 
Lilpup
Member
Username: Lilpup
Post Number: 4113
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 4:45 pm: |    |
"These are fantastic, don't contaminate them with kraut, onions or chili, just a little mustard. Too much crap on them and you can't enjoy the flavor of the coney itself!"
you definitely don't understand a Detroit Coney Island - it's less about the dog than what's on 'em |
Zephyrmec
Member
Username: Zephyrmec
Post Number: 50
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 5:21 pm: | |
"Detroit Coney Dog" and "Coney" are NOT interchangeable terms. You can make a Detroit Dog out of a Coney, but not the reverse. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6367
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 6:02 pm: | |
Gnome, Scotty Simpsons's Fish and Chips:
22200 Fenkell, Detroit. Corner Dolphin, 2 blks. West of Lahser. In Brightmoor, a district with a real Detroit neighborhood feel for atmosphere.
Open, Tues. -Sun. 313-533-0950.
Don't let the KKK office up the street bother you. (LOL)
Can anybody give us a recent personal review before we go there? Sounds fantastic for perch, cod, smelt, chips, and onion rings. Save room for Stewart's Ginger Beer and home-made pies.
jjaba. |
Jman
Member
Username: Jman
Post Number: 153
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 6:04 pm: | |
They are not "Detroit Coney Dogs, they are Coney Islands. Go to Coney Island in New York, go to Nathans, get a coney with kraut or order a chili Dog. Here a Coney Island has chili, mustard and onions. |
Downriviera
Member
Username: Downriviera
Post Number: 292
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 6:05 pm: | |
Zephyrmec,
What you are describing sounds like a hot dog with mustard, what I get at the ball game? |
Evelyn
Member
Username: Evelyn
Post Number: 201
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 6:11 pm: | |
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned Arabic food yet (or did I miss it?) Didn’t realize til I left the area that it’s not easy finding good Arabic restaurants. Fresh hummus, falafel and that cucumber yogurt sauce, baklava, and I’m still really bummed I can’t find decent baba ghanoush in the southwest. (Yes, I did grow up in Dearborn, if you’re wondering!) |
Johnlodge
Member
Username: Johnlodge
Post Number: 6247
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 6:14 pm: | |
Actually, in Coney Island and much of New York, Vermont, and parts of Canada, Coney's are called "Michigan Dogs". They aren't called that here though, they're called Coneys. Figure that one out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M ichigan_hot_dog |
Jfried
Member
Username: Jfried
Post Number: 1132
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 6:23 pm: | |
Hot Chips & Moon Mist. The food of champions. |
Flyingj
Member
Username: Flyingj
Post Number: 163
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 6:41 pm: | |
Velvet Peanut Butter was good...only a gourmet brand made out here by character actor Sorrells Pickard(R.I.P.) came close |
Gnome
Member
Username: Gnome
Post Number: 1103
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 7:24 pm: | |
Red Pelican is still around and still making the best mustard and horseradish around. |
Downriviera
Member
Username: Downriviera
Post Number: 293
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 7:30 pm: | |
Gnome,
Where can I get Red Pelican mustard? I was under the impression it was not available anymore. |
Detroit313
Member
Username: Detroit313
Post Number: 649
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 8:15 pm: | |
Detroit is not known for its pizza, but since two household named pizza chains are from Detroit, it should be!....
<313> |
Classicyesfan
Member
Username: Classicyesfan
Post Number: 124
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 8:53 pm: | |
Craig says"
--------------------
"Utz's chips & Old Iron City for the emigrees from PA steel country."
Or Snyders of Berlin chips for those from my home county of Somerset in southwestern PA (now famous for Quecreek mine and 9-11 crash...).
-end quote-
Buffalo wings out of Cambria County are the best I've found..."
My favorite food is the REAL Amish smoked sausage and dried corn at Penn Alps in Grantsville MD just over the Mason-Dixon from my parents home. Our house was in PA and our porch was in MD.
