In an earlier post about speakeasies, I mentioned my favorite bar as of this writing – The Bletchley. This London speakeasy is quite unique making you order your drinks in code.
Bletchley Park was the British code-breaking establishment where the first computer was built in order to decrypt German messages, which you may remember from the Oscar-nominated film, The Imitation Game (fantastic film, by the way). Before these early computers were used, enigma machines were used for this purpose.
The Bletchley bar takes you back to World War II, London. It is the perfect place to round out a day after visiting the Imperial War Museum or touring the Churchill War Rooms. In true speakeasy style, you must find the location of the bar by entering an alley way to find the back entrance of a building in Chelsea. The entrance to the outside shares a door to the kitchens of the front restaurant. There are no windows on the door to the bar, nor is there any indication of the amazingness that one can find inside. Only the truly curious and adventurous will enter.
Agent Black and Foxtrot at your service to decrypt the German messages with our enigma machine.
Once inside, you are given a WWII-style coat and shown to a cozy table with an enigma machine. You are given puzzles to solve, relevant to WWII. Don’t worry, they vary in difficulty, but even the most difficult are not too challenging. With each puzzle you solve, a new, completely customized drink is brought to your table. The drinks are strong and delicious – tailored to your personal likes and dislikes based on your answers to the questions.
Everything in this bar is set to immerse you into WWII-era Bletchley Park, even the staff are serious about their secret agent work.
My husband and I had a blast pretending to be Agent Black and Agent Foxtrot (coded as well to indicate allergies), solving puzzles, pretending we were hunkered down in one of the huts of Bletchley Park, solving messages, and getting paid in lavish libations. If you ever find yourself in London, be sure to check this place out!
Do you have a favorite unique place to go? What are your favorite London haunts?
While Iceland is a wonderful travel destination year round, Easter, like Christmas, in Iceland is a special time.
Officially, the country is dominated by the Lutheran church, as seen by the giant testament to their faith, Hallgrímskirkja, the famous church which dominates any Google image search with the word, “Reykjavík.” However, most Icelanders declare atheist (although perhaps a truer word would be “agnostic”) beliefs. Despite this, all of Iceland still celebrates Easter full-force.
By this I mean, they start the Easter season the way any holiday should be started, with food. The Monday before Catholic countries start Lent, Iceland celebrates Bolludagur (“Bun Day”). This is one of my favorite holidays. In Icelandic, “bollur” are round bread buns (“bolla” is singular). These bollur are light, round pastries, sliced in half and filled with a cream in the middle. They are often also covered in a frosting or sweet fruit topping as well. To me, they are kind of like a cross between a donut and a cream puff, which makes for sweet, sweet happiness.
The tradition is that one must spank another to receive their bun. This leads to children arming themselves with homemade paddles on Sunday and waking their parents on Monday morning by spanking them while yelling “Bolla!” over and over again in order to receive their bollur. Where else can you spank your PARENT and get away with it?
This is only the beginning. The very next day is Sprengidagur (Mardi Gras in most places). While Icelanders do not partake in Lent, they still want to participate in the gluttony celebrated on “Explosion Day.” Similar to Mardi Gras, Sprengidagur is reserved for eating as much as one can, or till one explodes. Traditional food for the day is salty (I guess to balance the sweet from the day before) – salt-preserved lamb and split-pea soup.
Ash Wednesday, Öskudagur, also has a special Icelandic tradition where children dress up in costumes and solicit shops and businesses for candy by singing to them, very similar to Halloween in the United States.
All is quiet in Iceland for the next few weeks until … the Easter eggs (páskaegg) come out. Then you know it’s almost time! You can find these eggs in grocery stores all over the island. Locals will give them to their children, spouses, or receive them from their employer. They range in sizes and are hollow, but don’t worry the large ones contain more candy inside. Every egg from the tiny number 1 to the large number 9 all contain an Icelandic proverb, malshættir, which often have hilarious English translations. The eggshell is chocolate, some of the newer ones are chocolate and licorice (such as the Draumur one in the photo) or puffed rice. A new one this year from the famed Icelandic candy company, Nói Síríus, featured an Icelandic candy, Tromp, which is chocolate, marzipan, and licorice.
