Diner’s Dives and Drive-In’s Big & little's Fish and Chips

Yes they have parking. A big plus in Chicago

I’m just hooked on Diner’s Dives and Drive-In’s. I have been a fan of Triple D for some time now. Unlike the celebrity chefs on many TV cooking shows, the chefs, cooks and restaurants featured on Triple D are often ordinary people like you or me who really enjoy cooking and eating good food. The places featured, and I hope I’m wrong, just might be our last glimpse of the mom and pop entrepreneurial spirit. I especially enjoy it when the featured venue is in or around the Chicago area, so I can visit them.

No printed menu's! Now where are my glasses?

Initially planning a road trip to Wisconsin to see the trees turning to their fall colors, on this particular Saturday the sky was overcast and it began to rain on and off. So much for a road trip to Wisconsin. I told my wife that I would like to go out for German food, or to Big & little's for fish & chips. Determining where to go was going to be a last minute decision based on traffic congestion. On this day the traffic was congested but not unbearable. It is amazing how we have learned to tolerate traffic jams. We decided to go the distance to Big & little's, featured on Triple D at 860 N Orleans St  in Chicago. 

Shrimp & Chips

When we arrived at Big & little's the gated broken asphalt and gravel private parking lot was a welcome site. The North side of the parking lot had deep ruts so we found a spot of level ground on the South side of the lot. It's ironic that their neighbor to the South is Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. I was sure that we were going to have a really good dining experience. The two side entrance doors were propped open with cement cinder blocks and actually stepping into the restaurant entrance was a bit of a challenge as well because of the uneven threshold. Watch your step! The kitchen order counter had a large chalkboard menu overhead featuring the item names and the price. There were no extended descriptions. Under the section "FRIED SEAFOOD" we ordered the Fish & Chips - Cod which I saw on Triple D and also the Shrimp & Chips. Each of these choices were $15.00. Other than chips we were unsure if anything else came with these entrees. For drinks we were offered a choice of bottled soft drinks, or fountain drinks. We opted for the bottled drinks for nostalgia reasons. Our order total was $39.00 and some change which is about what I expected. They gave us our drinks, took our name and said that they would call us when our order was ready.

Cod fish & chips

At first I didn't realized that there were two seating areas in two different rooms. The first, where you order is mostly picnic tables with attached benches. The second room was set up with booths and more picnic tables. My wife went to one room and waited for me. I went to the other room thinking she went off to the restroom. Our name was called on the speaker system and my wife picked up our order. 

The Fish & chips consisted of on very large and thick piece of beer battered cod that was cooked perfectly in my opinion, a generous portion of French fries, two lemon wedges and a plastic portion cup of tartar sauce. The ratio of beer batter to fish was perfect. The texture (crunch) was exactly what I hoped for. The Shrimp and chips consisted of 13 beer battered fried shrimp dipped in the same beer batter, two lemon wedges and a plastic portion cup of cocktail seafood sauce. Prior to leaving for Chicago I looked at photo's on Yelp and saw a picture with 5 large shrimp with the chips. I'm not sure if they changed to much smaller shrimp size and more of them, or if they ran out of larger shrimp and substituted more of the smaller ones. Whatever the reason the ratio of beer batter to shrimp was closer to 50/50. My wife removed much of the fried batter from the shrimp before eating them. Both entrees were served in plastic baskets with waxed paper sheets and very flimsy plastic knives and forks. We were both surprised that there was no Cole slaw served with either meal to balance the richness of the fried fish and chips. The cod was amazing. I can honestly say that my wife and I could have split either entree and been content paying $20.00 instead of $39.00. 
While I was there I asked for a printed menu and was told they didn't have one, pointing to the chalkboard instead. Their choices on the menu were many but I really didn't know what many of them were, especially the "POKE TACOS" which has steamed blue crab included in that section. On the "BURGER" menu I had no idea what a "Hercules, Zeus, Hawaii 5-0, little's MICK DIDDY, or BIGS MACK DADDY" were.   
Overall I would say judging from the clientele during my visit that Big & little's appeals to all ages. The half filled hot sauce bottles on the tables had dried sauce in the necks and tops, the table top was slightly sticky and apparently not wiped off after the last patrons left.
If you've never experienced a Wisconsin cod or haddock fish fry and you're really hungry give Big & little's fish & chips a try. It is amazing! If it's fried shrimp you crave just around the corner at 1011 W. Division Street is the Goose Island Shrimp House, Chicago's oldest shrimp house. Wherever you decide to go bring plenty of cash as both are "cash only" establishments. Big and little's does have an ATM. 
Would I return to Big & little's? You bet! To allow me more choices I would bring people who are willing to split orders. I would love to try the PORKBELLY POBOYS next time. Maybe for the fish and chips they should have two order sizes, Big $15.00 & Little's $8.00.  It could be on a secret menu for loyal customers. Support your local merchant!