Anyway the Amish Mennonite restaurant is still open, we have our family reunions for Easter there. Now that's heaven to me. Nothing compares to it anywhere. |
Zephyrmec
Member
Username: Zephyrmec
Post Number: 51
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 10:11 pm: | |
Check the link, Coneys are white, hot dogs are red or pink. There is a difference. |
Frank_c
Member
Username: Frank_c
Post Number: 1514
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 11:15 pm: | |
Zephyrmec I think you are thinking of a Frankfurter, best with the skin, they crunch when bite'em. Personal favorite. Only mustard. |
Jcole
Member
Username: Jcole
Post Number: 238
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 11:48 pm: | |
Those white 'Coneys' look like bockwurst, or unsmoked bratwurst. |
Detroitwhat
Member
Username: Detroitwhat
Post Number: 12
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - 12:25 am: | |
You fools have forgot, although it's new don't forget SLOWS. Nuff said. |
7andkelly
Member
Username: 7andkelly
Post Number: 174
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - 12:29 am: | |
A Bray's hamburger. Enough said. |
Jcole
Member
Username: Jcole
Post Number: 244
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - 12:36 am: | |
Slows is awesome. I lived in Texas for a few months and Slows comes the closest to real Texas 'que of any place around here. |
Alley
Member
Username: Alley
Post Number: 26
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - 12:46 am: | |
A 'coonie' is definitely not the Detroit food anyone is talking about when they talk about Coney Islands! Who decided Hoffman Sausage is the original real deal, anyway? |
Zulu_warrior
Member
Username: Zulu_warrior
Post Number: 3351
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 9:14 am: | |
Let me elevate the level of cuisine....
What about finer dining, like DC and Boston have Crab, do the Muer Resturants count....? |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6382
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 11:12 am: | |
Sure, Zulu, as long as it's signature Detroit food. Lead the way.
jjaba. |
1st_sgt
Member
Username: 1st_sgt
Post Number: 147
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 12:03 pm: | |
I don't know, but my family has been in Detroit for many generations and we have certain foods that I have found very few people make or eat.
It's not really ethnic food.
Could it be a Detroit thing?
Bologna (1/2 lb chunk from the deli) and sweet pickles ground up together and mixed with mayo on bread for sandwiches.
Hot dogs in potato soup.
Turkey on buttered bread with layered bread and butter pickles sandwiches.
Breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches.
Old fashioned loaf (from Kowalski’s) sandwich.
Bread and butter with sugar sandwich.
Anyone else eat these? |
Nanska
Member
Username: Nanska
Post Number: 131
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 12:21 pm: | |
A Black Cow made with Vernor's and Sander's Chocolate Ice Cream |
Bigb23
Member
Username: Bigb23
Post Number: 1312
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 12:33 pm: | |
I'll update my Honey Baked Ham with Hudson's Maurice salad and an "Ice cold firebrewed beer" |
Craig
Member
Username: Craig
Post Number: 743
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 1:02 pm: | |
Classicyesfan - Grantsville? Holy cow! We might be related. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6386
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 3:43 pm: | |
Hot cabbage borsch in winter, cold beet borsch with the greens in summer. Always add the dolop of sour cream in summer.
jjaba, Westside Bar Mitzvah Bukkor. |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 6707
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 1:31 am: | |
Getting back on the Bratwurst/Bockwurst tangent...
The Bratwurst is rather gray looking.
The Weisswurst (veal sausage) is off-white.
The Bockwurst is a pink hot dog color. |
Gnome
Member
Username: Gnome
Post Number: 1121
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 5:11 am: | |
Jjaba, was at Scotty Simpson's during lent, so about a month ago. Same place. Same worn tables and thread bare carpeting. Same great fish.
For those who shy away from deep fried fish, I understand. I sounds really unhealthy. But the Scotty Simpson fish is on a completely different level. It doesn't have that leaden quality...like eating a sponge soaked in grease.
Scotty's fish is so light and crispy it almost floats off the plate. oh, and the decor is pretty no-nonsense circa 1969 stuff. Pictures of fish, lighthouses and stuffed fish from long ago.
Oh yeah, last time I was there, Pete Karmonous was at the next table with his son and grandson. At least I assume it was his grandson...Pete did marry that young lady, so maybe it was Pete and Sons. |
Rocknrollscientist
Member
Username: Rocknrollscientist
Post Number: 123
Registered: 05-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 9:41 am: | |
I think it's kind of funny that the best hot dog you can get at Comerica Park (IMO) is Hebrew National, which is based in NYC.
Being a 30-something Detroiter who did not grow up in the area, I'm sure my ideas of the signature foods are different than many on this board.
I would say Coney Island chili dogs; Polish food; Faygo; Better Made potato chips; sliders at Tel-Way, Bray's, Bates, and probably a few others I'm forgetting; Arabic and Lebanese food; Greek food; Kowalski Sausage; and in the past few years: Slows. |
Jcole
Member
Username: Jcole
Post Number: 305
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 9:49 am: | |
Yes, Tel-way belongs on the list. It's Hillbilly Chili rocks. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6395
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 11:11 am: | |
Rocknroll, jjaba would agree with you. Imagine having to buy a damn hot dog from New York. jjaba won't claim a Comerica Park dog as Detroit. Nope. There was a time when Detroit's Hygrade Ballpark Franks were made just West of Tiger Stadium (nee Briggs, Navin, Bennett), on Michigan Avenue.
