Last night my wife and I ate one of our Ohio favorites, Skyline Chili. My mother-in-law shipped it to us last time but we burned through the handful of cans we received then and have only just recently received a few more, this time from Josh, so that we could enjoy it once again. We are so desperate for it that we plan to pick up an entire case of the stuff when we travel back to Ohio in the coming months.
While eating the chili tonight (5-way, the only way to eat it), I started thinking about all the food items that I miss eating from all the places I’ve lived or visited in the last 30 years. Everything from Scranton’s “original” Coney Island (reopened recently after arson destroyed it–forcing me to go to what I consider the inferior version across the street) to Jed’s fireballs in Bowling Green, OH. I have done what I can to recreate some of my favorites, especially Campus Pollyeyes’ chicken and cheese stuffed breadsticks but sometimes you just can’t get it close enough to kill the cravings for the original. Just writing this is lengthening the list and making me drool (mmm, Tastykakes!)
So what are you craving that you just cannot get in Minnesota without having it shipped in or recreate from your own memory? Why isn’t that particular item available here (doesn’t grow here, is homemade, or is some tiny mom and pop shop that will never make its way to MN)? What have you done to try and get a piece of your favorite food memory here in MN?
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September 15th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Alaskan Amber beer, just had two cases delivered from the west coast and Rubio’s fish tacos.
September 15th, 2009 at 8:12 am
Cavatelli. It’s an Italian pasta that’s more doughy than the other stuff. It’s a staple in northeast Ohio (particulary Youngstown, where I grew up). I always get cavatelli and meatballs when I go home. You can’t eat it often because it’s so heavy but damn it’s good. Never found it out here…
Oh, and good pizza. Wedgewood Pizza in Y-town is unrivaled IMHO. :P
September 15th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Dungeness crab from the Fishermans Warf.
Round Table Pizza- best chain no questions asked.
Togo’s turkey avocado sandwich. messy as hell to eat but oh so good.
Tacos Cortez- anything from there- a roach coach that sat in a parking lot in Chico back in the 80’s.
In-N-Out burgers Mmmmm the best.
Lucky Lager- good for priming the puke hole on saturday night.
Grille Cheese sandwiches from Conrads Soda Fountain in Stockton. Mmm have never had a better sandwich ever. They closed so long ago I doubt if anyone, even in Stockton remembers them. Nostalgia- they still made pop by squirting syrup into a cup and filling it with soda water.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:14 am
In-N-Out just doesn’t do it for me–at all. Might as well go to Wendy’s IMO.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Jack’s Salsa is made in Michigan and is sold all over in the state… but in MN it’s only available at Costco and we don’t have a membership… so, of course, I have friends and family bring it when they come to visit. Stocking up is impossible though as it’s sold fresh.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:15 am
I’ve always wanted to try a frozen custard. Which is odd, since I detest regular custard.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:16 am
fehler, you can get “frozen custard” at Culver’s. Or if you prefer a non-chain, Liberty Custard in Mpls.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Let’s see…clamcakes, stuffies (baked, stuffed quahogs), pizza strips, Simone’s pepper biscuits (the only good ones IMO), Del’s Frozen Lemonade and New York System Wieners. Man I miss living in RI sometimes. Oh, and good pizza and good Italian pastry.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Riscky’s BBQ (Texas) – All you can eat beef ribs for $10.
Fiorella’s Jack Stack BBQ (Kansas City) – cheesy corn bake is phenomenal
Arthur Bryant’s BBQ (Kansas City) – some of the best sauce/meat mix you’ll find for that type of bbq
Jack’s BBQ circa 2006 (Nashville) – The old grill master passed away sometime after my first visit to Nashville in 2006 and while it was still good this year I could tell things had changed. Sure enough there was a new guy cooking the ribs.