© T Melle 2013

Football, Baseball and Mucho Nacho’s

Take me out to the ball game

I’m generally not what you consider a sports junkie, unlike some other members of my family who are perfectly content watching baseball, basketball, hockey or football throughout their individual seasons. If no sports are on TV, like that ever happens, you can always watch Dancing with the Stars. Throw in the occasional game of golf or tennis and you have the fantasy zombie league. My children are sports nuts. They wear team jerseys and cheer for their team whenever and wherever they can. Don’t get me wrong I actually like watching sports once and awhile, but not all of the time, week after week, season after season. It’s a lot like watching corn grow.

If you can't go to the game bring the TV outside

I grew up in a time when TV was really in its early development. The only sport on TV was baseball. Instead of watching it on TV we went out and played baseball or football. Taking on the kids from the next street over with a good old-fashioned water balloon fight was how we settled territorial disputes. Later in the evening we would play tag, or hide and seek. Being “it” was something you wanted and hearing the words “Ollie Ollie oxen free” meant you survived to play another game. When we got thirsty we didn’t run to the gas station for a bottle of pop. We got a drink of unfiltered water from the garden hose. A couple of kids on the block, future entrepreneurs, set up a Kool-Aid stand and sold Kool-Aid in paper cups for 5₵. At the end of the day we were tired from playing all day. Dinner was at 6:00 pm sharp. After dinner and after doing the dishes, we went out to play again: more hide and seek, or catching fireflies.

Please drink responsibly

Can you smell the brats and burgers?

Crock pot chili

If I must watch a football game then I must have plenty of football-type snacks and ice cold beer on hand. You just can’t drink wine and watch sports. In the Midwest it often gets cold during football season. When it comes to the ultimate football season snack foods we’re talking hot snacks. Wrapping my hand around a grilled bratwurst (brats) smothered in grilled onions dressed with grainy mustard, or the belly warming comfort of a steaming bowl of chili with chopped onions and shredded cheddar cheese on a cold winter's day is enough to begin an endorphin rush to my brain telling me all’s right in the universe, at least for this moment in time.
One of the best ways to take the frost off a cold winter’s day is to whip up a plate or a platter of warm tortilla chips. Generally, you have to go to a sports bar or restaurant to get a good platter of tortilla and spend a considerable amount of cash for it. The more toppings it comes with, the more that you will spend.  The good news is that you can make a Nacho platter better and cheaper at home.

The easy way out

You can take the easy way out and just get a bag of tortillas, some salsa con queso and some chunky salsa. But if you're having a party and want it to be over the top, why not go all out and put out a Nacho platter worthy of you culinary prowess.

Brown ground sirloin or chuck

To make a layered nacho platter you’re going to need a few things: 

Corn tortilla chips
1 pound ground chuck
Refried beans, mixed into the browned chuck (optional)

Drain off fat

Add your favorite taco seasoning

Add water as per package instructions

Real cheese freshly grated blend, or layers of Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Jack, Queso Chihuahua, and topped off with Queso Fresco, crumbled.