Add Vernor's aged-in-wood Ginger Ale and you've got a nice list.
In his survey of best ballpark dogs, jjaba likes The Polish at Sec. 129, new Comiskey (Cellular)Park, Chicago. Comerica's pre-wrapped selection? Foggettaboutit.
jjaba. |
Classicyesfan
Member
Username: Classicyesfan
Post Number: 151
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2008 - 3:52 pm: | |
craig: "Classicyesfan - Grantsville? Holy cow! We might be related."
You never know, the families in that Appalachian area have been intermingling for hundreds of years. My ancestor fought in Daniel Cresap's unit in the Revolutionary War, based out of Allegany county MD. He lived mostly in Salisbury PA but they moved back and forth across the Mason-Dixon. His father came over from Switzerland in 1732, swore allegiance to William Penn's utopian vision. |
Cromer
Member
Username: Cromer
Post Number: 1
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2008 - 9:19 pm: | |
How about City Chicken, I've only been able to find it at polish restaurants around the detroit area. |
Classicyesfan
Member
Username: Classicyesfan
Post Number: 154
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 11:04 am: | |
Cromer, my southwestern Pennsylvanian mother says that city chicken was a Pittsburgh staple in the 50's, she used to make it when I was I kid in Somerset. I think it's an ethnic food that spread regionally, although we were of
German-Swiss descent. |
Jcole
Member
Username: Jcole
Post Number: 380
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 11:12 am: | |
My Hungarian mother made city chicken, and my very Polish husband still does. You'll find it on the menu at Two Sisters in Rochester, and I think at Starlite on Michigan Ave. |
Gazhekwe
Member
Username: Gazhekwe
Post Number: 1982
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 12:47 pm: | |
Scotty's decor, that is the paintings, fish and jukebox, are all unchanged since the 50s. I disremember them ever getting new furniture, but they must have. Same carryout plates, same Brown's buns. I know, I was there from the beginning. The carryout lane used to have a halfwall that had ceramics on it, deer, lighthouses, things like that. For some reason, we kids never broke any of it, though it was right in reach. Oh, and the picture windows were all glass, full view of Fenkell was also a decor feature. |
Gazhekwe
Member
Username: Gazhekwe
Post Number: 1983
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 1:38 pm: | |
Hey, this thread just got mentioned on WWJ, inviting everyone to come and vote for their choice. Welcome! |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6409
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 2:44 pm: | |
Remind us, what's City chicken?
jjaba. |
Retroit
Member
Username: Retroit
Post Number: 9
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 4:42 pm: | |
Boston Cooler, a Detroit original and unknown in Boston.
By the way, the hot dogs used by Lafayette Coney Island are made at Winter Sausage on Gratiot in Eastpointe. |
Jman
Member
Username: Jman
Post Number: 154
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 5:31 pm: | |
City chicken is cubes of pork and veal on a wooden skewer, breaded and fried like chicken. |
Jcole
Member
Username: Jcole
Post Number: 382
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 6:20 pm: | |
Some people use beef instead of veal, but it just isn't the same. It's great with mashed potatoes and gravy. My husband always eats his with ketchup,. Also, I used to take it to school for lunch the day after, and eat it cold. Just like cold fried chicken. Yum. |
Ronaldj
Member
Username: Ronaldj
Post Number: 11
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 12:40 am: | |
Jman: the only way to make city chicken,and how did it get that name. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6411
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 1:57 am: | |
City chicken is on the menu at Polish Village, Hamtramck. Try it and report back, thanks.
jjaba. |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 6729
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 2:45 am: | |
With the far east side of Detroit having a large Belgian community, I'm surprised that a recipe with pigeon isn't mentioned on this thread... but then again... the Belgians do like their steamed mussels.
The symbol of the eastside should be a Pigeon Coop!
Mimic'ing Homer Simpson.... "mmmmmm Pigeon!"  |
Jman
Member
Username: Jman
Post Number: 155
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 7:59 am: | |
Ronaldj, I never heard the story about how city chicken got it's name. |
Django
Member
Username: Django
Post Number: 206
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 8:06 am: | |
Avalon always has good dumpster bread, Its all packaged for the most part.. If you catch them at the right time (after closing) they often have day old right off the back of the truck. If anything has been a signature Detroit food for me its been Avalon. I love that woman and her employees. |
Pam
Member
Username: Pam
Post Number: 3991
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 8:31 am: | |
Old thread on city chicken:
https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/76017/75837.html?1153431 951 |
Bearinabox
Member
Username: Bearinabox
Post Number: 621
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 8:50 am: | |
quote:City chicken is on the menu at Polish Village, Hamtramck. Try it and report back, thanks. I have. It is good. |
Bigb23
Member
Username: Bigb23
Post Number: 1366
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 9:06 am: | |
Thanks for the link Pam, I make city chicken as much as possible at home, and that thread has more info than I can possibly digest at this time. |
Classicyesfan
Member
Username: Classicyesfan
Post Number: 182
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 9:31 am: | |
I think there are many posts there that say pretty much what my Mother told me. "City Chicken" arrived in Detroit mainly via the Appalachians who came to Detroit, and not all of them were coal miners as my ancestors were dairy farmers for hundreds of years in Somerset PA. I don't think chickens were very rare to land owners, more so to the miners living in company towns.
The dish seems to have been central to the Allegheny Mountain region.
My mother's recipe is much more complicated than anything I've seen posted. They used to work on it all Sunday afternoon, and it was one of the best comfort foods ever. I'll try to get her version for everyone - it's well worth the work.
This map seems to show exactly where the dish was popular:
|
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6413
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 12:59 pm: | |
Incredible map. The mutli-colored counties reflect the numbers of City Chickens per family we presume.
jjaba. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6414
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 1:06 pm: | |
Pam, excellent link about City Chicken. Thanks.
jjaba, Westsider who never heard of City Chicken, eating his pastrami on rye with Russian dressing. |
Downriviera
Member
Username: Downriviera
Post Number: 309
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 1:17 pm: | |
I was next to a table of oldtimers at a small bar, heard them ordering Delray Steak Sandwiches. Sounded good to me, so I ordered one too. Waitress brought me a grilled cheese. When I told her I ordered a Delray Steak Sandwich she laughed and said that a Delray Steak Sandwich is a grilled cheese sandwich. |
Classicyesfan
Member
Username: Classicyesfan
Post Number: 187
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 6:49 pm: | |
"Incredible map. The mutli-colored counties reflect the numbers of City Chickens per family we presume.
jjaba."
Apparently jjaba didn't look at the original "city chicken" thread that Pam kindly posted. That thread discussed the origins of city chicken in the Appalachian miners with roots in the Slavic countries. This map indicated the distribution of Slavic peoples by county in the Appalachian region. I used the map again to point out that "city chicken" is not a Detroit phenomenon, but simply migrated here. I also mentioned that this was a dish popular in western PA during the same period it thrived in Detroit.
So, really, there was no need for "zsmartassz-iszm". Although it is fun being a putz sometime! |
Bigb23
Member
Username: Bigb23
Post Number: 1388
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 7:23 pm: | |
Why did the city chicken cross the state line? |
Detroitfats
Member
Username: Detroitfats
Post Number: 42
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 8:25 pm: | |
My mom made awesome city chicken, which we always had with mashed potatoes, gravy and biscuits. It was traditional to leave the stripped-clean sticks on the plate, and at the end of the meal, you could clearly see whose eating skills reigned. My older brother would astound us with his "body count." I'm sure I remember him eating twelve one Easter Sunday. |
Otter
Member
Username: Otter
Post Number: 131
Registered: 12-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 9:51 pm: | |
Is Vernors still...anything special? I drink very little Coke (I gre up in the south, so it's all Coke) and less ginger ale, but all of that is Vernor's so I don't have much to comapre it with. But it seems that all high-colume coke (there I go again) is made with the dreaded high fructose corn syrup and I have a bit of difficulty imagining that it could really be that different. I hope I'm wrong. |
Blumoon191
Member
Username: Blumoon191
Post Number: 2
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 10:04 am: | |
Thanks for the memories! Former Detroiter here, transplanted many years ago.
Definitely nodding here with some of the uniqueness, especially ground bologna & pickle sandwiches, angel wings, and city chicken!
BTW, origin of city chicken: during earlier years (Depression I think) the price of chicken was actually HIGHER than the price of beef, pork, and veal. The skewered "city chicken" was supposed to be pseudo-chicken legs!
Searching for some remembered family favorites (like angel wings) I've collected some small press cookbooks (churches, auto factory wives, etc.) and there are many interesting items, including some history. After reading the thread, I've definitely GOT to make the Angel Wings, remembering my grandfather used to take me to a bakery on the corner of Lahser and Grand River.
Thanks everyone! |
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