Loveless Cafe (Nashville) – biscuits from here can not be duplicated
Pineapple Fanta (in the can) – I’ve spotted it in 2 liters at the occasional hispanic market around here but you have to go south of the mason dixon line to find it in a can. By itself it’s a tasty treat but it’s a great mixer with cherry vodka (called the finerry) or with vanilla ice cream (called the pineapple fantasy)
September 15th, 2009 at 10:50 am
-Kopp’s Frozen Custard from Milwaukee
-Guava Duff from a little hole in the wall place, never to be found again, in the Bahamas
-Southwestern wood fired pizza from Cafe Pesto on “The Big Island”
-Fall Fish Boil at Al Johnson’s in Door County, WI
-Homemade apple sauce, with home-grown apples, my mom’s kitchen, on a cold winter day after going sledding, Milwaukee.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Cajun food! I moved here from Indianapolis a year and a half ago, and have yet to find any gumbo joints up here. Give me Yats or Gumbo a Go Go from Indy (not New Orleans, but better than the nothing we have here).
September 15th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Suntory whiskey. At least, I’ve never seen it around the area or, actually, in the U.S. period. That’s at the top of my list for sure.
Mountain apples. They’re not apples, but a fruit that grows in trees that’s kind of like an apple, and kind of like a pear — it’s hard to describe the taste. But they’re really good, and extremely hard to cultivate from what I understand, even in the tropical climates where they grow naturally.
Zippy’s chilli, from the Zippy’s chain of restaurants in Hawaii. Actually, I’ll take a whole restaurant.
Another one for pineapple Fanta. I’ve seen it in cans in Japan as well, but not here.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:31 am
1. A great liverwurst sandwich (with onions and spicy brown mustard)
2. Dirty water Sabrett hot dogs with red onions, sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard.
3. Yuengling
4. Joyva chocolate covered raspberry jellies (they used to have them at Pastrami Jacks, anyone know where else I can find them here?)
September 15th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Scrapple.
September 15th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Steak-n-Shake. They serve a chili three-way I crave. I have eaten Skyway Chili in Cincinnati, and yes, it is very good!
September 15th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Chicken riggies and salt potatoes: Utica, NY!
September 15th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Jack in the Box. I go crazy for Jack’s Spicy Chicken and curly fries.
September 15th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I second the shout out to Steak n Shake. I used to eat there once a week when I lived in Indy, miss them bunches up here — great burgers, best little fries around, terrific shakes and freezes, and also (as mentioned) very good chili. I know Culver’s is supposed to be a competitor/replacement, but they really don’t come close. Anyone up for opening up a franchise in the Twin Cities?
September 15th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Wow George…right on! You can buy scrapple in the freezer case at local grocery stores, but I’d love to have it on a menu.
My #1 is sable (smoked black cod) and a bialy.
A great corned beef or pastrami on rye, thick sliced like Katz’s or Jake’s in Milwaukee.
I’m right up there with Ben — great beef ribs and I’d love to have LC’s (KC) at the end of the block.
I wish I could transport the entire Ferry Building from San Fran to here, especially Cowgirl Creamery (cheese).
There are a handful of other things that probably only have special meaning to me like Beehive Corn Syrup and C+ from Canada.
Great thread Bill.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
the only thing I’ve ever missed is Guarana soda from Brazil, but I recently discovered you can get it at a little store in Minnetonka, though I haven’t made it over there yet.
Every once in awhile I could go for a real chicago-style pizza.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
sm,
Have you tried Cossetta’s in Saint Paul? They have an Italian market on one side of their restaurant with all sorts of crazy pastas.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
“In-N-Out just doesn’t do it for me–at all. Might as well go to Wendy’s IMO.”
I can not let you get away with comparing In-N-Out to Wendy’s. Nothing beats a 4×4 Animal Style, a Strawberry Shake and their freshly cut fries. Fine if it doesn’t do it for you, but to compare it to Wendy’s is insane.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Makers Mark – Mint Julep.
It is only available in Kentucky and only sold around the Kentucky Derby.
You will notice that it is comes with the distinctive green wax vs the traditional red wax seal. This stuff is awesome and difficult to get your hands on unless you make the trip to Kentucky around Derby time.
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-1171.aspx
September 15th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Kopps- double cheeseburger. My favorite.