Your choice of cheese

Shred lots of Jack cheese

Tomatoes, fresh, diced
Pico de Gallo, homemade
Green chiles, chopped
Green onions, sliced thin
Jalapeno peppers, slices, pickled, or fresh, seeded and sliced,

Chopped tomatoes

Peppers and green onions

Black olives, sliced
Sour cream
Guacamole, fresh

Fresh homemade guacamole

Beer, ice coldPlenty of napkins

Cook the meat until well browned. Drain off the rendered fat, add the seasoning packet, and water. Cook according tho the package directions. You may also add refried beans to the meat if you like.  Set meat to the side until needed.
Build your nacho platter in layers on an ovenable plate or platter. Heat the first layer of chips for about five minutes in a 350°F oven. Sprinkle the hot chips with grated cheese. Place the plate in a very hot oven to quickly melt the cheese on the first layer. Then take it out of the oven and sprinkle with chopped tomatoes, green onions and jalapenos, followed by a layer of the meat mixture.
If you are using pico de gallo, either homemade or store bought, work that into your layering process.
Add another layer of chips, more cheese and repeat the layering process. Throw in some sliced black olives to the mix. No need to use the best ingredients here, but do use good quality ingredients. You will want to supply ample sides of sour cream, salsa and guacamole.
Put the plate or platter back into the 350°F oven for about 8-10 minutes or until the chips are hot, and crunchy and the cheese is melted. The chips should be sizzling hot. Serve immediately. Nobody wants soggy cold chips.

Enjoy

© TMelle 2013

OLD-FASHIONED HAMBURGERS AND CHEESEBURGERS

Growing up in Chicago during the 1950's and 60's we didn't go out to eat often. When we did go out it was for hot dogs, hamburgers, or chicken. I'm going to pass over the famous Chicago-style hot dog for now and jump right to the subject of hamburgers. Not your run of the mill fast-food hamburgers mind you. I'm talking about old fashioned mom and pop style hamburgers or cheeseburgers here.

2 ounce portions 80/20 ground chuck

When I was a much younger man I worked as a short order cook in the snack shop of a large retail store. At lunch we served a lot of hamburgers to shoppers and employees who only had about 30 minutes to eat. I would throw 30 burgers on the grill, cook them to rare, and then place them in a hot tub of beef and onion broth that was sitting on the slightly cooler side of the grill. When customers ordered a burger we simply took one from the broth and threw it on the charbroiler to finish cooking them with those fancy grill marks. They not only looked good, they tasted good. The true meat taste was lost in the hot tub. 

Roll out burger

Old-fashioned burgers are not perfect circles, they are hand crafted

Ideally to make old-fashioned burgers you need a flat top grill. Since most people don't have one of those in their home, a scorching hot, flat top cast iron griddle will do. If the griddle is hot enough, you should hear the sizzle when the meat comes in contact with the griddle. The more meat that comes in contact with the griddle the more crust you will develop. Crust = texture and flavor. You're going to need some good buns.When it comes to hamburger buns, almost every fast food restaurant, lunch counter, or diner where I lived used S. Rosen's, Mary Ann buns. These buns are available at local grocery stores, http://www.alphabaking.com/productresults.aspx?m=3&s=9

S. Rosen's Mary Ann 4 Inch Plain Hamburger Buns

INGREDIENTS (Yield: 4 double burgers)

1 lb. ground chuck 80/20
to taste salt and pepper
8 slices of cheese (your choice)
1 medium onion, diced or rings (optional)

Measure out the meat into 2 ounce portions. You should get eight 2 ounce thin patties from one pound of meat. Meat can get mushy if formed with your hands, so place each portion in-between two pieces of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the meat until circular in shape and about 1/8 inch thick. You can also press down on the meat with a plate to get a uniform thickness. Once all of your burgers are formed keep them cold. Don't overwork the meat.

Scorching hot griddle

Heat the griddle until scorching hot. When dropping the hamburgers on the griddle you should hear the sizzle as soon as the meat comes in contact with the heated griddle. This will begin to develop the crust on side 1 of the hamburger. I always keep some chopped or grilled onions on hand when making burgers.   

Adding onions to the griddle adds moisture and flavor to the hamburgers. Add them to the place on the griddle where you will be flipping the burger to cook side 2. 

When you place the burger on top of the onions, the steam from the onions and the heat of the griddle will help cook side 2 of the burger.    

Time to flip the burger

Add white cheddar cheese

Gooey melted cheese on burgers

A good old-fashioned cheeseburger

A genuine old-fashioned cheeseburger or hamburger should be served on a butter toasted bun with onions, mustard, ketchup, and dill pickle slices. Serve with French fries or tater tots. 
Why not tell me about your favorite old-fashioned hamburger or cheeseburger. 

