Montini Catholic students get a delicious 'taste' of Chicago history

Students in Andrew Weisenburger's "History of Chicago" class got a "taste" of The Windy City's cultural history on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 5-6.

The students at the Lombard school were treated to Chicago-style hot dogs and all the traditional toppings (sans the ketchup, of course).

"The Chicago dog both encapsulates how Chicago was built, and what makes this city great," says Matthew Spina in his article "A History of the Esteemed Chicago-Style Hot Dog."

The iconic style hot dog has an interesting story beginning around the end of the 19th century, when Chicago was experiencing a growing German population leading to its domination of the meat packing industry.

"This was an opportunity for my students to learn about the cultures that have contributed to Chicago's history and how those are represented through the various toppings," Weisenburger said. "There are so many ways of reaching students and being impactful and food is one of those avenues. It's not just a novelty but rather gives the students something tangible to connect with what they have learned."