Various Icelandic Easter eggs. The middle one has a Draumur shell, which is a licorice and chocolate bar.
Traditionally, these eggs are hidden. Children will wake up on Easter morning and hunt down their eggs with their parents and caregivers helping them along with “hot” and “cold” verbal cues. Once they find it, the children break open their páskaegg excitedly and read the proverb inside before devouring the candy.
Easter is a national holiday in Iceland. As a result many companies and businesses are closed from Maundy (Holy) Thursday through Easter Monday. With so much time off, a favorite past-time of Icelanders is to go skiing, visit a summer house, or even take a holiday outside the country. Do keep this in mind if you are travelling in the country during this time. Many businesses will be closed. Additionally, it is forbidden to party on Good Friday, so all bars and clubs are closed midnight to midnight on Good Friday. In protest, Icelandic atheists gather annually at Austurvöllur in downtown Reykjavík to play Bingo. It’s open to anyone, and there are prizes!
For those staying close to home, traditional meals include a “party bird” (turkey with stuffing) or a “turkey ship” (turkey breast) with sweet potatoes, vegetables, and gravy on Good Friday, similar to Thanksgiving in the United States. On Easter itself, families indulge in a roasted leg of lamb, more sweet potatoes, vegetables, and gravy.
All in all, Easter in Iceland brings families together over food. How does your culture celebrate Spring? What foods are special to this time of year?
On first glance, popcorn does not seem to have much in common with Chicago. However, a deeper dive lets us see Chicago is really the perfect place to have a popcorn mecca, if there ever could be one.
Corn, or maize, is a New World crop which even today paints the breadbasket of the United States into fields of gold. Therefore, it makes sense that some Native American tribes would have legends explaining what happened when some dried kernels became hot and exploded into white puffs. The most prominent legend states that these corn kernels contained souls of gods. When they became heated, they would become angry. If the temperature continued to rise, so too would their anger, until it became unbearable and they would pop!
Today, we now know corn is actually a grass and the kernels are seeds. Some specific strains of corn are cultivated specifically to be harvested, dried, and sold as kernels for popcorn. The kernels pop because they contain some moisture, which turns into steam as they are heated. Steam is a gas, which means the molecules move faster than they do in a liquid phase and therefore require more room. In need of expanding, these molecules press against the carapace of the kernel until the force of the steam pushing out is greater than the force pushing back. Pop! The kernel explodes.
In 1948 and 1950, during an excavation of a site in New Mexico, anthropologist Herbert Dick and botanist, Earle Smith found evidence of multiple popcorn species which were carbon dated to be about 5,600 years old. Some of the kernels were so well preserved they could still pop. Dick and Smith even heated a couple in oil to prove it.
Chicago itself has a long history in popcorn, not just because it is the largest city in the United States’ breadbasket. Charles Cretors, a Chicago native, was the first to invent a popcorn machine in 1885. A few years later, in 1893 (in time for that infamous Chicago World’s Fair), Cretors also invented a steam-powered corn-popper and peanut roaster.
This probably worked out perfectly for two German immigrant brothers, Frederick and Louis Rueckheim. They brought their molasses covered popcorn to the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 as well. This treat wasn’t as popular because the molasses made the popcorn too sticky to enjoy. However, the brothers persisted feeling their molasses, popcorn, and peanut treat would delight with a few improvements. Delight it did, as eventually this snack came to be known as Cracker Jack, whose recipe has only changed once since 1896 (and remained a trade secret the whole while).
