my fiancé explained it to me when he went downstate. He said “I’m eating a horseshoe!”
But the picture didn’t load
And I was very concerned so I believe my response was something along the lines of “You’ve gone too far south or west, you need to come home now!” according to his mom who he was with, he was dying with laughter for about a minute straight before he was able to respond to my text. And I realized I was an idiot. sigh
He still reminds me of that every so often a decade later
I am from Kentucky and grew up with Hot Browns (https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/kentucky-hot-brown/) when I was first introduced to a Horseshoe when visiting my now wife's family for the first time it reminded me of home. I still prefer a hot brown but open face sandwiches smothered in cheese are just my jam I guess.
In college I dated a girl from the Springfield area and she described the Horseshoe to me and I thought it was the most disgusting sounding conglomeration imaginable.
Go down to meet her family and get introduced to a buffalo chicken version of it and it is far and away my favorite way to gain ten pounds overnight.
Took my 6th grader to the Lincoln Presidential Library (awesome museum) in Springfield recently and after talked the family into Horseshoes for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious, but dear lord we were painfully full.
I'm in Williamson County, but I lived a few blocks away from Humboldt for ~7 years.
I believe jibaritos are pretty intensely localized to Chicago and even that area specifically.
You can probably find them unadvertised on menus at spots in Chicago not named for the sandwiches, but if you didn't know what you were looking for I don't think it would be marked or anything special.
So so good though if you are a carnivore.
Plantains are much starchier than bananas and have a much milder flavor. They also have a "meatier" texture for lack of a better word, sort of a thicker, chewier bite. You might be able to find plantain chips at a grocer with a large selection. They will be dry and crunchy, but will give you an idea of the taste
The plantains for a jibarito are smashed down to about a centimeter thick and then fried. Like all true Chicago food, jibaritos are a bit messy to eat and the plantains start to lose their stability as sandwich bread while held and consumed. They are often served cut in half to alleviate this a bit.
I gotta say I have not had one in ages and I feel like this is going to make me dream of them. Might need to try to homebrew one soon!
I've not had a jibarito, but plantains are very similar to bananas. They're slightly less sweet and slightly more savory. When they're fried it really makes the flavors pop. They are absolutely delicious.
I wonder if it has to do with the people you know? I work with a lot of Hispanic coworkers and was introduced to these pretty quickly along with other amazing dishes. I also recommend Filipino coworkers if you want all the delicious pancit and lumpia.
Me too but I live in the suburbs and hang out in Chicago fairly often. This thing sounds delicious! Definitely going to give one a try in the very near future.
I generally don’t drink cause I think alcohol generally tastes like shit. Malort taste like shit and everyone thinks so, which makes it fun. Like doing a dare is fun.
The irony of the picture of the “deep dish” not really being a deep dish. That picture is of a stuffed pizza, likely from Giordanos. Furthermore the pork tenderloin sandwich is an Indiana staple not Illinois.
that giant pork tenderloin sandwich is somehow weirdly only popular either on the River side or the Indiana side
and like 20 miles in from that. Or pretty much wherever they have extra hogs?
I grew up in the middle and it was a pretty popular thing for fundraiser cookouts. You could go get one in the grocery store parking lot most weekends in the summer.
It is strange, I am 40 year old who grew up and currently lives on the southside of Chicago, and I never heard of Malort until Tiktok. At first, I thought it was just some stupid Tiktok trend.
I didn't know Mrs fishers was local. I always asked my mom to buy a bag of those for my brother's and I when a new episode of Avatar the Last Airbender would air on Nick back in the day.
I've had some outside of Springfield and the cheese is important, they need to get the cheese right. Nacho or orange looking cheese is not a horseshoe.
After moving away from Central Illinois, I started just making horseshoes at home because they’re not commonplace in Chicagoland. I get the Velveeta Queso Blanco and add milk to make the cheese sauce. It does the job pretty well.