September 15th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I agree, I often crave the Ahi Tuna “Burger” from Taylor’s.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
TIM-
Suntory Whisky is available at Blue Max in Burnsville. They have one of the best scotch selections in the Cities. The Suntory is right next to the scotch.. Scotch Style Whisky thats better than the original…
September 16th, 2009 at 6:24 am
I’ve never tried Skyline Chili, but I do miss Bishops Chilli in Chicago.Like alot of things ,you can orderit online but it can’t be as good. The other thing I miss is good Chicago pizza.There used to be an Unos on France Ave. but they closed it down for some reason. My other favorite was Home Run Inn.
September 16th, 2009 at 6:59 am
[...] meditates on food you wish you could get in Minnesota but cannot (Oceanaire notwithstanding, I miss the great oyster bars of the East Coast), Crystal [...]
September 16th, 2009 at 7:19 am
Down in Central Illinois is a brand of potato chips called “Kitchen Cooked” that is about the only brand of chips I like eating. Every time I visit my family, I fill the back to seat of the car with about 15 or so bags, and that’ll last me about 6 months.
The Kettle Chips starting to show up everywhere now are close, but just don’t quite taste the same.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Whataburger at 2 in the morning
Good tacos anywhere at any time
Houston-style kolaches
chicken enchiladas with mole
the curry hand roll at Bluefish sushi
$6 vegetarian Indian buffet
September 16th, 2009 at 7:31 am
Nobody around here seems able to make a proper soft pretzel the way they make them from the Smales Pretzel Bakery on Xenia Avenue in Dayton, Ohio.
The closest I can come is a salt bagel from Bruegger’s. And that’s not nearly close enough.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Thank you very much for the tip, Sank. A trip to Blue Max is in my near future!
September 16th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Good …….and authentic Latin American fusion dishes. Or a Tacos Tumbras chain
http://www.realacapulco.com/en/tacos-tumbras
September 16th, 2009 at 11:58 am
@mrs. marcus: I have been to Cosetta’s but I didn’t look for cavatelli. I wonder if they have it. You can’t even BUY it around here. :(
September 16th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
sm,
Well, if nothing else it looks like you can order it from this site – not too expensive (although my target price for 1lb of pasta is $1 so I guess it is a little spendy, but might be worth it for comfort food).
http://www.pastacheese.com/dalraccoltocavatellipasta1lb.aspx
September 16th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
ditto on MSPD and the Ferry Bldg…and almost everyone of the booths at the farm market that it is outside on Saturday morning….
Frjtz Fries from San Francisco
Jimmy Jacks BBQ , Iowa City
fresh cornish pasties like made at Randall’s Bakery in Wakefield Michigan or Joe’s Pasty Shop in Ironwood. Preferably slightly warm, eaten at lunch outside on an indian summer day of grouse hunting in the woods nearby.
Mo’s Clam Chowder, Newport Oregon. smoky with bacon, lumps of fresh clams. Parsley on top, with a bit of tabasco sauce to kick it up.
September 16th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
A ribeye from Hungrys in Dakota City Nebraska. Seriously, sometimes I think I should drive there just to have a steak.
A blue cheese burger from Mikes in Sioux City, IA.
Onion rings from the Villager in Storm Lake, IA.
Nachos from Boz Wellz in Storm Lake, IA.
Beau Jo’s Pizza, Idaho Springs, CO
Hernandos Pizza, Winter Park, CO
Dawnmarie, they serve Guarana soda from Brazil at Fogo De Chao. Possibly not someplace you can justify going just for the soda, but if you are in the area…………..
September 16th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
unpretentious but good Italian food. I think this can be found in Eastern cities like NY, Boston, even Detroit; but here it seems that snootiness and good ingredients done well come together.
My son and several readers here say Giuseppe’s is that kind of place, I havent been yet, stopped by and picked up a menu. It seemed a bit dark inside, which is fine, I just prefer to enjoy sunlight in the fleeting Minnesota summers, will definitely hit giuseppe’s from now on …
September 16th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
“loaf” style onion rings… Hackney’s, Glenview IL
September 16th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
BBQ Fritos. Used to see them all the time when I was a kid and got hooked on them and then they disappeared from the midwest essentially. A friend mails them to me from Cleveland occasionally and I get them from down South on vacation. The Chili Cheese ones are horrible.
