Food
10 Hot Dogs Only America Was Crazy Enough To Invent!
Whether at a ball game or even in the comforts of your very own home, sometimes nothing hits the spot more than a well-dressed hot dog. But these days, a hot dog simply dressed with ketchup, mustard and relish doesn’t seem to cut it anymore. We’ve found some pretty extraordinary toppings, and yeah … you’re likely to find them only in America. Here are the 10 hot dogs only America was crazy enough to invent!
10. The Slider Dog
Now this one certainly isn’t for everyone. But for those of you that are a little more adventurous when it comes to what you go ahead and put on your hot dogs, maybe this one’s just the right fit for your tastes. If so, then Cleveland should be your next destination, so contact your travel agent immediately. But if you already happen to live close to Progressive Field in the beautiful city of Cleveland, then you may already know what’s served at the stadium pretty regularly, and yes, it has something to do with an assortment of fruits. But for those of you still wondering, it isn’t fresh fruit that lies atop the hot dog in this bun. As it turns out, the folks behind the grub at the stadium decided to really go for broke with this one, and it has racked in some pretty decent attention. The toppings on this one start off pretty normally: chopped bacon; then it gets a tad weird, as mac and cheese is the second ingredient, but then we go all out, all the way out of the ballpark with the third ingredient, which happens to be Fruit Loops! That’s right, the cereal. So expect some crunchiness from the bacon and the cereal when you chomp down on this bad boy.
9. BBQ Sauce, Cole Slaw, and Tater Tots
This one happens to border on the more normal side of things. But really, what’s normal nowadays. The norm is only determined by what most people are doing out there in society for a set period of time. If everybody went out there and started eating Fruit Loops on top of their hot dogs instead of ketchup, over a certain period of time, then this would eventually be the norm. Things are only an oddity when a small group of people go to that trend or product. This one here probably doesn’t fit that bill, like the first entry in this list would. In reality, the ingredients here are pretty well … basic. BBQ sauce as opposed to ketchup is a pretty decent replacement and tastes really good. If you’ve never tried it, then you’re missing out. As for the coleslaw, this too is pretty normal, especially if you happen to live in the province of Quebec in Canada. There, if you order a hot dog and the establishment asks you if you want it all-dressed, then expect it to be missing the ketchup, but mustard, relish and chopped onions will be there, as well as some fresh and tangy coleslaw. And in Quebec, in the city of Donnacona, the star ingredient of their famous poutine is none other than hot dogs! Go figure. And the tater tots here just add to the texture of this hot dog, but you may want to skip the side order of fries with this one.
8. Poutine Dog
And speaking of potatoes, the beautiful province of Quebec and poutine … this particular hot dog has got it all: a little taste of la nouvelle France and a wee bit of good old Americana itself, neatly tucked away within the warm confines of a deliciously fresh bun. In Quebec, the birthplace of poutine, this dish is regarded as sacred, and we’re not joking with that one. It was invented there and perfected over the long years since its inception. Essentially it is french fries or fried potatoes, topped with fresh and usually firm curd cheese, and a final layer of gravy tops the whole concoction making for something quite tasty. If you have not tried it, you are missing one of life’s exquisite pleasures. To that recipe, many of the restaurants in Montreal and the rest of the province have added a variety of ingredients, and maybe the most popular in the area are the Galpoute, which is an extra layer of peas and chopped chicken. This tasty treat is offered at Fusee Rotisserie locations, of which there are 22. The one at Montreal’s central Train Station is a particular treat worth trying, by the way. And of course another popular option is adding a smoked meat layer, which can be found at most delis in the area as well. Now, do yourselves an added favor and imagine all of this savory goodness atop your very favorite hot dog! Now there’s a taste that’ll have your stomach performing somersaults and dances of joy behind your abdominal wall. And hey … maybe you too will be shaking your stuff a tad while you chomp down on this hot dog.
7. The Mashed Potato Hot Dog
Now here, the experience may seem like it would be similar to the poutine dog, but it’s totally different. Trust us on that one. Have we ever steered you wrong before? Exactly, so listen up. This one here is totally texturally different, as the major difference here is of course the mashed potatoes. Gravy and onions are pretty basic here, after all, we’ve seen it before and we’ll see it again, rest assured, but the mashed potatoes hold the real wonder. Can you imagine all that rich velvety, creaminess of the mashed potatoes as you chomp down on all that wonderful meat, bun and everything else that makes you hop on one foot no matter where you may be. Yes, it truly is fantastic and we urge you to try it, if you can find one. But if you can’t, there’s always your home kitchen. So go ahead and give it a try.
6. The Sophisticated Hot Dog
For those of you out there that seem to like a really good high end meal, where the ingredients sound a little too fancy, even for a thoroughbred sophisticate like yourself, this one here surely won’t disappoint, or at least we hope not. Fried egg, arugula, guacamole, garlic aioli and blue cheese – these days, many chefs are topping their fanciest of dishes with fried eggs; whether it be pasta dishes, burgers, steak tartare or what have you, rest assured that eggs are making even more of an appearance, as they have for quite a few years now. The guacamole has definitely been making appearances in the realm of fast food for quite some time, but the arugula is interesting, as it definitely brings a tangy, somewhat bitter and rich taste to whatever it may be on or in. There’s no doubt that it would speak to your taste buds immediately, no matter what other toppings are thrown at you. Aioli is something that can be added to anything really: a tasty sandwich and also a fancy five star meal. Aioli is the combination of mayonnaise, garlic and a star ingredient. And this ingredient can be whatever, like say lemon, and if that were the case, then you’d have a lemon aioli. Here the aioli’s star ingredient is garlic, but seeing that the last wacky ingredient in this dog is blue cheese, then maybe a blue cheese aioli would have been good. And speaking of blue cheese, now there’s a topping that’ll have many either running in the opposite direction or standing in line for hours just to get a taste of the succulent hot dog … a tossup really.
