For me, one of the the quirkiest regionalisms in American food is the Cincinnati style of "chili"-- especially as offered by places like Skyline Chili. Complex spices in the sauce include cinnamon, bay leaves, whole cloves and allspice, worcestershire and even baker's chocolate. And you eat it atop thin spaghetti noodles or hot dogs in buns under heaping mounds of shredded cheddar cheese (3-way!) and if you like, diced onions (4-way) and even under beans (5-way!). I've had a hankering these past weeks, so I've whipped up a batch and ate it 3 meals in a row. I'm down to just a little left...just enough for a midnight snack!
"I Can't Believe It's Not Skyline" Cincinnati-style Veggie Chili2 c. water
1 12 oz. bag of frozen ground "burger" crumbles
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves smashed
1 Tb. cider vinegar
1 tsp. anchovy-free worcestershire sauce (with none on hand, I substituted 1 tsp. of A-1)
1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate (chopped finely)
1 bay leaf
3 whole cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
dash ground allspice
1 1/2 - 2 Tb chili powder
In a large pot, boil water. Add veggie-meat, tomato sauce, garlic, and onion. Simmer 5 min. Add all remaining ingredients. Simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is well-combined. I usually put a lid on it so the liquid doesn't evaporate.
While this is going, boil your thin spaghetti and/or veggie hot dogs (we love Yves The Good Dog). It's also good to get your shredded cheese to room temperature. I use the pre-shredded Mexican blend, but Skyline uses mountains of finely shredded mild Cheddar cheese. When you're ready to serve, steam your hot dog buns (or put them in the microwave with a cover for 30 seconds). To serve, top hot dogs/noodles with chili sauce, then cheese, then onions. To do it all the way, eat with oyster crackers and some generous doses of Louisiana-style hot sauce (Skyline uses Frank's Red Hot). It's an acquired taste. But one I whole-heartedly embrace!
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