Culture of Cincinnati

Last updated

This is relating to the culture of Cincinnati, Ohio .

Contents

Annual cultural events and fairs

Approximately 500,000 now attend Taste of Cincinnati, making Taste one of the nation's largest street festivals. Taste Of Cincinnati 2007.JPG
Approximately 500,000 now attend Taste of Cincinnati, making Taste one of the nation's largest street festivals.

Cultural and Entertainment Districts

Attractions

The Krohn Conservatory was completed in 1933, and named in honor of Irwin M. Krohn who served on the Board of Park Commissioners. It now contains more than 3,500 plant species from all over the world. KrohnConservatory.jpg
The Krohn Conservatory was completed in 1933, and named in honor of Irwin M. Krohn who served on the Board of Park Commissioners. It now contains more than 3,500 plant species from all over the world.

Food and Dining

Cincinnati's German heritage is evidenced by the many eateries that specialize in schnitzels and hearty Bavarian cooking.

Cincinnati chili

Cincinnatians consume more than two million pounds of Cincinnati chili each year, topped by 850,000 pounds of shredded cheddar cheese. Skyline 4-way.jpg
Cincinnatians consume more than two million pounds of Cincinnati chili each year, topped by 850,000 pounds of shredded cheddar cheese.
Findlay Market is Ohio's oldest continuously-operated public market and one of Cincinnati's most notable institutions. The market is the last remaining market among the many that once served Cincinnati. Findlay Market Cincinnati.JPG
Findlay Market is Ohio’s oldest continuously-operated public market and one of Cincinnati’s most notable institutions. The market is the last remaining market among the many that once served Cincinnati.

"Cincinnati chili" is "one of this nation's most distinctive regional plates of food," [4] :247 according to national food writers Jane and Michael Stern. It is a Mediterranean-spiced meat sauce served over spaghetti or hot dogs at several chains such as Skyline Chili, Gold Star Chili, Empress Chili, and Dixie Chili plus independents such as Camp Washington Chili. The chili is best appreciated not in a bowl, as one would with the chunkier, "Tex-Mex" chili, but rather, as a sauce to cover a plate of spaghetti, covered in shredded cheddar cheese (3-way), the latter with onions or beans (4-way) or with both (as a 5-way), all topped off with oyster crackers and to some, hot sauce. It can also be placed on top of a hot dog in a steamed bun with mustard and onions, and topped with cheddar cheese (referred to as a cheese coney).

Findlay Market

Findlay Market is the oldest continuously-operated public market in the state of Ohio.

Goetta

Goetta is a meat-and-grain sausage or mush of German inspiration that is popular in the greater Cincinnati area. It is primarily composed of ground meat (pork, or pork and beef), pin-head oatmeal and spices [5] formed into a loaf and then sliced and fried, often in butter, "to a melt-in-the-mouth tenderness." [4]

Graeter's

Graeter's is a regional chain of ice cream parlors that also sells baked goods and candies. It was founded by Louis "Charlie" and Regina Graeter, husband-and-wife immigrants from Bavaria, in 1870, and grew into a chain under Regina's leadership following her husband's death. The Graeter family still runs the chain, which has spread beyond the Cincinnati area with chain-owned and franchised locations in several regional metropolitan areas, plus one store on the Las Vegas Strip. Pints of the ice cream are also sold in grocery stores in all U.S. states except Hawaii and the Dakotas.

Oprah Winfrey is a fan of Graeter's and caused sales to skyrocket when she raved about the ice cream on her show. [6]

Montgomery Inn

Montgomery Inn is a local barbecue restaurant that is internationally known for its signature sauce. Bob Hope would frequently have the restaurant's ribs flown to his home in California.

Dewey's

Dewey's is a Cincinnati area-based pizza company that specializes in a variety of gourmet and delicious pizzas, salads, and calzones. Their fluffy crusted and original pizzas are a Cincinnati favorite, and there are many locations throughout Greater Cincinnati.

Larosa's Pizzeria

Larosa's Pizzeria is an Italian restaurant that is very popular in Cincinnati, known for its signature pizza with a thin crust, thick and sweet sauce, and provolone cheese.

This pizzeria chain is based out of Cincinnati, in most Cincinnati neighborhoods (which is in Ohio, by the way).

It also serves at major Cincinnati attractions including the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Riverbend Music Center, and Great American Ballpark.

Arnold's Bar and Grill

Arnold's Bar and Grill is the oldest continuously-operated bar in the city and one of the oldest in the country. [7] It was founded in 1861 and has had only four owners, most of whom have lived upstairs.

