Clevelanders: Halp!

[Killick]

I've been away from Northern Ohio too long. Just got a screwy little assignment to compile some nutrition information on favorite tailgate foods and local comfort foods (for a fall issue). Have to write two versions: one for Cincinnati and one for Cleveland. I've got Cincy locked down... but having trouble thinking of NE Ohio "comfort foods." Swear to God, not a single one coming to mind.

Suggestions?

 

[imjustagirl]

Anything cooked in or with beer.

Ribs (Can you convince your boss you need to go to the Rib Cook-Off? If so, go)

http://www.cleveland.com/rib/

 

[93Devil]

Does Cleveland have a big Polish population?

Hopefully you put cinnamon in your Cincy chili.

 

[chester]

Does Cleveland have a big Polish population?

Hopefully you put cinnamon in your Cincy chili.

There is a strong Eastern European presence in the city.

And you can never go wrong with beer, since it's what most Cleveland sports fans use to comfort themselves after another 4-12 Browns season.

 

[Killick]

Does Cleveland have a big Polish population?

Hopefully you put cinnamon in your Cincy chili.

Cinnamon and a little cocoa. (And, IMHO, Gold Star kicks Skyline's ass. Dear God, I've lived here too long.)

As for Cleveland, what about perogies? My fam is part Polish, so those were kind of big, but not sure how widespread that is through the rest of the area.

 

[Trey Beamon]

Artichokes.

 

[imjustagirl]

IMHO, Gold Star kicks Skyline's ass.

I hate you.

Artichokes.

I hate you more.

 

[KP]

Artichokes.

Well done.

 

[Pete Incaviglia]

Did someone say Cleveland? Two of my all-time favorite youtube videos:

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Did someone say Cleveland? Two of my all-time favorite youtube videos:

Those are brilliant!

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

Yup, one of those is in my sig.

Anyway as far as comfort food in Northeast Ohio, it really depends on which ethnic group you're dealing with as there's really no geographic centric go-to comfort food for the region.

Tailgate foods are pretty much the same as anywhere else. The one exception being home made cookies of all sorts. I think it carries over from the wedding traditions of the region.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Some expert Cleveland tailgaters have put up a website:

http://www.thebrownsboard.com/tailgate.htm

There's also a book about Cleveland tailgating called The BrownsFan's Tailgating Guide.

Pierogies is really the only Cleveland specialty food that might be at a tailgate.

 

[Del_B_Vista]

Anthony Bourdain did a No Reservations episode in Cleveland (he wound up hanging with Marky Ramone at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and Harvey Pekar, if I remember correctly), and one of his stops was to an abandoned Twinkie factory turned bookstore. They busted open a pipe used to transport the filling around the plant, sure enough the filling was still edible.

So maybe go with Twinkies or something.

 

[Pencil Dick]

Panini's Gateway Bar and Grill (840 Huron Road), near The Jake. Cleveland's version of Pittsburgh's Primanti Brothers, tremendous sandwiches.

But I was ripped out of my brain the only time I was there. Wrote about it for a Travel piece upon returning, though, so it obviously made an impression.

That's all I've got.

 

[OTD]

I was going to post this on the other mustard thread, but didn't. I'm sure Obama would enjoy it on a burger though. I bought six bottles to bring home last summer when I was in Cleveland.