Many fans of Cincinnati Style Chili order it served over spaghetti.

When visiting Chicago, tourists make it a point to sample the city's renowned deep-dish pizza. In Los Angeles, hamburger joints are a major food attraction, and in New York they have their famous sidewalk hot dog vendors. In the same tradition, the city of Cincinnati serves up Cincinnati style chili, a true taste sensation that visitors to the southern Ohio city rarely forget.

Lori Busse is the marketing director at Cincinnati's Gold Star Chili, where her responsibilities include local store marketing, PR, promotions, media buying, events, and creative design. The holder of an MBA from the University of Cincinnati, Busse enjoys working in the restaurant industry and being part of a local tradition. Here she explains what makes Cincinnati chili so special:

• Beans are for Texas.
  Cincinnati style chili is significantly different than Texas style chili. For one thing, Cincinnati chili has no beans- it's predominantly sauce, meat, and spices.
  
• Thinner sauce.
  Cincinnati chili also has a thinner sauce, and the beef is ground, rather than cubed or diced as in other types of chili.
  
• Secret spices.
  Cincinnati chili gets it's unique taste from the blend of spices used. Each recipe is slightly different, and many are secret, but key flavorings can include unexpected choices like cinnamon and possibly even chocolate.
  
• It's not about the heat.
  Unlike some varieties of chili, the idea isn't to burn your tongue with hot-pepper heat. The flavors in Cincinnati chili are subtler than that and may require diners to rethink their whole idea of chili.
  
• Serve with Spaghetti or a Frank.
  Cincinnati chili isn't always eaten by itself; often it's served over a hot dog in a steamed bun, which is called a coney, or over spaghetti. It can be topped with onions or even beans. Adding cheese makes it a "three way."
  
• Make a visit, have a meal.
  Busse encourages visitors to Cincinnati to have some of the city's famous chili before departing. Of course, Cincinnati style chili is so popular that it's also available in chili restaurants all over the country, so you won't have to head to Ohio to taste it.

For more information about Cincinnati chili, check out the following organizations or websites:

Gold Star Chili
www.goldstarchili.com

Food Network: Cincinnati-Style Chili
www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes

What's Cooking America: Cincinnati Chili
whatscookingamerica.net/Beef/CincinnatiChili

IChef: Four-Way Cincinnati Chili
www.ichef.com/recipe.cfm

Epicurious.com: Cincinnati Style Chili
www.epicurious.com/run/recipe