In N Out Burger. If you ever want to be considered a real expert on hamburgers you can’t compare them to Wendy’s.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Chad, I know, it’s where I found out about the Minnesota shop. Both of these are quite recent relative to the 10 years I’ve been looking.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
What is that?
September 17th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I think Rudys Red Eye serves Loaf style onion rings, and I think Damons did as well, although I dont know if the Damons are all gone now.
The ones I had were not so great, so its likely what you remember from Hackneys will be much better than the local presentation. The ones I have had locally were just not cooked correctly, lots of raw batter toward the middle.
September 17th, 2009 at 11:19 am
This kind of doesn’t count, but it falls under the “you can’t find it anywhere” category: Diet Pomegrante 7-Up. It is seasonal so i am now on the hunt for it. It’s fantastic. If you see some, hide it and then let me know cuz I will go get it. It’s that good.
:)
September 17th, 2009 at 11:20 am
uhhh, that should be pomegranate… :)
September 17th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Dogfish Head & New Glarus Brewing.
Can’t get ‘em in MN, but you can in Wisconsin. I stocked up at Woodman’s in La Crosse (Onalaska) on Sunday.
The Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA is amazing and the New Glarus Spotted Cow is very good.
September 17th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
We’ve talked about that 7up before, I look every time I walk down the pop aisle at Cub!
I’ll add one on the same theme – Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale (no, Sierra Mist’s version isn’t the same). LOVE the stuff but again, seasonal around here. When I find it I buy out the store’s inventory…so delicious!
September 17th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
I had the diet cranberry Sierra Mist the other day and liked it. I just don’t think I could drink more than one of them at a time.
September 17th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Ya, the pomegranate is way better than the cranberry sierra mist. Blech!
@Mrs Marcus: how about this, if I find the Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale, I’ll hide it for you and then let you know where it is and you do the same for my Diet Pomegranate 7 up? :)
September 17th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
1. fehler, make your own scrapple – it’s easy and you’ll know exactly what’s in it!!
2. Fresh, cheap seafood
3. A real, crispy, juicy, flying saucer breaded tenderloin
4. The shatteringly crisp corn-flake breaded onion rings that we used to get years ago at King’s drive-in somewhere in southern Indiana
5. Good pizza. Chicago (yum) or otherwise.
6. Good bagels.
7. Pecan Alligator coffeecakes from the defunct Roselyn Bakeries in Indy.
8. The freshly-squeezed limeade from the lunch counter in the back of Freel & Mason drugstore in Marion, Indiana (long gone).
9. A grilled cheese cooked on a real diner griddle (they sort of get it right at Matt’s bar, but it doesn’t seem the same)
10. Good ham.
On the frozen custard front, frozen custard is just what we call ice cream. On the east coast, they make ice cream without eggs in it (weird), then when someone puts eggs into their ice cream, they call it frozen custard. Pretty much any ice cream you buy around here would be called frozen custard out east. Any place here that used the term frozen custard is either being cute or is a chain (or owner) that originated in the east.
September 17th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
…and the pastries from that little patisserie in Chartres, France in 1977. Washed down with Scotch.
September 17th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Scrapple is easy? That was a joke right?
While we’re talking about that region, I would love a family style Pennsylvania Dutch supper like the Shartlesville Restaurant in Bernsville, PA.
September 17th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
“Scrapple is easy? That was a joke right?”
No.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Uhh..OK.
The scrapple I’m familiar with would be a pain in the ass simply because you’d have to know where to source a bunch of leftover pig parts including the head and a bunch of organs. I don’t know what your life involves, but that alone restricts me from making scrapple/sends me to the freezer case of the local grocery store.
Beyond that, the process of mushing the meal with the cooked down pig scraps to just the right consistency takes a while. Then, forming it into the loaf.
I would love some fresh, “homemade” scrapple but I simply don’t have the resources and I’m pretty sure nobody in Minnesota is making it, if it has ever been done.