Fine Dining

Cincinnati was home to three of the eight Mobil 5-star rated restaurants in the United States in the 1960s; at the time, New York City had two. [8] [9] [10] By 1986 Cincinnati had two 5-star Mobil restaurants, Pigall's and The Maisonette; it was one of only a few cities with two restaurants with the rating. [11]

Pigall's was another Mobil 5-star restaurant. When Jean-Robert at Pigall's closed in 2009, it had earned five consecutive 4-star Mobil ratings and was the only Mobil 4-star restaurant in the tri-state area surrounding Greater Cincinnati. [8]

Wine Spectator recognized 15 area restaurants for the excellence of their wine lists, including two at the "Best Award of Excellence" level, Jeff Ruby's Carlo & Johnny and Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse. [12]

Until 2005, when the restaurant closed, the Maisonette carried the distinction of being Mobil Travel Guide's longest running five-star restaurant in the country. [8] It received Mobil's highest rating for 41 consecutive years, more than any other restaurant in North America. [13] [14] The former Maisonette's chef de cuisine, Jean-Robert de Cavel, has opened several restaurants in the area since leaving The Maisonette. Jean-Robert's Table opened in 2010, French Crust in 2012, and Le Bar a Boeuf in 2014.

The Gourmet Room, on the rooftop of the Terrace Plaza Hotel, was another 5-star Mobil restaurant in the 1970s. [15]

Galleries

Historical structures and museums

As the fifth-oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours. Cincinnati Music Hall 2002a.jpg
As the fifth-oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours.

Parks and outdoor attractions

Eden Park is home to the Cincinnati Art Museum. Eden Park Cincinnati.JPG
Eden Park is home to the Cincinnati Art Museum.

Music venues

US Bank Arena is home to not only big music acts but also local hockey, indoor football, and basketball. Cincinnati-us-bank-arena.jpg
US Bank Arena is home to not only big music acts but also local hockey, indoor football, and basketball.

Theater

For a city of its size, Cincinnati boasts a vibrant community of theater artists, educators, and producers. Audiences can attend professional, semi-professional, community, and educational theater opportunities year-round in the Cincinnati tri-state area. Many theatres within the region are members of the League of Cincinnati Theatres. In addition to theater experiences offered through most high schools, many of which are critiqued by local students through the Cappie Awards program, Cincinnati offers a number of college-level theater/performing arts training and performing opportunities.

Professional (Equity) theater

Professional (non-Equity) theater

Educational theater

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of the Midwestern United States</span> Regional cuisine of the United States

Midwestern cuisine is a regional cuisine of the American Midwest. It draws its culinary roots most significantly from the cuisines of Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, and Native North America, and is influenced by regionally and locally grown foodstuffs and cultural diversity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheese fries</span> Fast-food dish of fries and cheese

Cheese fries or cheesy chips is a dish consisting of French fries covered in cheese, with the possible addition of various other toppings. Cheese fries are generally served as a lunch or dinner dish. They can be found in fast-food locations, diners, and grills around the globe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cincinnati chili</span> Spiced meat sauce used as a topping for spaghetti

Cincinnati chili is a Mediterranean-spiced meat sauce used as a topping for spaghetti or hot dogs ("coneys"); both dishes were developed by immigrant restaurateurs in the 1920s. In 2013, Smithsonian named one local chili parlor one of the "20 Most Iconic Food Destinations in America". Its name evokes comparison to chili con carne, but the two are dissimilar in consistency, flavor, and serving method; Cincinnati chili more closely resembles Greek pasta sauces and spiced-meat hot dog topping sauces seen in other parts of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skyline Chili</span> Restaurant chain specializing in Cincinnati chili

Skyline Chili is a chain of Cincinnati-style chili restaurants based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1949 by Greek immigrant Nicholas Lambrinides, Skyline Chili is named for the view of Cincinnati's skyline that Lambrinides could see from his first restaurant, opened in the section of town now known as Price Hill. It is also the "official chili" of many local professional sports teams and venues, including the Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Cyclones, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Kings Island theme park, and also sponsors the Crosstown Shootout, an annual men's college basketball rivalry game between the city's two NCAA Division I teams, Cincinnati and Xavier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LaRosa's Pizzeria</span>

LaRosa's Pizzeria is a chain of pizzerias serving neighborhoods throughout Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. It was founded in 1954 by Donald "Buddy" LaRosa, along with partners Richard "Muzzie" Minella, Mike Soldano and Frank "Head" Serraino. Originally called Papa Gino's, LaRosa later bought out his partners, and changed the name to LaRosa's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Washington, Cincinnati</span> Neighborhood in Hamilton, Ohio, United States

Mount Washington is a community on the east side of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. As one of Cincinnati's 52 neighborhoods, Mount Washington lies within the city corporation limits, and borders the neighborhoods of California and the East End, as well as unincorporated Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio. It is served by the 24, 30, and 81 Metro bus routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Star Chili</span>

Gold Star Chili is a restaurant chain based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that sells Cincinnati chili. The original restaurant was established in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Mt. Washington in 1965 by four Daoud brothers, immigrants from Jordan. Gold Star Chili is the "Official Chili" of the Cincinnati Bengals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oktoberfest celebrations</span> Overview of Oktoberfest celebrations around the world

The Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Germany during late September and early October. It is attended by six million people each year and has inspired numerous similar events using the name Oktoberfest in Germany and around the world, many of which were founded by German immigrants or their descendants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jungle Jim's International Market</span> Supermarket in Ohio, United States

Jungle Jim's International Market, formerly Jungle Jim's Farmer's Market, is a large supermarket in Fairfield, Ohio, with a satellite location in Union Township, Clermont County, both near Cincinnati. The main location has been described as a theme park of food. Jungle Jim's offers one of the largest wine selections in the United States, live seafood tanks, and an in-store cooking school. Each week, the store is visited by about 82,000 shoppers, whom founder "Jungle" Jim Bonaminio calls "foodies". Many of the specialty foods in the store's Asian and European departments are difficult to find elsewhere in the Greater Cincinnati area, and customers have been known to drive from other cities for the store's wide variety of food.

The Maisonette (1949-2005) was North America's most highly rated restaurant before it closed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of Michigan</span> Culinary traditions of Michigan, United States

The Cuisine of Michigan is part of the broader regional cuisine of the Midwestern United States. It is reflective of the diverse food history of settlement and immigration in the state, and draws its culinary roots most significantly from the cuisines of Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, and Native North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taste of Cincinnati</span>

Taste of Cincinnati is the longest running culinary arts festival in the United States. Starting in 1979, the festival has been held annually on Memorial Day weekend in Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. More than 40 fine restaurants are featured at the festival, and "Best of Taste" awards are given out each year. In addition to food, the festival highlights local musical talent. The four stages for performances feature country, rock, pop, and jazz music. Approximately 500,000 people attend Taste of Cincinnati each year, making it one of the nation's largest street festivals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pizza in the United States</span> American cuisine variant

Pizza arrived in the United States in the early 20th century along with waves of Italian immigrants who settled primarily in the large cities of the Northeast. It got a boost both in popularity and regional spread after soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quad City-style pizza</span> Style of pizza

Quad City-style pizza is a variety of pizza originating in the Quad Cities region of the states of Illinois and Iowa in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean-Robert de Cavel</span> French-American chef (1961–2022)

Jean-Robert de Cavel was a French-American chef active primarily in Ohio. He was chef de cuisine at The Maisonette from 1993 to 2002, executive chef at Jean-Robert at Pigall's from 2002 to 2009, and later operated Jean-Robert's Table, Le Bar a Boeuf, and French Crust Cafe. He and his wife founded the de Cavel Family SIDS Foundation, which runs Eat.Play.Give: Friends and Family SIDS Brunch, a culinary event that is the country's largest SIDS fundraiser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gourmet Room</span> Landmark five-star restaurant in Cincinnati

The Gourmet Room or Gourmet Restaurant (1948–1992) was a fine-dining restaurant and iconic modernist space in Cincinnati, Ohio, which received five-star Mobil ratings in the 1970s and was at the time one of the few restaurants in the country so rated. It won multiple dining awards from Holiday.

References

  1. Campbell, Polly. "Cincinnati Food & Wine Classic crowds exceed expectations". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  2. "OKTOBERFEST ZINCINNATI is Cincinnati Octoberfest the largest Octoberfest in North America". Ohiotraveler.com. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  3. Horstman, Barry M. (November 22, 2000). "The Thanksgiving Day Race History". The Cincinnati Post . Thanksgiving Day Race. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Stern, Jane and Michael (2009). 500 Things to Eat Before it's Too Late:and the Very Best Places to Eat Them. p. 244.
  5. Smith, Steve; et al. (2007). "Are You Ready For Cincinnati?". Cincinnati USA City Guide. Cincinnati Magazine. p. 144. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
  6. Martin, Chuck (31 May 2002). "Oprah Winfrey just loves Graeter's ice cream". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  7. Wondrich, David (June 2013). "The Best Bars in America". Esquire . Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 "Ohio's Only Four-Star Restaurant To Close". NPR.org. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  9. "The Rise & Fall of Maisonette". Cincy Magazine. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014.
  10. Mosby, Aline (1966-05-26). "Nation's Greatest Chefs Feted at Gourmet Dinner". The Belleville News-Democrat. p. 15. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  11. "Rock Island Argus p25". The Rock Island Argus. 1986-01-26. p. 25. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  12. Brownfield, Andy (July 10, 2015). "Wine Spectator honors Cincinnati restaurants". Cincinnati Business Journal. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  13. Felix Winternitz & Sacha DeVroomen Bellman (2007). Insiders' Guide to Cincinnati. Globe Pequot. p. 13. ISBN   9780762741809 . Retrieved 2013-05-08.
  14. Hume, Scott (2005). "Suburban renewal". Restaurants & Institutions. 115 (9): 93–94, 96. ProQuest   208271460 via proquest.
  15. McCleave Wilson, Annasue (March 1998). Upping the Ante. Emmis Communications.