Culinary Diversity in the "Paris of the West"
Detroit's overarching ethnic diversity contributed vastly to her rich culture at the turn of the century, affecting artisitic and music styles, theater, and inevitably, the culinary dynamic of the city. As early as the 1860s, advertisements appeared in Detroit newspapers for Italian, French, Greek, Venetian, German and Polish restaurants. Below, you can explore some of the most famous "delicacies" of the city, the history behind their popularity, and perhaps develop a yen for Detroiter food yourself.
The Coney Island Hot Dog
There is noting very special about the make-up of the Coney Island hot dog: it is a hot dog with chili, chopped onion and mustard, but it has been a favorite of Detroiters for generations. American Coney Island (pictured above) is the oldest (and arguably the best) hot dog shop in Detroit. The business was founded in 1917 by Constantine "Gust" Kernos, an emigrant from Greece. The business has been in the family ever since and has also been at the same location on Lafayette St. for all those years. They advertise themselves as being open 24/7 365 days a year, so that anytime any Detroiter feels the need to get a coney island hot dog, they can do so.
Paczki Day
The Tuesday before Lent in Detroit is Fat Tuesday and everyone loads up on Paczki, a dessert of Polish origins, similar to our creme filled doughnut. The tradition started in Poland in the late 17th century because Catholics needed to use up all the lard in their house before Lent started. It is unclear when the holiday started being celebrated so widely in Detroit, but it was most likely in the mid to late 1800's. Detroit's Polish population grew exponentially during that time, allowing them to exert a strong cultural influence over the city. Today, a Paczki Day parade is still held in downtown Detroit.
Hamtramck, an area of Detroit with a very high Polish population, is home to the shop seen here. While it is unclear if this particular shop sold Paczki, shops like this one in Hamtramck are known for having the best Paczki.
Hamtramck, an area of Detroit with a very high Polish population, is home to the shop seen here. While it is unclear if this particular shop sold Paczki, shops like this one in Hamtramck are known for having the best Paczki.
Germack Pistachio Co.
Although this companies history is slightly out of the time scope of this project, Germack Pistachio Co. moved to Detroit from New York to take advantage of its booming economy in the early 20th century. On the left are various insignias the company has used, the earliest (top) from 1928.
Drinking: 1898
A waiter and bartenders are seen in the Garibaldi Saloon at 20 Monroe Ave., circa 1898. (Detroit News archives)
By 1915, Detroit had 1,700 saloons, roughly one for every 50 families.
By 1915, Detroit had 1,700 saloons, roughly one for every 50 families.
Detroit Honey Wings Recipie
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings, tips discarded
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more if you can stand it)
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil grate.
- Wash the wings well and pat dry with paper towel. Season the meat with cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the chicken wings on preheated grill until cooked through and juices run clear, 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the wings. Brush the wings liberally using 1/2 cup of honey while they are cooking.
- Melt the butter, pour into a large bowl and mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of honey and hot sauce. Remove the wings from the grill and immediately toss them in the hot honey butter sauce to coat. Serve the wings 'wet' or return them to the grill for 1 minute per side to set the sauce.