If I can’t have that, the next best thing would be a restaurant serving it.
But…I settle for the frozen kind.
Thus, I can understand and agree with someone putting it on the “foods you can’t get in MN” list.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:10 am
I am sure its wonderful, but scrapple sounds horrible.
September 18th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Turtle sundae from either Kitts or Leons in Milwaukee. Must be made with butter pecan frozen custard. Both put Kopps to shame. I do want a Kopps pineapple shake though every so often and the one at Liberty or Adeles is not the same.
carmel cake or fried peach pie from McCoys in Milwaukee
September 18th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
MSPD, ask the butcher at any coop or grocery store.
September 18th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
“Yes…hi…I was wondering. Do you have the whole head of a pig back there? Oh, and while you’re checking, I’ll take the heart, liver and any other offal too.
By the way, I need an enormous kettle to put that all in as well as someone to watch my kids for a few hours while I do it. Thanks!”
Seriously…of the other 50+ posts about food you can’t READILY get in Minnesota, this is going to turn into a discussion of why I can’t just whip up some scrapple??
Here, maybe I can focus the attention back on something else: I don’t think In-N-Out is anywhere near equal to its hype either.
September 18th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
MSPD, being the daughter of a butcher, I felt required to tell you they can get it for you. I do not know, nor do I care what it is, I don’t eat piggies. :)
And I kind of meant, ask them about how to get it, not “do you have a pig head back there” But whatever!
September 18th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
I was just needling you dawnmarie.
I thought it was funny that of all things…pizza, bagels, and all the other stuff, it was scrapple–something that requires a lot of special effort and really screwy ingredients–that got people into the “oh you can just throw it together” mode.
I do wonder how many of even the good, independent butchers would agree to sell a pig head.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Sure, that’s the traditional scrapple. Modern day scrapple is pretty much just pork and liver with cornmeal and buckwheat. Some add apple. The whole “use the parts” thing just doesn’t happen much anymore. The modern-day stuff is still very good – probably better.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
MSPD, you and I really would enjoy a food chat.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Wow, scrapple…to think I almost corrected the original post to ask “don’t you mean SNAPPLE?…” guess not. Ick.
September 19th, 2009 at 8:20 am
sandy…agreed on the food chat. Maybe we’ll run into one another at a Lazy Lightning meetup.
The frozen scrapple sold in stores usually still has the organ-y goodness in the ingredients. I think that’s what really differentiates it from just plain old sausage (as well as the mealy texture..and I mean that in a good way for once). I’m not sure I would enjoy scrapple with just plain old pork.
Marcos…I think scrapple tastes better than most Snapple.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I’ll pile on the scrapple idea. Yum. And I’ll raise you all these:
Hand pulled fresh smoked pork with vinegar slaw (creamy slaw, yuk!), hush puppies with onion, and vinegar or mustard BBQ sauce.
High quality, fresh hand-pulled lump crabcakes, MD style – and crab-stuffed fresh-that-day flounder, piled high.
I said FRESH and HAND PULLED for both.
Pan fried fresh chicken. Got lots of chicken around here, but no one who knows how to fry it up right.
Fresh fried oysters, scallops and shrimp with hush puppies piled high. FRESH!
I couldn’t take it anymore, so I started spending weekends smoking my own pork butts, making my own dry rubs, making my own BBQ sauces, pulling my pork, ordering hush puppy mix, and making my own vinegar slaw. Next, I’m investing in a large cast iron skillet for the grill, and start making chicken the right way.
MN is too landlocked to ever aspire to rate for good seafood, I don’t care who it is or how fast they flew it up here, it is never, never, never good enough to satisfy! I’ve been to every seafood-serving joint in the TC – Pittsburgh Blue comes closest for MD crabcakes by recipe and execution, but the crab has just lost too much flavor and snap by the time it gets up here. It’s a lost cause, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
I love a good 5-way Skih-lihnny chili, too. I swear I saw the canned Skyline chili in a Lunds or Byerlys up here once. I could be wrong, tho, but I’m going to go back and look now.