* Your choice for Illinois’ official state appetizer?…
Rhode Island was a big sensation at the virtual Democratic National Convention for its unconventional video plugging calamari — the state's official appetizer. https://t.co/C8j5epDiZI#odd
Saganaki, the “Flaming Cheese” that originated at the Parthenon in Greektown in the 60s. All the fatty goodness of a mozzarella stick with a bit of fire and showmanship thrown in for extra effect. Opa!
Oswego Willy’s Tavern style cut, thin crust pizza is going to be hard to beat, especially if you have it cut into bite-size pieces. Alternatively, slider size Italian beef. Now I’m starting to get hungry.
- Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:43 pm:
Garrett’s Popcorn and their Garrett Mix or the equivalent Chicago Mix of Cheese and Caramel popcorn sold across the state. I second Drake Mallard’s nomination.
I got a kick out of watching nightly talk shows when the guest would walk out with that familiar Garrett’s two-tone blue tin of popcorn. The band members would go wild with memories of playing Chicago and eating all the popcorn they could.
It represents every part of Illinois. The name has some urban pretentiousness, the soybeans our agriculture at heart. They are traditionally served at bars with salt and a beer, demonstrating the true unity of interests of Chicago, suburbs, north, central and southern Illinois. And, to avoid any hint of divisiveness, ketchup or the lack thereof never figure into the equation.
Tavern style pizza. Don’t laugh, have brought it to many parties and always a hit. Plus it helps fight the hunger in case the hosts food is not so good.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:03 pm:
Fries or nachos with various unhealthy things on top.
- Lurker - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:05 pm:
My vote was chili cheese fries.
- North Park - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:05 pm:
Edamame
- State Fair Corn dogs - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:05 pm:
…
- Anon E Moose - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:07 pm:
Cheese curds
- 4 percent - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:07 pm:
Dem politicians seem to be on the menu these days /s
- Not again - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:07 pm:
Browns popcorn
- ChicagoVinny - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:10 pm:
Tie between Saganaki and Beer Nuggets
- The Real Mike Madigan - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:11 pm:
Apples
- Southern Skeptic - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:11 pm:
Cheese fries.
- Dysfunction Junction - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:11 pm:
Tylenol
- GregN - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:12 pm:
Mozzarella sticks
- West Sider - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:12 pm:
In honor of the much missed IL State Fair: Anything- on a Stick
- TinyDancer(FKASue) - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:14 pm:
Tavern-cut pizza…..on a stick.
- Bruce( no not him) - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:15 pm:
Deep fried anything.
- thoughts matter - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:15 pm:
Breaded mushrooms
- fs - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:15 pm:
Fried mushrooms
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:19 pm:
BBQ pork fries from Kumas Corner.
- Northsider - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:19 pm:
Elote
- NoMoreMC - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:20 pm:
Saganaki, the “Flaming Cheese” that originated at the Parthenon in Greektown in the 60s. All the fatty goodness of a mozzarella stick with a bit of fire and showmanship thrown in for extra effect. Opa!
- MamasMusings - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:20 pm:
Fried pickles!!
- Big Jer - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:20 pm:
Potato Skins with cheese, bacon, etc
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:24 pm:
Tavern style cut, thin crust pizza.
- DEE - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:25 pm:
smoked Asian carp from the Illinois River
- Back to Work - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:30 pm:
Pizza isn’t an app!!! Haha.
Hot Pretzel w/tavern beer cheese. Hands down best app.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:31 pm:
Corruption on a stick. /s
- BluegrassBoy - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:34 pm:
Illinois Lobster, aka, Sweet Corn, slathered in salt, pepper and butter
- Spfld - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:34 pm:
Vienna sausages
- Drake Mallard - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:36 pm:
chicago mix popcorn.
- countrygirl - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:36 pm:
Vose’s Corn Dogs or the Horseshoe
- Annoyed - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:37 pm:
Black Jewell Popcorn.
- Jose Abreu's Next Homer - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:37 pm:
Gravy bread
- A Guy - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:38 pm:
Sliders
- ItsMillerTime - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:39 pm:
The Pony Shoe
- Anon - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:39 pm:
If you are being really gluttonous you could make a horseshoe an appetizer
- Cheswick - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:42 pm:
Oswego Willy’s Tavern style cut, thin crust pizza is going to be hard to beat, especially if you have it cut into bite-size pieces. Alternatively, slider size Italian beef. Now I’m starting to get hungry.
- Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:43 pm:
Garrett’s Popcorn and their Garrett Mix or the equivalent Chicago Mix of Cheese and Caramel popcorn sold across the state. I second Drake Mallard’s nomination.
I got a kick out of watching nightly talk shows when the guest would walk out with that familiar Garrett’s two-tone blue tin of popcorn. The band members would go wild with memories of playing Chicago and eating all the popcorn they could.
- Lynn S. - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:43 pm:
I grew up on a farm, so…
Mountain oysters (banned punctuation).
