From:
To:
Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2007 1:44 PM
Subject: chili cheese fries


Doc,

The earliest print reference we find for "chili cheese fries" is from 1988.
Although the restaurant was based in Chicago, the founders were from
Cincinnati and very much taken with their city's chili tradition.

"The Near North eatery is named Coney Dog, but has nothing to do with New
York. It serves Cincinnati-style chili, but it doesn't call it that on the
menu. Confused? No, problem. The selections are very simple. They've got
chili and they've got chili dogs.Craig McCoy and Randy Reynolds, a pair of
out-of-towners who graduated from Northwestern University in 1984, returned
to open a tiny, fast-food place in a storefront in April. With a fondness
for Cincinnati-style chili, but the smarts not to call it that for fear of
offending Chicagoans, the dish is billed as "chili spaghetti," served 2-way
($2.35), 3-way ($2.60), 4-way ($2.85) or 5-way ($2.95)...McCoy and Reynolds
make their own french fries from Idaho potatoes. They are plump and not
greasy. But don't stop. Coney Dog has cheese fries ($1.50) to beat all
others. The fries are covered with melted Cheddar cheese-the real kind-sour
cream, onions and jalapeno peppers. The cheapeaters' favorite, however, was
the order of chili cheese fries ($1.80), everything that can come with the
cheese fries plus a smothering of chili."
---CONEY DOG 'CHILI SPAGHETTI' STILL TASTY BY ANY OTHER NAME; [NORTH SPORTS
FINAL, CN Edition] Manuel Galvan. Chicago Tribune (pre-1997 Fulltext).
Chicago, Ill.: Nov 25, 1988. pg. 36

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark database (http://www.uspto.gov)
"Chili cheese fries" are not a registered trademark. We sent a note to
Skyline asking when they introduced this item to their menu. Hopefully, they
will respond.

North American fast-food dishes combining cheese, fries & other toppings
dates back at least to 1957. About French Canadian Poutine (c. 1957):
http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-69-1371...adian_food/cli

We will be in touch when we hear back from Skyline.
-----------------------------------
Lynne Olver (IACP), editor
The Food Timeline
http://www.foodtimeline.org

"Doc Martian" > wrote in message
news:xwvsh.488$JB.171@trnddc05...
> thanks. i've got a couple feelers out, i'll let yah know if i get
> something definitive. my hunch was skyline chili in ohio. they pretty much
> have a lock on chili cheese inventions.
>
> cheers!
> Doc
>
> "Kris" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Well, I have no actual proof on this, but at the time I always heard
>> that a hot dog place by Michigan State University started the
>> phenomenon. I think they were referring to Top Dog, which isn't around
>> anymore. But during my college years, it was great to go there at 2
>> a.m. after a party...
>>
>> Kris
>>
>>
>> Doc Martian wrote:
>>> i might make a pilgrimage.
>>>
>>> cheers!
>>> Doc
>>
>
>