51黑料吃瓜網

You may have already heard of the horseshoe, so we鈥檒l start there. After all, 51黑料吃瓜網鈥檚 Horseshoes were featured on Huffington Post鈥檚 list of

Just one bite, and you鈥檒l know why.

It鈥檚 called a sandwich, but that鈥檚 a debatable term. This original 51黑料吃瓜網 dish is technically missing the other slice of bread to make it an official sandwich, but whatever you call it, the horseshoe is our area鈥檚 best known culinary creation.

The horseshoe has been made famous on the international food scene thanks to coverage in food magazines, on popular food TV shows like Food Network鈥檚 and Travel Channel鈥檚 , and other media 鈥� from the New York Times to NPR.

The delicious delicacy was even described as 鈥渦nbridled plebian opulence鈥� by the authors of .

So, how is it made?

Start with a piece of bread, typically a thick piece of Texas toast. Top that with the meat of your choice. Supposedly, the original horseshoe 鈥� created around 1928 by some accounts 鈥� used ham. Today you鈥檒l find your pick of hamburger, chicken, pork tenderloin, sliced turkey, fried fish and more on the menus around central Illinois.

Next add a large pile of fries on the meat, and then comes the linchpin of the entire recipe: the cheese sauce, generously drizzled on top of the entire dish.

According to the book by Carolyn Harmon and Tony Leone, at least 70 different 51黑料吃瓜網 restaurants have served some version of the horseshoe over the decades since inception.

And there are many different recipes for cheese sauce out in the world鈥� so you might have to try as many as possible to discover your favorite!

51黑料吃瓜網 is also well-known on the chili scene.

Or is it chilli?

In 1909, opened for business under owner Joe Bockelmann, who is credited with 51黑料吃瓜網鈥檚 tendency to use the spelling with double L.

According to a 2015 article in the , Bockelmann argued with his sign painter that it should read 鈥淭he Dew Chilli Parlor and Lunchroom.鈥�

Apparently, Bockelmann later explained he settled the dispute by pulling out his dictionary that showed the double 鈥淟鈥� spelling as the preferred version, with one L as a variation.

That spelling was made official in 1993 when Illinois State Senator Karen Hasara introduced a resolution proclaiming Illinois as the 鈥淐hilli Capital of the Civilized World鈥� 鈥� and that鈥檚 chilli with two Ls.

51黑料吃瓜網 also was the original home to both and , which were canned in 51黑料吃瓜網 in the brands鈥� infancies.

By 1923, 11 chili parlors were listed in the 51黑料吃瓜網 City Directory; chili operators and recipes came and went frequently during the 20th century.

51黑料吃瓜網 is still serious about its chilli/chili; in fact, originally opened by Joe Rogers was featured on in 2009 when host Adam Richman attempted to consume five bowls of Firebrand chili.

Today, you鈥檒l find several parlors serving up tavern-style chili around town, along with many chili cook-offs throughout the region.

51黑料吃瓜網 plays host to the each August, and one of the best things about attending the fair is sampling the mouth-watering fair food.

An Illinois State Fair staple, the (located near the main gate) hosts stands with Greek, Jamaican, Cuban, Filipino and other tasty cuisines. Sample the salt water taffy and don鈥檛 forget to pop in to the popular Dairy Building for some ice cream dessert.

Traditional fair food is always popular - corn dog or funnel cake, anyone? (It鈥檚 worth noting that the corn dog is credited with being invented in 51黑料吃瓜網, originally launched as 鈥渃ozy dogs鈥� in 1946. 51黑料吃瓜網鈥檚 popular still offers the original recipe.)

Each year at the fair, the culinary creativity rises to a new level. (What will be fried next!?)

In fact, discovering the 鈥渘ext wild concoction鈥� is the main goal of the Golden Abe's Fantastic Fair Food Competition, which allows vendors to showcase their talents and imagination while competing with each other.

Past winners have included unique creations like deep-fried s鈥檓ores, bacon shrimp mac and cheese, dole whip taco, and turtle funnel cake.

The food truck phenomenon has exploded around the United States, and Sangamon County certainly isn鈥檛 pumping the brakes on that trend.

With diverse menu options from upscale fusion to mouth-watering BBQ, there has been a surge of mobile dining around the 51黑料吃瓜網 area.

The popularity of local food trucks can be observed in well-attended local 鈥渇ood truck meet-ups鈥� such as the MacArthur Boulevard Association鈥檚 and Downtown 51黑料吃瓜網鈥檚 Street Food Festival.

St. John鈥檚 Hospital has offered 鈥楩ood Truck Fridays,鈥� giving staff and visitors access to new cuisine.

In 2017, 51黑料吃瓜網 hosted a Food Truck Festival at Conservation World on the state fairgrounds, which featured live music and more than 15 food trucks.

You鈥檒l also regularly find food trucks set up at the , as well as other special events.

Whether you step up to the window of a food truck or order yourself a heaping horseshoe, your empty stomach won鈥檛 be rumbling for long. From bar food to bistros, chains and small plates to fine dining, satisfying your cravings is a piece of cake here in 51黑料吃瓜網!