Coming out of the Great Depression in 1949, the most notable Chicago popcorn brand, Garrett’s, was founded. As I sit here trying (and failing miserably) to make my last bag of Garrett’s popcorn last a little longer from my trip to Chicago, I can attest to their wholesome sweet and salty “Garrett’s Mix.” All their popcorn flavors are good. My husband believes butter is the far superior flavor.
There’s a reason a business like Garrett’s lasts 65 years.
The founders, Claude and Gladys Garrett, founded this gem just as popcorn POPularity (cheesy…okay, silly puns done for now) was on the rise. It was during the mid-twentieth century that popcorn became synonymous with television and movie watching. Even during the early years, people would form lines around the block and down the street just to get a bag of Garrett’s air-popped popcorn.
It was noticed that customers were buying one bag of the CheeseCorn and one bag of the caramel corn (Caramel Crisp®) and mixing them. Garrett’s began doing this themselves and the “Chicago Mix” was born. The lines outside still never dwindle.
From upper left and clockwise, Garrett’s Buttery, Buffalo Ranch, and iconic Garrett’s Mix.
Little did they know this would eventually turn into a lawsuit. In 1992, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based company, Candyland Inc. filed for a trademark on the name, “Chicago Mix.” Despite many companies using the cheddar cheese and caramel corn mixture as the infamous Chicago Mix, Candyland uses and trademarked a different popcorn mixture (Cheese, Caramel, and Seasoned). Candyland business owner states that they wanted to market the mix after a big-city name to draw attention to the product. I am here to tell you this company protects their trademark viciously and have threatened lawsuit after lawsuit to all the other companies using the name “Chicago Mix” for any reason. Garrett’s hung on to the “Chicago Mix” name on its website. Eventually, however, Garrett’s moved into a more “ownable ‘Garrett Mix’” name. A Garrett spokesman told the Tribune, “this transition began prior to any lawsuit due to countless brands now using the Chicago Mix name on what Garrett Popcorn Shops feels is a product vastly inferior to ours.” If that’s not a classy burn, I don’t know what is.
But, Chicagoans love traditions and the “old ways.” Much like the Willis Tower is still the Sears Tower, if you wait in the long line and finally reach the counter only to ask for a “Chicago Mix,” those wonderful people will know exactly what you want.
And in case you were wondering, Garrett’s does ship all across the United States and Canada (no other countries due to their preservative-free recipe). Thank goodness because this bag is almost out.
Hot dogs are synonymous with summer and the USA. After learning so much about them, I have come to realize, hot dogs are really the perfect food to represent the United States. They both have a long history completely entwined with immigration.
A true Chicago hot dog from Portillo’s
Hot dog forerunners, sausages, were first documented in ancient times. Homer mentions them in his epic poem, The Odyssey, “As when a man besides a great fire has filled a sausage with fat and blood and turns it this way and that and is very eager to get it quickly roasted.” Even in the 8th century B.C. people were eager to eat this delicious spiced, processed meat.
“As when a man besides a great fire has filled a sausage with fat and blood and turns it this way and that and is very eager to get it quickly roasted.”
Homer, The Odyssey
Eventually, the hot dog forerunners made their way to Central Europe where they received their next names – “wiener,” “wienerwurst” and “frankfurter” – named after the cities where they are likely created, Wien (Vienna) Austria and Frankfurt, Germany. There is much debate over which city can actually claim the creation of the frankfurter sausage. Frankfurt claims to have developed the unique combination of spices and smoked sausage packed tightly into an intestinal casing. They even celebrated the 500th anniversary of the hot dog in 1987, which the people of Vienna contested, citing the name “wiener” as proof they came from Wien.
My favorite wiener legend is that a butcher from Coburg, Germany developed the hot dog then moved to Frankfurt. To promote his product, he named it after the city. At any rate, hot dogs and sausages became a staple food in the Germanic culture.
