Michael Hinko Jr

  I'm sure you're familiar with red pepper flakes, made from dried, crushed red chile pods. Most people know them as the pepper flakes they shake on their pizza slices. There are multiple variations of this product, depending on the chile pod crushed to make the flakes. I found some at our local outdoor market that had exceptional flavor without all the heat, Clarbelle Romero's Medium Chile Caribe. Perfect to add to your favorite New Mexican recipes, pizza slices, pasta dishes or any recipe that could use an extra flavor note. And I could get them anytime, just a short walk over to the market on Saturday morning. Except the last time I walked over there, the people who sold them no longer had a booth. I hadn't saved Clarabellei's contact information but I remembered that a few years back I sent a bag of the chile to my brother-in-law. I reached out to him and he still had the original bag with  the details. He sent me a photo of the bag with the label.      I ca...

 Pictured are DM & MH from the first chapter, and DM & MH from the last chapter. A 33-year story.

In 1956 my dad, Michael Hinko Sr, was a candidate for Congressional Representative, 4th District, Illinois. Below I've attached his platform. Each time I read it I think, "I'd vote for that candidate." His platform is just as valid today as it was 66 years ago.

We hadn't talked in quite a while, so there was a lot of gabbing. M y friend mentioned he was enjoying the work of Michael Kupperman, particularly his Snake 'N Bacon comics.  After our goodbyes, I visited Kupperman's website . Also, I found an interview with Kupperman in the Paris Review.

      Ukrainian: Боже великий, єдиний, Нам Україну храни, Волі і світу промінням Ти її осіни. Світлом науки і знання Нас, дітей, просвіти, В чистій любові до краю, Ти нас, Боже, зрости. Молимось, Боже єдиний, Нам Україну храни, Всі свої ласки й щедроти Ти на люд наш зверни. Дай йому волю, дай йому долю, Дай доброго світу, щастя, Дай, Боже, народу І многая, многая літа.  Ukrainian Latin alphabe:t Bozhe velykyi, yedynyi, Nam Ukrainu khrany, Voli i svitu prominniam, Ty yii osiny. Svitlom nauky i znannia Nas, ditey, prosvity, V chystii liubovi do kraiu, Ty nas, Bozhe, zrosty. Molymos', Bozhe yedynyi, Nam Ukrainu khrany, Vsi svoi lasky y shchedroty, Ty na liud nash zverny. Dai yomu voliu, dai yomu doliu, Dai dobroho svitu, shchastia, Dai, Bozhe, narodu I mnohaia, mnohaia lita.  Literary translation by Dmytro Shostak:    Lord, oh the Great and Almighty,  Protect our beloved Ukraine,  Bless her with freedom and light  Of your holy rays...

Why two? Maybe because I am a Chicagoan, and we eat delicious food, no matter the dietary consequences. The first recipe is the creamed spinach served at the Berghoff Restaurant on Adams Street. I loved the experience of lunchtime at the Berghoff. It was particularly fun to walk through the door on a cold winter day and be greeted by the clatter and chatter and heavy plates of delicious food, including creamed spinach. Berghoff Creamed Spinach The second creamed spinach recipe is the one that was served at The Blackhawk restaurant on Wabash Avenue. My older sister, eldest sibling actually, mentioned that this creamed spinach was my dad's favorite. I don't remember it. When I recall dining at the Blackhawk I remember the theatrics of the spinning salad bowl, the insane indulgence of the waiter slathering a baked potato with as much butter and sour cream as you wanted (no limit, and my youngest sister ventured to the outer reaches of potato/butter ratios), but most of all the del...

   

 This is the story of Donna Michels and Mike Hinko beginning their relationship. Donna compiled pieces of her writings to tell that story. Then she placed it in my cabinet for me to discover some day. One day I was searching through my cabinet for something unrelated and I came across a folder containing these pages - just like Donna had planned. It is her final gift to me. Adjacent to the telling of our story the excerpted pages contained writings about the lives of others. I have made redactions to the document so that the writings will not impact those lives. Donna wanted to share the story of Donna and Mike. And that's the story I want to share with you.

 

 One of the stops on Martin Amis' "London Fields" publicity tour was Barbara's Bookstore in Chicago.  My wife and I found ourselves fused into the tightly packed gathering and felt happy for the opportunity.  The hushed crowd listened intently as Amis read aloud through curled lip. After the reading, we waited in line to have two copies of "London Fields" signed by the author: one for our bookshelf, one for my sister, Deb.  As I stepped to the table, Amis asked to whom the book should be addressed.  In a quiet voice I answered, "To Deb."  Martin looked up quizzically asking, "Just Dub?" I answered affirmatively, thinking he had simply mispronounced my sister's name.  He then said enthusiastically, "Dub! What a marvelous name," and proceeded to sign the book as such. Years later, while reading the newly released "The Information," I came upon the chapter in which Richard Tull is the guest on a Chicago radio program ...

 Enjoy more Hinko Family Recipes. Visit our blog. https://hinkofamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/

  An Interview With Michael Hinko, Sr., June 22, 1991    An Interview With Dolores Hanson Hinko, June 22, 1991     An Interview With Dolores And Michael Hinko, Sr., June 23, 1991

 

   

 The Daily Calumet was such an ambitious journalistic venture. Consistently great reporting. Download PDF of Clipping

  Michael Hinko Sr Photo Album Short Video of Michael Hinko Sr Working In His Law Office  This was shot in the mid 1980s on VHS tape. Early consumer camcorders allowed most anyone to shoot video, but the quality left a lot to be desired. Still, here we have footage that otherwise would not exist.  

 A note to my wife, Donna Michels, on the day our friend Mike Shannon died, December 10, 1999.

 "Every day we've had so far is worth celebrating, even if there are no more."                                                                                                                           MH, March 17, 1988 "...the future is as uncertain as it always must be for everyone, but the present is clear of misconception, failure, guilt & pointlessness. The world was a mire of useless struggle; now it's a struggle still, but one that contains its own reward. Mike said he wanted all the problems; he wanted to go through every bit of what we had coming to us, misery as well as happiness, he didn't want to miss a...

 im·pe·ri·ous /ˌimˈpirēəs/ adjective: imperious assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering. "She pulled on her lacy gloves & arched her neck & said, "Light me a cigarette!" I caught a glimpse that moment of the imperious nature he will have to contend with."

 Given the opportunity, kids will be kids. We owe them that opportunity.   Dieng Plateau, Indonesia.