The old saying is that you never want to see how a sausage gets made, but the new Foodseum is bucking that mentality with an exhibit that goes deep into the world of Chicagoans favorite food—hot dogs.
“The Hot Dog and Encased Meat of the World” is the first exhibit from the pop-up museum the Foodseum. Visitors will get to learn about the history of the hot dog, get an international look of what sausages are like in different countries, and how you can make your own sausages and hot dogs at home. With Hot Doug’s famous Doug Sohn as a board member to the Foodseum, there is also an immense amount of hot dog collectibles on display from his own private collection.
The exhibit is also very interactive. Not only do you know what spices go into different sausage from other countries, but those spices are on hand to smell. In addition, you can see what it’s like to make a sausage by grinding Play-Doh through a meet grinder, squeeze it out, and go through a make-shift butcher shop with tools that have been used over the years to make encased meats. You might also get a taste of some hot dogs too when you visit the exhibit.
The 2,500-square-foot exhibit is just a taste of what’s to come of the growing Foodseum, which will have a permanent location and hopefully more delicious exhibits in 2017.
“The Hot Dog and Encased Meat of the World” is on display on the second floor of Block 37, located at 108 N. State St., until Dec. 20. The exhibit is open Wednesday – Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information visit foodseum.org.