 Jill Billante is a Senior Producer at AC360°. Gridiron pundits say the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers are pretty evenly matched for Sunday's Super Bowl. The odds-makers seem to believe the same. The spread is a low 2.5 points to the Steelers as underdog, but when it comes to game day grub, how do the two cities stack up? iReport: Planning a Super Bowl road trip? I'm a Pittsburgh gal, born and bred. I'll be cheering for the boys in black and gold, with an Iron City beer in one hand and a plate of pierogies in the other, as they go for an unprecedented seventh Super Bowl win. That doesn't stop me from indulging in the rich food heritage fueling both teams. Since I'm a good sport, we'll begin with Wisconsin. "Cheeseheads" (fans of the Green Bay Packers, often spotted wearing foam cheese wedge-shaped hats) come by this moniker honestly. In the late 1890s, farmers in Wisconsin shifted their focus to dairy production as many immigrants brought cheese making traditions to Wisconsin. That helped the state build a reputation as America's Dairyland. Wisconsin leads the country in cheese production and is in the top three for milk and butter. The state was settled by many ethnic groups - French, British, Swiss, Dutch and even Scandinavian. Germans were by far the largest group and left their mark on the state's food and beer. Wisconsin was home to famous breweries like Miller Brewing, Schlitz and Pabst. If you're rooting for the Green and Gold this Sunday, you're going to want to serve plenty of cheese and beer. Who can argue with that? The only thing better than cheese alone and beer alone is combining them in a delicious German beer and cheese spread. This German Beer Spread recipe will be making an appearance at my Super Bowl party. Wondering what to serve with your beer and cheese? It's got to be bratwurst, that classic German sausage. If you're going to serve a brat you've got to follow the rules or risk incurring the wrath of a Cheesehead. Fish boils and fish fries are pretty popular in Wisconsin and Pittsburgh as well and consider serving a cherry pie or cranberry-apple cobbler, Wisconsin is a prolific producer of both fruits. Iron City Cuisine Pittsburgh has an especially rich food history. Germans settled in the area first, followed by Scotch-Irish and Irish. Then, as the steel mills flourished, the need for cheap labor brought immigrants from Italy, Hungary, Ukraine, Czechoslovakia and Poland. Most of the dishes trace are rooted in these Eastern European countries as hearty fare to sustain the blue-collar workers who spent long days toiling in the steel mills - from which the Steelers get their name. Since the Steelers clinched the AFC championship, you've probably heard a lot about the french fry-stuffed Primanti Brothers Sandwich. Don't get me wrong, I love Primantis and if you're in the mood, they're great sandwiches. There are just a lot of other regional dishes that are easier, delicious and shouldn't be overlooked. My Super Bowl party will include kielbasa and kraut sandwiches. Pierogies are wonton-sized dough pockets filled with potato and cheese or onion or any combination of those fillings. In my house, they must be boiled and then fried in lots of butter and accompanied by caramelized onions. Also appearing at the table: cabbage rolls or golabki commonly known in the 'Burgh as "pigs in a blanket." It's hard for me to think of little hot dogs wrapped in dough as pigs in a blanket; instead, I think of cabbage rolled around a filling of meat, pork rice and green pepper, baked with tomato sauce or soup. My mom is using Heinz chili sauce on hers this year. Heinz is, of course, a Pittsburgh company. Some of my friends like to eat Halusky – fried cabbage and buttered noodles if you're Polish, cottage cheese if you're Slovak. Chipped chopped ham sandwiches are uniquely Pittsburgh too and were created at the iconic Isaly's restaurant. The thinly sliced ham is mixed with barbeque sauce and served on a bun. If you’re in the mood for salad at your Super Bowl Party, then Pittsburgh has got just the thing for you: a steak salad. This sounds moderately straightforward, but there is a twist: it's salad greens topped with grated provolone, french fries and grilled steak or chicken. Klondike and Clark bars and banana splits all got their start in the region, so have some waiting in the end zone. Previously - Tradition, Teams & Texas – a menu for game day and some far-out chow from Top Chef's Richard Blais |
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The symptoms of iron deficiency anemia can be mild and hard to notice. Often, if the anemia is mild, there may be no symptoms at all. Even when there are noticeable symptoms, frequently they are dismissed as a bug or even just due to the fact that teens often don't eat as well as they should or sleep as much as they should. cpa websites
Nothing beats pierogies and onions on a cold winters day ... or even a hot summer day. Check out Lviv European Deli's pierogies in the heart of Steeler Country, Coraopolis, PA. http://moon.patch.com/articles/food-fight-pierogies-versus-brats#video-4747433
what about wakye and kelewele???
I love pierogies with peppers and onions. I'll have to look up the beer-cheddar dip recipe- sounds delish!
Why are we not talking about fried cheese curds? Those are the best things to come out of Wisconsin since the cheese curd itself!
I 2nd that!!
How can I get in on this sausage fest?? Middle-aged, bald, overweight, handicapped men like myself don't often get an invite to the "big game."