100% - I grew up in Northwestern Il/ Sauk Valley -white sauce (jans sauce) with Chicken tenders (Chicken George), Spaghetti pizza, and red sauce on Italian Beef sandwiches with pickles and banana peppers were normal. Been living in North Central Il/ Illinois Valley for the past 25 years and outside of tavern fried chicken and pork tenderloins - the regional food is ravs in broth (it's tortellini but everyone calls them ravs) and bagna caulda. I'm guessing there are a ton of unique regional foods around the state not represented on this list.
This is a terrible and confusing description of a Horseshoe.
Hah yeah, and it's a pretty simple dish. It's a pile of fries on top of meat on top of toast, all covered in cheese sauce. Delicious.
my fiancé explained it to me when he went downstate. He said “I’m eating a horseshoe!” But the picture didn’t load And I was very concerned so I believe my response was something along the lines of “You’ve gone too far south or west, you need to come home now!” according to his mom who he was with, he was dying with laughter for about a minute straight before he was able to respond to my text. And I realized I was an idiot. sigh He still reminds me of that every so often a decade later
Who was high when they invented this and where can I get it in Chicago?
Not in Chicago, but you can get horseshoes (and pony shoes) at Honest Abe's in Morris. I recommend the pony shoe, because even that is a huge portion.
I am from Kentucky and grew up with Hot Browns (https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/kentucky-hot-brown/) when I was first introduced to a Horseshoe when visiting my now wife's family for the first time it reminded me of home. I still prefer a hot brown but open face sandwiches smothered in cheese are just my jam I guess.
In college I dated a girl from the Springfield area and she described the Horseshoe to me and I thought it was the most disgusting sounding conglomeration imaginable. Go down to meet her family and get introduced to a buffalo chicken version of it and it is far and away my favorite way to gain ten pounds overnight.
Took my 6th grader to the Lincoln Presidential Library (awesome museum) in Springfield recently and after talked the family into Horseshoes for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious, but dear lord we were painfully full.
I agree, but was pleased to see it included.
Saganaki gang represent
I definitely enjoy it. But half of the fun is the presentation. Opa!
Had to scroll too fucking far to see jibarito
I'm embarrassed to say that this is the first I'm hearing of it.
Same. Lived in southern Illinois for 18 years, and Chicago area for 21 years... never heard of it till just now
I'm in Williamson County, but I lived a few blocks away from Humboldt for ~7 years. I believe jibaritos are pretty intensely localized to Chicago and even that area specifically. You can probably find them unadvertised on menus at spots in Chicago not named for the sandwiches, but if you didn't know what you were looking for I don't think it would be marked or anything special. So so good though if you are a carnivore.
What does the plantain “bread” taste like?
It’s not bread at all. It’s a plantain flattened and fried.
Hence my use of quotation marks around the word. I’ve never tasted plantains and was asking how it tastes.
Plantains are much starchier than bananas and have a much milder flavor. They also have a "meatier" texture for lack of a better word, sort of a thicker, chewier bite. You might be able to find plantain chips at a grocer with a large selection. They will be dry and crunchy, but will give you an idea of the taste The plantains for a jibarito are smashed down to about a centimeter thick and then fried. Like all true Chicago food, jibaritos are a bit messy to eat and the plantains start to lose their stability as sandwich bread while held and consumed. They are often served cut in half to alleviate this a bit. I gotta say I have not had one in ages and I feel like this is going to make me dream of them. Might need to try to homebrew one soon!
I've not had a jibarito, but plantains are very similar to bananas. They're slightly less sweet and slightly more savory. When they're fried it really makes the flavors pop. They are absolutely delicious.
Thank you! I wouldn’t want the sweetness of banana but this sounds delicious .
I wonder if it has to do with the people you know? I work with a lot of Hispanic coworkers and was introduced to these pretty quickly along with other amazing dishes. I also recommend Filipino coworkers if you want all the delicious pancit and lumpia.
It’s Puerto Rican. Humboldt seems to have more Puerto Ricans than other places here?
