA

Cincinnati Chili…Yes You Can!

An Open Letter To Cincinnati Chili Lovers

Some Answers To The Often Asked Question…

What Is Cincinnati Chili?

Origin

Main Ingredients

Spices

Types

Breaking News: Other Bloggers Are Chatting Chili

I Challenge You To A Cincinnati Chili Throwdown!

Another Blogger Who Finds Cincinnati Chili Interesting

Gone to the Dogs

April 18th, 2010 ·

Making Cincinnati Chili At Home Is a Favorite Local Pastime

How We Make Gold Star Chili

Making Cincinnati Chili In Texas, Of All Places!

Making Cincinnati Skyline Chili in Austin, TX

Cincinnati Chili Needs A Blogger And I Am It

Cincinnati Chili Wars

Food Wars Wants A Cincinnati Chili Battle

A Petition Drive To Name Cincinnati Chilitown USA

“Chilinomics” – The Economic Impact of Cincinnati Chili

Media

Hand-measured spices

Cincinnati Chili. Yes, We Even Have Our Own Language

The Chi of Cincinnati Chili

In Cincinnati, We Are What We Eat

Welcome