Giardinera (FROM CHICAGO)

Someone was looking to find out what the contents were in Giardinera from Chicago. Lived all my life in Chicago area,till retirement, and each time we go back to the area we buy all the wonderful ethnic foods which we are unable to find in the rural Wisconsin areas.
Label states: bell peppers, soybean oil, celery, olives, vinegar, salt, & spices.
The brand I brought home last trip is: Dell' Alpe
Distributed by: Rubinelli Inc., Bolingbrook, IL 60440
Bolingbrook is a suburb s.w. of Chicago (approx. 25 mi. or so
Hope this helps someone.
grandma P

Welcome Grandma P thank you for the info and is this the stuff that people from Chicago put on hot dogs? What other uses are there?

quote:

Originally posted by alesrus

Welcome Grandma P thank you for the info and is this the stuff that people from Chicago put on hot dogs? What other uses are there?

Hi Grandma P, welcome aboard. The giardinera you mentioned must be the Mild version, I think the HOT version is probably more common and it's typically used on Italian Beef sandwiches, although it's really just a relish so you could probably use it on just about any sandwich.

A Chicago style hot dog will have "sport peppers", not giardinera.

Here is a link to Dell' Alpe in case you are interested.
http://www.dellalpe.com/NGiardiniera.htm

The problem with putting it on a hot dog is that the oil disentegrates the bun rather rapidly.

I buy giardenera from a local guy who comes to my office and sells it out of his car. It's a phenomenal mix. There are so many variations on it, but I prefer the stuff made by stores rather than the stuff in heavier production. The vegetables seem to have a bit more of a bite to them, but it varies from producer to producer and even batch to batch.

Giardinera or sports are appropriate for a good Italian Beef. I like sports a little better but either will do, then a little extra gravy and you have a wonderful beefy mess! Yum!

WOuld someone please tell me what a sport pepper is?

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

WOuld someone please tell me what a sport pepper is?

Another name for them is "pepperoncini". They can be found in the Italian section of the supermarket in jars. Hope this helps.

A sport pepper, according to one site, is a type of Capsicum annum pepper.

It is medium-hot.

The ones used by hot dog stands are generally pickled. They are pretty common in stores around the Chicago area.

Sport peppers are pickled Serrano peppers. They are not pepperoncini.

FWIW, and being a native Chicagoan, sport peppers go on hot dogs and Giardinera goes on Italian beef/sausage. Maybe I am too rigid but I have never seen this rule of thumb broken by anyone around here.

Here is a link to the page that I found with a sport pepper on it.

[url]www.tomatogrowers.com/hot5.htm[/url]

It seems to me like it would come from a serrano. "Sport" may be a pretty generic name. I saw a Louisiana sport pepper referenced somewhere as well.

I actually have put hot giardenera on hot dogs, but the flavor just isn't quite right.

It's great on pepper and egg sandwiches, however- and even better on pepper and egg when you throw a grilled italian sausage in there.

OK. Thanks. I now know what sport peppers are. I can't imagine why anyone would want to put one on a hotdog, but then, I can't figure out why anyone would want to put tomatoes, or even catsup, on a hotdog, either.

or pickle spears

or celery salt

So what should we put on a hot dog?

Don't say that grainy emulsion known as Skyline Chili. The dog is there to kill the flavor of the chili, as is the cheese.

quote:

Originally posted by tsores

Sport peppers are pickled Serrano peppers. They are not pepperoncini.

FWIW, and being a native Chicagoan, sport peppers go on hot dogs and Giardinera goes on Italian beef/sausage. Maybe I am too rigid but I have never seen this rule of thumb broken by anyone around here.

The giardinera I have at home is the mild version, and I copies the ingredients from the label.

Am not aware of anyone using giardinera on hot dogs as they are in olive oil and very light vinegar;
one really odd use was my son used some mild i potato salad and it was very tasty.

I don't remember where, but I saw one menu with giardinera as a pizza topping. Didn't try it.

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

or pickle spears

or celery salt

Absolutely!

quote:

Originally posted by saps

So what should we put on a hot dog?

Don't say that grainy emulsion known as Skyline Chili. The dog is there to kill the flavor of the chili, as is the cheese.

