Category Archives: Chicago

July 10, 2018

A Triumph of Progressive Politics: Roger Biles on Mayor Harold Washington

Posted by michael
in African American Studies, american history, author commentary, Chicago, Illinois / regional, local authors, politics, Uncategorized | Comments Off on A Triumph of Progressive Politics: Roger Biles on Mayor Harold Washington

Roger Biles is Professor Emeritus of History at Illinois State University. His books include Richard J. Daley: Politics, Race, and the Governing of Chicago and The Fate of Cities: Urban America and the Federal Government, 1945-2000. He recently answered some questions about his new … Continue reading →

March 19, 2018

From Lincoln to Neoliberal Chicago: Celebrating the Illinois State Bicentennial

Posted by michael
in Chicago, Illinois / regional, Lincoln | Comments Off on From Lincoln to Neoliberal Chicago: Celebrating the Illinois State Bicentennial

Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818. One hundred years later, the University of Illinois Press opened its doors. The Press’s debut book, on Abraham Lincoln, marked the beginning of a remarkable union between the Prairie State and its premier … Continue reading →

December 15, 2017

200 Years of Illinois: Making way for Fermilab

Posted by rkcunningham
in american history, Chicago, Illinois / regional | Tagged , | Comments Off on 200 Years of Illinois: Making way for Fermilab

It came from the future: Tevatron. The villain in the new Michael Bay feature? Actually, the world’s largest particle accelerator once it opened in 1983. But to get there, the giant underground atom racer/smasher needed a town to get out of … Continue reading →

October 30, 2017

The crossroads of Brach’s chocolate and Halloween

Posted by rkcunningham
in Chicago, food | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The crossroads of Brach’s chocolate and Halloween

Whatever industry group planted National Chocolate Day on October 28 did a great job. There’s no better positioning than a few days before Halloween, a holiday dedicated to candy of all kinds—but one where, let’s be honest, chocolate bars are … Continue reading →

October 11, 2017

Make your own deep dish sausage pizza with this recipe

Posted by rkcunningham
in Chicago, food | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Make your own deep dish sausage pizza with this recipe

Sausage, an inexpensive meat as long as you avoid foodiepreneurs trying to sell you fennel-infused giraffewurtz, still offers you the chance to go carnivore on the cheap. Homeslice in Lincoln Park offers a heart-stopper that adds Canadian bacon and pepperoni … Continue reading →

October 11, 2017

Sausage in Chicago history

Posted by rkcunningham
in Chicago, food | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Sausage in Chicago history

In an era where you may find any sort of foodstuff on your gourmet pizza, the classic za with sausage not only gets overlooked, but looked upon suspiciously, as if one is ordering something called a Cannibalism Special off the … Continue reading →

September 5, 2017

It Is National Cheese Pizza Day

Posted by rkcunningham
in Chicago, food | Tagged , , | Comments Off on It Is National Cheese Pizza Day

The Boring Pizza? Oh ho, not at all! Cheese pizza is a godsend perfect for kids’ birthday parties and church meetings. An icebreaker. A hand across countless divides. A relatively cheap chow-down. Cheese pizza deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. With National … Continue reading →

August 18, 2017

Let’s observe National Soft-Serve Ice Cream Day one day early

Posted by rkcunningham
in Chicago, food | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Let’s observe National Soft-Serve Ice Cream Day one day early

There’s nothing more American than soft-serve ice cream. It provides the dairy and sweetness we crave in an attractive shape atop a sugary cone that encourages mobility. And we dispense the tasty snack via a machine that smashes it with compressed … Continue reading →

August 10, 2017

The Food’s The Story

Posted by michael
in Chicago, Exploring Illinois, food, forthcoming books, Illinois / regional, miscellaneous, travel | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Food’s The Story

While on the UI Chicago campus this week, we had the distinct pleasure of visiting the current Special Collections and University Archives exhibit at the library: “The Food’s The Story.” The compact exhibit space features the nearly 90-year history of … Continue reading →

July 19, 2017

Happy National Hot Dog Day!

Posted by rkcunningham
in Chicago, food | Tagged , | Comments Off on Happy National Hot Dog Day!

It’s one of the happiest days of the faux-holiday calendar, a day when you can splurge on a couple of delicious frankfurters loaded up with all your favorite toppings. The hot dog, perhaps our most all-American sausage product, is both … Continue reading →