What a great Super Bowl blog! Cool that the writer took time to highlight great food traditions for both cities. Excited for this Sunday! Will save this blog for future Super Bowls too!
Alrighty then, how about some chesse and beer soup with polish sausage!??
That will work. Need to do the TEXAS chili though to use up the Brisket! :)
Hubs is having some of his nowhere-near-Tx-chili chili tonight, so doubt he'll be in the mood for more on Sunday. He likes beans, and chunks of tomatoe, nothankyouverymuch. He has enjoyed the brisket sandwiches that last few days though...the rest will be waiting in the freezer for me.
Serve only veggies at the Superbowl and see how many fans turn up with food fantasies on their mind. Food addicts suck!
This might sound like sacrilige, but I once made "brautwurst pierogies"...they were great! This year it'll be all things unhealthy: Welsh rarebit, chicken fried steak with bacon cream gravy, lard biscuits slathered with butter, and deep fried pork and chicken liver terrine bites (sounds disgusting, tastes delicous).
I secretly like it up the poop shoot. :)
No secret there, Ryan.
It's not? I date women to hide the fact that I prefer wiener. Shoot.
Give me a shout, Ryan!
Brat bunz are so good.
Ohhhh Beer Babe! It's the only way to cook the Polish Sausage!
"You met me at a party, six to eight weeks ago. You said I was a real good sport."
"Oh, shit! Jill! I remember now! How are you?"
"Pregnant. And I'm gonna jump out the window."
"Hey, you are a good sport!"
I like Pierogi very much. Fortunately I live in eastern Germany next to Poland. Thus the original delicacies of both countries are easily to get. :-)
Tacos anyone?
Only if they are fish
And pink, in honor of Breast Cancer awareness.
Ohhhhh,I love pink tacos and my new phone plan! Call me!
How do I call? Click my heels three times?
People from Pittsburgh are retarded. Bunch of toothless tobacco spitting rednecks. Who friggin cares what they eat?
I chaw toobaccy, and I'm not toothless nor redneck. Far from it. People are surprised to learn this. I also smoke both types of tobacco. And I like beer.
I work at your bank, most likely.
Jeesh, a little angry pal? I visited Pittsburgh once and I thought the city was beautiful and the people were nice. You must have walked down the wrong street.
I think it's Scots-Irish, not Scotch – which is what I'll be drinking on Sunday to keep my Steelers Super Bowl Sunday anxiety to a minimum. Gimme an "Imp & Iron" – three cheers for our Steelers!
Both Klondike Bars and Clark bars are two of the greatest treats on Earth. Absolute freakin heaven.
zzz Klondike Bars couldnt be any more boring if they tried.
Wow looks like the vote on the cuisine is as close as the odds are on the game! I love me some brats, and hubs likes his pierogies, so we will probably do both and mix and match it up.
Steelers RULE and so do Pierogies,Kielbasa and BEER!
I LOVE kielbasa!
I like weinersnitzels in public restrooms.
Where's the cream gravy?
I'm fixin' to make some up for Sir Elton John right now.
MMmmm! Don't forget Pigs in a Blanket for me!!! I prefer wheat bread.
You can have all the pigs in a blanket that you want.
I can't sing with my mouth full!
I can sing with my mouth full but it is just mumbles.
Ah, pierogies and kielbasa it is! Can you simmer the kielbasa in beer like the brats? That was so good last time with the onions steeped in the beer as well. And we had them on hot dog rolls *hangs head in shame*
Hey, Justin! Holla!
I want in on this!
I still love my wife and snausagez.
Up yours. We rock!
Check your phone. Sent you a text. Good luck this week.
Sent from my iPhone
PS: Loser
Since they made you stay in Irving Tx,You may want to go to Aaron Rent's and get yourself a Football team. Packers SUCK!
HA! Gotcha!
I used to be a girl who is now a guy and don't have to stuff sausages down my pants anymore! :)
For the record – The Pittsburgh area was settled by Scot-Irish. Scotch is a very fine whiskey.
Wow, what an article. Unfortunately, the only thing that sounded any good was da brats! Cmon people! Dough? stuffed with cheese and fried in butter with onions? You cant do better than that at a super bowl party? Real football parties must include barbecue of some sort at least. Meat is king at our party. Ribs, bbq Wings. Also, chili. Yeah big meaty chili...and sunday we will be offering a huge pot of gumbo as well! So please, try not to get into the cabbage-gruel-fried,stuffed,dough thing this sunday. You will only be a disappointment to yourself and others! Much like this article! ha ha
Dude don't knock it if you've never tried it. My man is a southern boy and he loves it when I make Perogies, Golumpkis or Holuski. Eastern European food is mostly meat and potatoes. Golumpkis have more meat than rice and them and have tons of flavor. Never has it been "gruel" as you so lovingly call it. I love ribs but this is my comfort food.
A lot of Pittsburgh folks call the cabbage rolls halupki. Pigs in the blanket can be either halupki or also hot dogs with crescent roll bread around them.