For me it's mustard (brown), relish, chopped onion and sauerkraut. I'm willing, depending on where I am, to add or replace something with a spicy relish or picallili.

quote:

Originally posted by KimChee43

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

WOuld someone please tell me what a sport pepper is?

Another name for them is "pepperoncini". They can be found in the Italian section of the supermarket in jars. Hope this helps.

Sport peppers are an entirely different pepper than pepperoncini
http://hotsauceworld.com/ilprimsporpe.html

http://www.victoriapacking.com/pepcini.html

In all honesty, although from Chicago, I don't like the "garden in a bun" deal- I prefer plain, plain with fries shoved in it, or mustard and onions. Ofttimes, the sport peppers are too potent and overtake the taste of the dog.

Although raunchy, I do have to say I like the dogs at Rutt's Hut in Jersey. Good relish.

Sorry TJ, just not a Skyline guy. I'll have to give it another chance though.

Hot Giardenera on pizza is excellent, by the way.

quote:

Originally posted by grandma P

Am not aware of anyone using giardinera on hot dogs as they are in olive oil and very light vinegar;
one really odd use was my son used some mild i potato salad and it was very tasty.

Then you aren't aware of me. Admittedly, I'm not from Chicago but I used to eat regularly in a place down in AZ run by a Chicago refugee and he had all the "stuff" from back home including giardinera, sport peppers and flourescent green relish. I never asked if it was approved, I just started getting chili dogs and spicing them up with giardinera and I liked them a lot.





Photos courtesy of (and food sold by) http://www.eathot.com/I.html

Thnx for the pics; Sure bringsback memories; Never did have the sport peppers; the only reason I mentioned Dell Alpe brand, is what I have in the house and was fortunate enuf to find around here.
thns,
pp

Good pix BT but I like the bread a little soggier.

quote:

Originally posted by kland01s

Good pix BT but I like the bread a little soggier.

We also like bread juicy; lots of time it (bread) as it disintegrates in my hands onto plate and end up getting fork. then we still can add either baked peppers in olive oil or giardinera; of course it also depends on your taste preference. looking forward to my supper, as that is what what we will have.

I've never had a dog at the Skyline, so I won't trash it. What is an Ohio dog? Does it have Chili and cheese? Or, does it have sauerkraut and onions like Mr. Hoffman described it?

I'm a native Chicagoan and have preferred the salad dog to other regional dogs I've had thus far. However, I do admit that I don't like the salad dog nearly as much as a dog with mustard and stuffed with fries just like Gene's and Jude's does it. I grew up on that stuff and miss it every day.

Regarding giardiniera, the two brands that I have seen used the most and have also thought were the best were Il Primo and Scalas. Whatever brand, you have to get the hot stuff or else it's just not the same! Also, it absolutely has to go on an italian beef, though I use it in my sandwiches and salads all the time to give it a kick.

quote:

Originally posted by slackademic

I've never had a dog at the Skyline, so I won't trash it. What is an Ohio dog? Does it have Chili and cheese? Or, does it have sauerkraut and onions like Mr. Hoffman described it?

Although I live in Ohio, and have for more than 30 years, I've never heard of an Ohio dog. The closest would be a dog from Ohio Packing Co., but I don't believe they're called Ohio dogs. I grew up in Connecticut where I learned the proper topping for the lowly tube steak.

I KNEW I shouldn't sign on here before eating!!! good lawdy that looks good!!

Oh, YUM, hot giardiniera!!! Yes, it goes on Italian beef, and you can sneak it on a muffaletta or another sammich. I don't think I would put it on a hot dog though. And definitely no ketchup on a hotdog, yuck! If not the salad dog, then it should have mustard & onion. Sauerkraut if available.

Anyone remember the Coney Dogs they used to have @ A&W?

quote:

Originally posted by stricken_detective

Oh, YUM, hot giardiniera!!! Yes, it goes on Italian beef, and you can sneak it on a muffaletta or another sammich. I don't think I would put it on a hot dog though. And definitely no ketchup on a hotdog, yuck! If not the salad dog, then it should have mustard & onion. Sauerkraut if available.

Anyone remember the Coney Dogs they used to have @ A&W?