Italian beef and hot dogs get the headlines. Cutting-edge cuisine and big-name chefs get Michelin stars. But Chicago food shows its true depth in classic dishes conceived in the kitchens of immigrant innovators, neighborhood entrepreneurs, and mom-and-pop visionaries.

Culinary journalists Monica Eng and David Hammond will discuss their new book, Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites, in which they draw on decades of exploring the city’s food landscape to serve up 30 can’t-miss eats found in all corners of Chicago.

Covering Chicago original foods you may never have heard of—including Mild Sauce, Jibarito, Taffy Grapes, Big Baby, and the Mother-in-Law—Eng and Hammond will present stories of the people and places behind these and other Windy City favorites, while illuminating how these dishes reflect the multifaceted history of the city and the people who live here.

Monica Eng is a reporter for Axios Chicago and cohost of the podcast Chewing. She has worked as a food, culture, and investigative reporter at WBEZ Chicago Public Radio and at the Chicago Tribune, where she was nominated for five James Beard Awards for writing.

David Hammond is Dining and Drinking Editor for Newcity Chicago magazine. He regularly writes on food-and drink-related topics for Wednesday Journal and the Chicago Tribune and is a founding member/moderator of LTHForum.com, a site celebrating Chicago’s mom-and-pop restaurants.

This event is in partnership with the Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor.