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Old 10-07-2011, 09:24 AM
 
Location: Mason, OH
9,259 posts, read 16,828,809 times
Reputation: 1957

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gymshoes... We need to have a discussion here.

From another thread I know you currently live in Michigan and are moving to the Cincinnati area. So you are going to have to recognize what Cincinnati Chili is all about.
Cincinnati Chili is ordered in two configurations and neither one is a simple bowl.
. The coneys. These are the small wieners, hot dogs, sausages, whatever you want to call them served on a bun. The traditional method is a wiener on a bun, slathered with mustard, covered with chili, sprinkled with diced onions, and then smothered in finely grated cheddar cheese. Depending on your likes/dislikes you can request to hold the mustard, hold the onions, hold the cheese, etc. Of course pretty soon all you have is a weeney on a bun.
. The ways. This is the traditional method of ordering Cincinnati Chili. The simplest is a bed of thin spaghetti topped with chili or a 2-way. Why anybody in their right mind would order it this way is beyond me. The next step is add a heaping mount of finely grated cheddar cheese, or a 3-way, now at least you have something to eat. The next step is a 4-way, adding diced onions prior to the cheese. The pinnacle is the 5 -way where red (kidney) beans are added to the mix, some operators put them below the spaghetti, some on top. Now if you like beans but do not want onions, the proper way is to order a 5-way, hold the onions. If you order a 4-way with beans it just shows you are new to the trade.
. Another oddity with ways is the fact they come with a side order of oyster crackers. There is no clear recognition of where oysters crackers origininated. The name implies they have something to do with oysters. My father loved oyster stew and used oyster crackers constantly. I abhor anything to do with oysters. Others contend the name comes from their shape, either round or octagonal and representing a shell. I just know I love oyster crackers and put them into everything from New England Clam Chowder to soups of every variety to yes my Tex-Mex chili.
. Then comes the bottle of hot sauce on the table to sprinkle on the top of your way. Where does this come from? They say there is no such thing as 5-alarm Cincinnati Chili, but if you sprinkle enough of this stuff on top you will have a close proximity. And one local chain, Gold Star, actually advertises on their menu the Firehouse variety.

So get with it before you come to Cincinnati.

Actually, this is all tongue-in-cheek. Last weekend, one of my kids who lives in southern KY came to Mason for a high school band competition. They just had to have their Cincinnati Chili fix. So I went up to Skyline and bought the coneys and ways for everyone. The next day I am trying to figure out what to make for the wife and I. I am up at Kroger and decide man that chili was good yesterday. So I go and get some ground beef and Cincinnati Recipe chili mix. Next thing I know I have a whole Dutch Oven full of Cincinnati Chili. Fixed some spaghetti for supper and served it the traditional style. But I still had bookoo chili left. So I poured out a bowl, threw some diced onion and finely grated sharp cheddar cheese into it and chowed down. The one thing I forgot was the sour cream. It may not be a Cincinnati Chili staple, but I really have to try the sour cream.
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Old 10-07-2011, 04:41 PM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,998 posts, read 75,311,165 times
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You can get plain chili in a bowl at any of the independent chili parlors, maybe even at Skyline. But it's not very appetizing; a bowl full of watery ground beef! There's a reason it's dumped over chili and smothered with cheese ...
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Old 10-07-2011, 04:59 PM
 
Location: Mason, OH
9,259 posts, read 16,828,809 times
Reputation: 1957
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
You can get plain chili in a bowl at any of the independent chili parlors, maybe even at Skyline. But it's not very appetizing; a bowl full of watery ground beef! There's a reason it's dumped over chili and smothered with cheese ...
Whoever said Cincinnati Chili is meant to be eaten by the bowl? But what is its dumped over chili and smothered with cheese? Did you perhaps mean spaghetti? I love Cincinnati Chili in any of its forms.

I also love my version of Tex-Mex chili, which I typically make from cubed round steak, but also add whole canned tomatoes, kidney beans, onions, and a whole lot of chili powder and cheyenne pepper. I also have to serve it with oyster crackers, finely grated cheddar cheese and possibly over thin spaghetti. Maybe that is just my Cincinnati heritage, if chili is not served over spaghetti it is just not chili.
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Old 10-07-2011, 06:23 PM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,998 posts, read 75,311,165 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kjbrill View Post
But what is its dumped over chili and smothered with cheese? Did you perhaps mean spaghetti?
LOL, that's exactly what I meant ...

Just because you've never seen anyone eat a bowl of Cincinnati chili on its own doesn't mean it isn't offered on menus.
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Old 10-07-2011, 06:29 PM
 
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
520 posts, read 1,854,850 times
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The loaded chili bowl at Skyline is actually pretty good. Its chili with beans, onion, cheese and sour creme. No spaghetti. I do prefer a 5-way though. And it has to be a juicy one so I can soak the oyster crackers.
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Old 10-07-2011, 06:36 PM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,998 posts, read 75,311,165 times
Reputation: 67003
^^^Oooh! Low-carb!
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Old 10-08-2011, 01:51 PM
 
Location: Mason, OH
9,259 posts, read 16,828,809 times
Reputation: 1957
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
LOL, that's exactly what I meant ...

Just because you've never seen anyone eat a bowl of Cincinnati chili on its own doesn't mean it isn't offered on menus.
Yes I know a bowl is on all Cincinnati Chili parlor menus. But why? For people who do not like spaghetti or are in a hurry and just want to pour it down?

Sometimes, when I make the chili at home, have a lot of it left over, and don't feel like making more spaghetti, I will take a bowl with about half a box of oyster crackers. When they get nice and mushy, with some sprinkles of Red Hot sauce on top, I can sit there and enjoy washing it down with a couple cans of beer. But the next morning, oh what an effect! The only thing rivaling it are White Castle sliders.
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Old 10-08-2011, 02:05 PM
 
2,886 posts, read 4,986,490 times
Reputation: 1508
Quote:
Originally Posted by kjbrill View Post
Yes I know a bowl is on all Cincinnati Chili parlor menus. But why? For people who do not like spaghetti or are in a hurry and just want to pour it down?

Sometimes, when I make the chili at home, have a lot of it left over, and don't feel like making more spaghetti, I will take a bowl with about half a box of oyster crackers. When they get nice and mushy, with some sprinkles of Red Hot sauce on top, I can sit there and enjoy washing it down with a couple cans of beer. But the next morning, oh what an effect! The only thing rivaling it are White Castle sliders.
Too much information.
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Old 10-08-2011, 02:53 PM
 
Location: Mason, OH
9,259 posts, read 16,828,809 times
Reputation: 1957
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah Perry View Post
Too much information.
Yes I know. But too much Cincinnati Chili is also too much and you will know it.
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Old 10-08-2011, 04:59 PM
 
2,886 posts, read 4,986,490 times
Reputation: 1508
Quote:
Originally Posted by kjbrill View Post
Yes I know. But too much Cincinnati Chili is also too much and you will know it.
Perhaps. But I won't be talking about it here.
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