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:44 pm:
=== especially if you have it cut into bite-size pieces.===
That’s the secret to its service as an appetizer.
Also, thanks.
- Lt Guv - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:47 pm:
Beer Nuggets.
- Midstate Indy - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:49 pm:
Elote. And Koval Rye.
- Donnie Elgin - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:52 pm:
smelts
- OneMan - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:53 pm:
Pizza Puff.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:53 pm:
Lush Black Cherry Gummies.
Trust me, these will stimulate your appetite.
- Just Observing - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:57 pm:
I’m convinced by others posting that it should be saganaki
- estubborn - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:57 pm:
Friend pickles
- Kippax Blue - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 2:58 pm:
For added flavor sensation, couple the black cherry gummies with the blueberries covered in milk chocolate. A fruitgasm of relax.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:07 pm:
crow
- Frank talks - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:07 pm:
The pumpkin capital of the world -should have a recipe for fried pumpkin bites, anyone got a Pinterest idea yet?
- SAP - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:07 pm:
Pork
- fs - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:08 pm:
The sampler platter
- bogey golfer - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:18 pm:
Onion loaf.
- Mr. Black - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
cheddar/caramel popcorn
- Socially DIstant watcher - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
@4 percent: Dose politicians are, too.
- Leigh John-Ella - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
Malort
- Tear One - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:20 pm:
Not sure, but I plan to serve the winner at my new brew-pub, “Public Official A(le) House.”
- H-W - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:22 pm:
Onion Haystacks
- Keyrock - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:26 pm:
Hostess Twinkies.
- Donnie Elgin - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:27 pm:
whatever it is they should call it the 97 percenter
- Nuclear Bozo - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:33 pm:
Pigs in a blanket, yum.
- Pyrman - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:37 pm:
Pig snoots
- Earnest - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:37 pm:
Edamame, in agreement with North Park.
It represents every part of Illinois. The name has some urban pretentiousness, the soybeans our agriculture at heart. They are traditionally served at bars with salt and a beer, demonstrating the true unity of interests of Chicago, suburbs, north, central and southern Illinois. And, to avoid any hint of divisiveness, ketchup or the lack thereof never figure into the equation.
- Skeptic - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:37 pm:
Is there an appetizer that’s considered corrupt to the core?
- TinyDancer(FKASue) - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:52 pm:
=Oswego Willy’s Tavern style cut, thin crust pizza…=
What am I…………………chopped liver?
Actually, that wouldn’t be bad, either……………on a stick.
Oy.
- TinyDancer(FKASue) - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:56 pm:
Hackney burger sliders…………….on a stick.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 3:57 pm:
- TinyDancer(FKASue) -
I’m not cool enough to suggest “on a stick”.
Your genius should be celebrated as your own.
I also like the idea of slider-size Eye-Talian beefs…
Mmmm.
- walker - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 4:01 pm:
smoked chubs
- The Magnificent Purple Walnut - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 4:07 pm:
A large frosty mug of beer. Then another… Hey, can’t always come up with that thin crust tavern style pizza. The combo of the two would be perfect.
- Perrid - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 4:14 pm:
Potato skins and bacon.
- Northsider - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 4:15 pm:
How could I have overlooked saganaki?!
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 4:25 pm:
I second tavern-style, square-cut pizza.
- Rich Hill - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 4:40 pm:
Elote nuggets.
- Ken_in_Aurora - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 4:43 pm:
Beer nuggets
- Fayette County - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 4:48 pm:
The pony shoe or fried morel mushrooms
- Amalia - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 4:54 pm:
Inspired by reading about Gov. Thompson’s love of the cuisine, a horseshoe, a deep dish pizza topped horseshoe.
- Jibba - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 5:00 pm:
Amalia has the genius idea. Deep dish substituting for the Texas toast as the bottom of a horseshoe. Good gravy, what possibilities.
- BugLou - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 5:10 pm:
Tavern style pizza. Don’t laugh, have brought it to many parties and always a hit. Plus it helps fight the hunger in case the hosts food is not so good.
- Langhorne - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 5:24 pm:
Chocolate brownies, Twinkies, or cracker jack. All invented in Illinois. My favorite would be chocolate brownies.
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 7:21 pm:
Fried squirrel brain.
- Gooner - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 8:10 pm:
Hell, let’s forget the jokes and do a great one.
Foie gras lollipops with pop rocks, as created by Graham Elliot Bowles.
It is one of the best apps I’ve had anywhere. Legendary, and all born in Illinois.
- DuPage Dave - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 8:19 pm:
Not sure how many of these suggestions are appetizers except saganaki, so let’s go with that.
- Captain Obvious - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 8:27 pm:
Calf balls. Yum.
- Levois J - Wednesday, Aug 19, 20 @ 8:54 pm:
A giblet - gizzard and liver - from Harold’s Chicken Shack with mild sauce or any sauce you prefer.