TMelle 2013

Summer Pasta Salad

I just love summertime. I love everything about summer, except the heat. No more belt buster meals that you would normally serve in the fall and winter. Summer is a time to lose the extra pounds that you put on trying to keep warm. 

I just love pasta salads in the summertime. Served as a side they go with any summertime fare. Depending on the ingredients that you use, a pasta salad also can be an entree. My personal favorite is a shrimp salad. My second choice would be a salad with pieces of pepperoni and/or salami. Either one I’m in heaven.

You're going to chop some pepper's

I have to admit that the first time that I tried a cold pasta salad; it was probably out of a grocery store deli case. It always had a taste that my mother could not duplicate. Then one day, while having lunch at a friend’s  house I was introduced to something called ”Miracle Whip.” In my house it was Hellman’s Mayonnaise or nothing at all. In my friend’s house it was Miracle Whip.

Green or Black? It's up to you!

For the pasta, well I just have to have some design to it. The texture allows the pasta to hold the dressing on it. I like the tri-colored rotini for pasta salad. With the rotini you get spinach, tomato and egg pasta in one box.

Pepperoni or Salami? It's up to you!

The hard part is what you’re going to put in your salad. Some of your choices include; tomatoes, cucumber, red, green, and or yellow peppers, green or black olives, pickle, or pickle relish, cheese cubes (your choice), pepperoni, salami, hard boiled eggs, parsley, green onions, celery, sugar, vinegar, yellow mustard, celery seed.

Cut some cheese

While there may be regional traditions for pasta salads, there are no steadfast rules. For the dressing you can use Miracle Whip, Mayonnaise, Italian dressing, or just extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings.

Almost there

Eating outdoors is a favorite pastime during the summer months in the Midwest. On days when the weather is extremely warm extra care must be taken to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Knowing the temperature danger zones will lessen the chances of getting your friends and family sick. You should buy a good quality instant read thermometer, keep it clean and know how to calibrate it. 

Cook and drain pasta

Cold foods must be kept at 41ºF, or lower. Bowls of cold salads should be placed directly into a second bowl filled with ice and covered by a linen towel that has been moistened. Be safe.

Assembling the salad

Hot foods must be kept at 140ºF or hotter. Bacteria won’t grow when the temperature of the food is colder than 41ºF or hotter than 140º F. The temperatures in between 41ºF and 140ºF are in the “Danger Zone.” When in doubt throw it out.

Add mayonnaise, or salad dressing

Summer Pasta Salad
INGREDIENTS

10    oz. box      Tri-color spiral pasta, uncooked (Rotini)
1/2   lb.             Cheddar cheese, cubed
1     cup             Cucumber, seedless, coarsely chopped
1     pint            Grape tomatoes, halved
2-3   stalks        Green onions, chopped
4     oz.              Pepperoni slices, quartered
4     oz.              Salami slices, quartered
1     10 oz. can  Black olives, drained
1     4 oz. jar      Pimentos, drained
3/4   cup            Zesty Italian salad dressing
to taste              Lemon juice, fresh squeezed
to taste              Black pepper, fresh cracked
VARIATIONS
The variations to this salad are endless. You can use any good combination of: black olives, green olives, salami, pepperoni, artichokes, hearts of palm, zucchini, cheese, jalapeno peppers, capers, pickled peppers (banana), or Jardinière. You can add green beans, broccoli, corn, or shredded carrots.

Mix it good

When it comes to cheeses the choice is really up to you. I used fresh mozzarella which had very little flavor. Try a bolder Pepper Jack, Cheddar, Swiss, Gouda, or any other flavorful cheese.
DIRECTIONS 

Bring 4 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the rotini, and cook the pasta for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender. Rinse and drain the pasta and set aside to cool.
While the pasta is cooling, cut, slice, or chop your choice of ingredients for your salad. Place the drained and cooled pasta into a large bowl. Fold in all the ingredients into the pasta. Toss with mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, or your favorite salad dressing. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. During that chilling hour the pasta may absorb some of the dressing. Add more if you mayonnaise, or salad dressing if you like. Enjoy!

© TMelle 2013