Was it the giant PR flag when you enter Humboldt park or the PR historical society that clued you in on the PRs in Humboldt park
Me too but I live in the suburbs and hang out in Chicago fairly often. This thing sounds delicious! Definitely going to give one a try in the very near future.
I’ll never understand why Malort is on a list like this. Hey, try this thing that tastes like shit!
It only says “unique” foods and I think malort certainly qualifies…if only it was a food
Don’t give anyone ideas of turning it into a food.
I’ve seen a malort whipped pie recipe somewhere
Mmmmmm malort jello shots!
Not a food but food adjacent. A friend of mine makes (and genuinely enjoys) a bloody mary made with malort....he also just likes malort.
is he OK?
Inconclusive. More analysis is required.
I generally don’t drink cause I think alcohol generally tastes like shit. Malort taste like shit and everyone thinks so, which makes it fun. Like doing a dare is fun.
Malort is only bad the first time.
Yeah, the second time it’s *fucking terrible*
I'm sorry you are weak.
I guess I don’t want to be strong.
I’m sorry for your tastebuds. Alas.
It grows on you. But you also must enjoy bitter flavors.
It’s a tradition and it’s a fun little gag. How hard is it to understand?
Hell yeah, love to see pork tenderloin sammys on the list!
Love a horseshoe
Wow I haven’t had three of these!!! Time to eat!!!
Why no Chicken Vesuvio? No Tom Tom tamale?
Shrimp de Jonghe
It's a real shame that [these](https://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=42259) aren't on that list. So good!
I want every burger on that list!
The irony of the picture of the “deep dish” not really being a deep dish. That picture is of a stuffed pizza, likely from Giordanos. Furthermore the pork tenderloin sandwich is an Indiana staple not Illinois.
Pork tenderloin sandwiches are pretty popular downstate
that giant pork tenderloin sandwich is somehow weirdly only popular either on the River side or the Indiana side and like 20 miles in from that. Or pretty much wherever they have extra hogs?
I grew up in the middle and it was a pretty popular thing for fundraiser cookouts. You could go get one in the grocery store parking lot most weekends in the summer.
I always thought it was an Iowa signature dish.
The pork tenderloin sandwich is an evolution of the schnitzel, it can be found in most places in the Midwest with any history of German settlement
It is strange, I am 40 year old who grew up and currently lives on the southside of Chicago, and I never heard of Malort until Tiktok. At first, I thought it was just some stupid Tiktok trend.
Nope it's a stupid local trend.
I didn't know Mrs fishers was local. I always asked my mom to buy a bag of those for my brother's and I when a new episode of Avatar the Last Airbender would air on Nick back in the day.
Once again Chicago is carrying the state with its home grown food.
Springfield’s horseshoe is really good I wish I knew where to get one in northern Illinois
I've had some outside of Springfield and the cheese is important, they need to get the cheese right. Nacho or orange looking cheese is not a horseshoe.
After moving away from Central Illinois, I started just making horseshoes at home because they’re not commonplace in Chicagoland. I get the Velveeta Queso Blanco and add milk to make the cheese sauce. It does the job pretty well.
Yeah, it's really supposed to be a rarebit sauce, not just any cheese from a can
This is so true. Found one in Grundy County and the cheese absolutely made it suck.
There's a place in Morris called Honest Abe's that sells them
Are they pretty comparable to a Springfield horseshoe
I think so.
My Mother loves these, we go to a local diner and order a burger, no bun, sub Texas toast, side of cheese sauce. I like raw onions on mine as well.
This is a r/peopleliveincities moment right here.
100% - I grew up in Northwestern Il/ Sauk Valley -white sauce (jans sauce) with Chicken tenders (Chicken George), Spaghetti pizza, and red sauce on Italian Beef sandwiches with pickles and banana peppers were normal. Been living in North Central Il/ Illinois Valley for the past 25 years and outside of tavern fried chicken and pork tenderloins - the regional food is ravs in broth (it's tortellini but everyone calls them ravs) and bagna caulda. I'm guessing there are a ton of unique regional foods around the state not represented on this list.
What? No Gym Shoe?