Chicago-style the Waco way and bipartisan catering

by Rick Pearson

WACO, Texas -- In this Texas community that can sometimes seem so far away from everything—except the presidential ranch in Crawford—Waco might seem the last place to expect to find a Chicago style hot dog, an Italian beef and sausage combo and pizza anywhere near the banks of the Brazos River.

But former Wheaton residents Pete and Marcey Futris are trying to educate the Texas masses that there is more to life than a steady diet of smoked beef brisket. The Futrises moved to Waco a decade ago and when Pete retired from the job that brought him here, he opened up a lonely Rosati’s outpost two years ago and thus began the education process.

The Futrises were catering their Chicago-style eats for the Hillary Clinton staff and traveling press corps on Friday. On Sunday, they’ll be traveling to Crawford High School to perform the catering duties for the traveling White House press corps when President Bush visits the ranch.

“They’ve never had anything like this before,” says Pete Futris, who grew up in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side and grew up in his father’s chili restaurant business before the family moved to the suburbs.

After learning the ins and outs that a real Vienna beef hot dog isn’t served with ketchup, and that the au jus is supposed to make the bun on an Italian beef sandwich soggy, Futris says business is “fantastic.”

Marcey Futris says one their Texas drivers describes eating a Chicago-style hot dog with all the trimmings as “Eating a cartoon.” Pete Futris says once he explains what giardiniera is, it’s readily accepted by a local palate that enjoys a little spiciness.

Bowing to local preferences, their restaurant serves the homestyle Dr. Pepper. But with an eye toward home, they refuse to offer “soda.” Instead, the menu proudly lists various types of “pop.”

To be sure, the road to the presidency can be a lengthy trail, leading to and from places most people would never think of even passing through, let alone visiting. But in the midst of a campaign far from home, the sight of a steaming combo in the middle of Texas is nothing to beef about.