Eventually, in the 19th century, these Germanic people migrated to the United States, bringing with them, as all immigrants to the United States before and after them have, their delicious food. Many Germans settled in the Midwest, populating the farmlands and cities. During the 19th century, Chicago was the meat-packing capital of the nation, and Germans provided the cheap labor to run that industry. Meat plants, including the Union Stock Yards, took advantage of sausages and hot dogs as an opportunity to turn less desirable meat parts into something tasty. Their good taste combined with affordable price and on-the-go eating capabilities launched hot dogs into one of the most popular meals.
It was during this time that Chicago’s first hot dog company, David Berg, was founded in 1860. Other notable Chicago brands include Oscar Mayer (1873) and Armour (1867).
A second wave of immigrants changed the hot dog industry forever. The Jewish immigrants soon were swarming Chicago and introduced the all-kosher, all-beef hot dog. The Jewish people peddled the streets, but they also transformed the meat-packing industry to process food that was safer and more pure. At the World’s Fair in 1893, Emil Reichel and Samuel Ladany introduced their family frankfurter recipe. Again, these hot dogs provided sustenance that was tasty, cheap, and on-the-go friendly. From their profits, Reichel and Ladany founded Vienna Beef hot dogs, which still uses the original all-beef recipe in natural casings.
Just as it is unclear exactly who invented the hot dog, it is fairly unclear who the first person to put the hot dog sausage on a bun. However, the prevailing legend is that a Bavarian hot dog seller in St. Louis, MO loaned his patrons white gloves to eat his hot sausages, but his gloves were not getting returned. As his supply dwindled, he asked his brother-in-law who was a baker for help. The baker’s wife suggested long, soft rolls sliced on the slide. Now, the modern hot dog was born!
My last hot dog legend comes from yet another immigrant. Around the turn of the century, a young, ambitious Polish immigrant, Sam Rosen, opened his first bakery at 16 years old in New York City. A few years later, Rosen moved to Chicago seeking out better fortunes. There, he purchased the New York Baking Company, which he renamed after himself. S. Rosen’s quickly shot to fame due to its rye bread, but it’s also supposedly the originator of the poppy-seed bun, a must-have for a true Chicago hot dog.
It wasn’t until the Great Depression that Chicago hot dogs were “dragged through the garden.” During this time, Chicago’s immigrant community was located on the West Side. You can still find remnants of it today. A market grew on Maxwell St. where all immigrants could sell their wares, including hot dogs and produce. Despite hot dogs being a cheap eat, the Great Depression brought on hard times. To make the meal more filling, vendors would pile their hot dog with a variety of the produce available at the market. This made for an affordable and balanced meal.
One particular Maxwell St. stand, Fluky’s, served “depression sandwiches” which were topped with mustard, relish, onion, pickles, pepper, lettuce, tomatoes, and French Fries for a mere 5 cents. A patron could get just the toppings, “Garden on the Bun” for an early vegetarian option that was even cheaper at 2 cents. The company built a reputation on good food, service, and a community feeling. They served all their patrons, including those who didn’t have the nickel. Sadly, the company went out of business in 2006.
The modern Chicago-style hot dog is served with mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, dill pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt on a poppy seed bun.
The modern Chicago-style hot dog is served with mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, dill pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt on a poppy seed bun. Don’t think about asking for ketchup on this unique hot dog! It’s too sweet for the other flavors, and any true Chicago hot dog vendor will scoff.
As I can never pass up the chance to have a Chicago dog, when my husband and I recently visited Chicago, we stopped at Portillo’s. Founded 53 years ago, Portillo’s is a bit flashier than most hot dog stands, but serves a great hot dog. They have many locations in the Chicagoland area as well as in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. They also ship to all 50 states, so you can enjoy that Chicago dog from the comfort of your own home, even during quarantine! Time to fire up the barbeque and grill up some hot dogs!
Portillo’s at 100 W. Ontario.
Have you ever tried a Chicago hot dog? What did you think? Do you have a favorite spot to grab a Chicago hot dog? What are your favorite hot dog toppings?
World Wanderer 