5. Mac and Cheese Hot Dog
This one made an appearance in the Fruit Loop dog we saw earlier, but it wasn’t the star of the show. Here, it can have its own dressing room, the lay of the land and well, the brightest lights will shine on it and it alone, because this hot dog in particular actually looks really good, especially if the mac and cheese is done right. Now there’s nothing wrong with the boxed mac and cheese dinners that you can get at your local grocery store. It’s fine and is a decent meal. Trust us on that one, as during our college days, it sure hit home on those cold winter days when we were alone at the dorms during break studying for those upcoming exams. Ah, the memories. Anyways … real mac and cheese however, is very different. But it isn’t all that much harder to make. The trick is in the Mornay sauce. Once you get that perfected you’re ready to proceed. So pay attention: For the Mornay, you bring some milk to a boil … to this, you add your butter and flour and you must reach the desired consistency … think white gravy. To this add your grated cheddar cheese and seasonings, and voila, you’ve got yourselves an epic Mornay, or cheese sauce if you prefer. While you were doing your sauce, you should have put some pasta to boil. After this, and your pasta is strained, you combine the two, being sure to add extra grated cheese as you place the combo in an oven safe casserole dish, because there’s never too much melted cheese. Then you top with chopped bacon and bread crumbs and you’ve got yourself authentic mac and cheese, freshly made. Now if this would happen to top a hot dog, we’re there, no matter how far it would be … bags packed and everything.
4. Arugula Pesto Hot Dog
Arugula is present here once again, and we can’t say we’re surprised. As we stated, Arugula adds a layer of taste that will only improve a recipe, and we’re sure it doesn’t disappoint here. Interestingly enough however, it isn’t in a regular leafy form here. In this hot dog recipe, the chef has decided to make a pesto out of it, which has got our ears perked up. Pesto in its original form is a combo of fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, olive oil and seasonings, all processed to a fine consistency. Now, for just a brief second, imagine replacing the fresh pesto, with fresh and tangy arugula. They’ve definitely got something here as far as we’re concerned. And as far as the caramelized onions go, those pretty much go with anything, really, so we’re game.
3. Caramel Popcorn Hot Dog
Yowza! Now there’s an odd one for you. But for you adventurous types out there, maybe it won’t be all that much of a stretch. After all, here the creators of the dog are combining two of the top fair foods found at local fairs around the shores and mountains of America. Hot dogs and caramel corn. Known as the Windy City Disaster at Wienershop, this dog in particular has definitely got some people talking, and we more than understand why. It isn’t only topped with caramel corn. The other toppings are specified as being: cheese sauce and jardinière, which is a combination of pickled veggies like peppers, cucumbers, and others. The hot dog itself is a jumbo variety and is wrapped in bacon, and you well know dear friends that everything on this planet goes better with bacon, now doesn’t it? We imagine that the sweet taste overall is complemented by whatever else is on the hot dog, naturally. But bacon especially is pretty good when a bit of sugar is added to the mix. After all, who hasn’t ever gotten a bit of maple syrup on their bacon while having a nice dish of eggs, pancakes and bacon? Some things just go together, friends.
2. Ramen Noodle Hot Dog
Well, we talked about the good old college days before, and we’re sure you all had some great and epic days as students the world over. Maybe many of you are still in school now, and if you are, you probably know that the aforementioned mac and cheese, the packaged kind, is probably your best friend when it comes to groceries. But you’ll also know that there’s one more item that’s even cheaper and perhaps easier to prepare when your getting ready for those mid-terms. And if you said ramen noodles, you guessed right. They’re quick, easy and you can get like four packs for under a dollar in most stores. Well, as it turns out there are hot dogs out there that are topped with none other than these delightful noodles. It’s funny because hot dogs are often chopped up and added to ramen noodles by many and likewise for mac and cheese. To serve those choices on top of a whole hot dog instead is a nice little twist. Add a wee bit of broccoli and you’ve got an incredibly tasty treat.
1. The Pizza Dog
It’s the wonderful people at Dogs n’ Frys that bring us the Pizza Dog – exactly what the world has been waiting for. It’s topped with the obvious: pepperoni, marinara sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese. But perhaps the most incredible thing about the hot dogs at Dogs n’ Frys are the buns … they’re so fresh and chewy. They only add to the incredible texture of the dog and the whole hot dog experience. They’re located in Florissant, MO, close to St-Louis. If you haven’t been, we suggest you do, as you will not regret the trip. And really, what’s better than pizza, especially when you’re craving nothing else? We’re telling you, these guys did the world a favor when they came up with this one. Pizza on a hot dog! What else is next?