When you think of grub that comes from Cincinnati, Ohio, there’s an almost 100% chance that you think of Skyline Chili.
And while it’s the city’s most famous culinary export, it’s also one of the most divisive, as evidenced by the New York Mets reporter Steve Gelbs trying to choke down a Coney dog topped with the famous chili.
Let’s just say we can put him firmly in the “not a fan camp.”
You could tell Gelbs was trying to talk himself up to take a bite, like someone who’s trying to jump off the high diving board at a community pool so they don’t get bullied by their friends for the entire summer and the following school year.
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He took a bite, and the returns were not stellar.
“I’m not trying to be hyperbolic,” he said. “I’d rather have a vending machine burrito. I’m not kidding.
That sound you just heard was Cincinnatians sharpening pitchforks.
New York Mets reporter Steve Gelbs’ maiden Skyline Chili experience did not go well. (Photo by Phebe Grosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
I love chili. In fact, I remember at one point after high school thinking about becoming a firefighter, because from what I’ve seen on TV, a lot of the time in between fires is spent perfecting chili recipes.
I love a Coney dog too, but, dammit, I can’t seem to wrap my head around Skyline Chili.
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There’s a location not too far from where I live, and I’m always like, “I should try that,” but then I remember people telling me it tastes like cinnamon and you have to get it served over spaghetti and I get the yips.
Skyline Chili is about as “black licorice” as it gets: beloved by some, hated by others. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The other problem is that I need the right conditions before diving into an unfamiliar chili. One time my wife suggested we get Skyline for dinner, but it was the night before I had an early morning flight.
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That was a complete non-starter. That’s just a recipe for certain disaster.
So, I’m still trying to talk myself into getting a loaded-up Coney (by the way, that’s too much cheese and not melting it is wild), but Steve Gelbs’ foray into the world of Skyline Chili is not helping me get over the hump.
