CINCINNATI, OHIO
During the 19th century, Cincinnati was nicknamed 'Porkopolis' due to the opening of the first slaughterhouse in Ohio and the amount of salt pork, a U.S. food staple at that time, produced in Cincinnati and shipped to areas all over the country.
Pioneer pig stickers established the pork-packing industry as an early building block of Cincinnati’s prosperity in the mid to late 1800s.
In the years after, the business of salt pork and lard migrated on to other venues. Yet a legacy of dancing pigs and flying swine lingered on in Cincinnati and the Queen City has remained, as well, “Porkopolis.” The city continues to celebrate its porky heritage with the 'Flying Pig' marathon each May.
Cincinnati Chili
If you were asked you what city was the Chili capital of the world, what would your answer be? O.K. Let's narrow it down. Suppose I asked you what American city was the Chili capital of the world?
If you answered with any state or city west of the Rocky Mountains, you would be wrong, very wrong. In 1890, DeWitt Clinton Pendery concocted the first known Chili Powder mix, which he called 'Chiltomaline' and it had its part in promoting and making western-style Chili as ubiquitous as it is today. His mix was a concoction of Chiles, Cumin, Oregano, and other spices. Mr. Pendery arrived in Fort Worth, Texas after having traveled by horse-drawn stagecoach from Cincinnati, Ohio.
Cincinnati, known officially as the Queen City' was, in the 1700's and early 1800's, ' the gateway to the west. Located on a point where the mouth of the Licking River empties into the beautiful Ohio River, and just east of the spot where the three states of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana would eventually converge, this city was perfectly located for growth and industry. In those days river transportation was the fastest method of travel and one could ship goods or travel from Cincinnati, via the Ohio River, right into the mighty Mississippi river, and all the way to New Orleans and, from there, points west.
Surveyor John Filson gave the area, originally settled by John Symmes, the name "Losantiville." In 1790, General Arthur St. Claire, the first governor of the Northwest Territory, renamed the settlement 'Cincinnati' in honor of an organization of Revolutionary Soldiers called The Society of the Cincinnati, of which he was a member. The Society took its name from Quinctius Cincinnatus, an ancient Roman military leader.
I have to wonder what would have happened had Mr. Pendery decided to remain in Cincinnati, Ohio, because Cincinnati is the Chili Capital of the United States and, likely, the world. The city has more Chili parlors per capita and square mileage than any known city on the continent. Perhaps all chili would be of the Tex-Mex heritage if Pendery had stayed there.
But, the Chili produced, sold, and consumed in the Cincinnati area is not truly "Chili"as we know it. Cincinnati Chili is unique and quite different from its western cousin. In fact, about the only relation it has are the meat, cumin and chili powder it contains. After that, the recipe takes an interesting twist. Cincinnati style chili is also unique to the area and unique in the way it came to be.
Today, Cincinnati Chili is still assembled and sold the way ole Tom used to sell his: Two Way means spaghetti topped with chili (get it? Two Way means two items, spaghetti and chili); Three Way is spaghetti topped with chili and grated cheddar cheese; Four Way is spaghetti topped with chili, grated cheese and chopped onions; and Five Way is kidney beans or chili beans, heated separately, placed on the plate then topped with spaghetti, chili, onions and grated cheese.
If you stop in a Cincinnati chili parlor you must have a 'Coney.' Now, the history of this sandwich is somewhat vague, but Uncle Tom gets the credit for this, also. Seems that, en route to Cincinnati; he passed through the Coney Island area of New York. Later when he decided to cover one of his hot dogs on a bun with mustard, Cincinnati Chili, and onions, and top it all off with a lot of finely grated Cheddar Cheese, he named it a 'Coney Island' and the name sticks to this day. 'Coneys', as the locals call them, are now made with a hot dog that is a bit smaller and shorter than a regular wiener, to allow more room for the chili and other goodies that go thereon.
**Text and info was taken from several diff. texts and sites.**
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