How I Spent My Christmas Vacation

My husband and I went home for Christmas. First, we went to Springfield, Ill. to visit my family and then to Chicago to visit his. Once all the family obligations were fulfilled, it was time to fulfull some personal ones - reliving our fondest Chicago memories.

First, there were the strolls along the lake front. Living only 4 blocks from the ocean gives us plenty of opportunties for beach strolling, but we don't often get to see ice flows in California. So, we drove (too cold to walk) along Lake Shore Drive. Secondly, there were the many weekends spent looking at the mummies at the Field Museum, mining for coal at the Museum of Science and Industry, making faces at the fishes at the Shedd Aquarium and snoring through the show at Adler Planetarium. We were able to take in the new Egyptian exhibit at the Field, but we had forgotten that school was out and that stressed out parents take their kids to the Museums during winter breaks to run amok. Too, too many people at the coal mine, Aquarium and Planetarium. Thirdly, there are the sports teams. I remember opening day at Comisky (raised a Cardinal fan, so couldn't like the Cubs). My husband fondly remembers wasted afternoons at Wrigley Field (no lights then). Since no one was playing, we waved as we drove past. Nextly, what is Christmas in Chicago without a trip to look at the displays in Marshall Fields' windows? And, lastly, our top-of-the-list, can't-forget, fondest memory of Chicago is EATING.

We were kind of like Santa Claus. We had our list and we checked it twice. We didn't have to worry about the naughty or nice part. We knew that everywhere we were headed was going to be nice.

We got into town in the early evening and after checking into our motel (Motel 6 a block from the Magnificent Mile at $69/night less the 10% AARP discount we got because I had the good sense to marry an older man), we headed off to Gino's East for some deep dish Chicago pizza. Gino's is such a popular place that you always have to wait for a table. The fact that we and about 20 others were waiting outside on a Tuesday evening in the middle of a Chicago winter is testimony to the quality of their pizza. Day two, we hunted for poppy seed kolachkes, salted horns and the Bohemian version of pigs-in-a-blanket (a sausage baked into a roll) from the bakeries in Cicero. Later that day, we had Wiener Schnitzel and Kasseler Rippenspeer on North Lincoln Avenue. That night, we tracked down (after stopping one of Chicago's Finest and one inquiry at a gas station) my favorite place (Recobene's) for Italian beef and a Vienna all-beef/natural-casing hot dog with the traditional works (mustard, relish, chopped onions, tomato, teeny-weenie hot peppers and celery salt). Then, it was off to my husband's favorite - Al's on Taylor- for another round of Italian beefs and dogs. Day three, took us to Berghoff's Stand-up Bar for corned beef, thuringer and beer. My husband even convinced the busboy that I would die if I didn't get an order of their creamed spinach. Day four, as we drove to the airport, we stopped on Halstead for a Maxwell Street-style hot dog (grilled onions and mustard).

Since none of these places will give me their recipes (yet - I'm hoping if I send them a copy of this article, they will feel obliged to shower me with recipes), I can't pass them along to you. However, after years of haunting the German restaurants, I can provide my version of one of our favorite German meals.

Schweineschlegel mit Kartoffel, Karotte, Zwiebel und Sauerkraut or Pork Roast with Potatoes, Carrots, Onions and Sauerkraut
Serves 6.

3 lbs. pork roast - loin, boneless
6 large carrot
6 medium red potatoes
1 large onion
32 ounces sauerkraut
1/8 cup caraway seed
pepper

Drain sauerkraut and mix in caraway seeds. Place pork roast in a roasting pan. Lightly pepper top of roast. Place sauerkraut around the roast. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Peel and halve the carrots. Peel and quarter the onion. Place the potatoes, carrots and onions around and on top of the pork roast. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and roast for 30 minutes plus an additional 30 minutes per pound.

Dill Fleischaft or Dill Gravy
Serves 6.

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/4 cup dill weed
pepper

Melt butter in a heavy bottom pan over low heat. Stir in flour and increase heat until mixture begins to bubble. Cook for 5 minutes. Take care to not allow mixture to brown. Slowly stir in 2/3rds of the chicken broth. Add dill weed. Slowly stir in 2/3rds of the milk. Cook over medium heat until gravy reaches the desired thickness. Add remaining chicken broth and/or milk as necessary to maintain the desired thickness. Add pepper to taste. Serve immediately.