Hot. Dog.

If you know anything about Chicago, then you are probably aware we are famous for our hot dogs and deep-dish pizza. When referred to outside the city, both are known as “Chicago-style.” Yes, they are “Chicago-style,” but they don’t taste the same when eaten in Philly, L.A., or the Big Apple. Especially hot dogs.

Today we are going to focus on hotdogs, because it’s summer and they are really good. Nothing wrong with pizza, but when you have a hotdog with all of the trimmings, you know you have had a really good meal. When I was growing up, we had hotdogs, but I think they were the Oscar Mayer variety; yes they are still around, but my tastes have gotten the better of me and now I only eat the good ones. To participate in the health kick, you also have hotdogs that are made of turkey, vegetables and other ingredients that might be healthier for you, but why waste the meal when you can scrimp somewhere else? People will tell you the vegetables on hotdogs, although processed (ever seen relish so green?) are good for you—don’t know if they are or not; but if you recall back in the 1980s, the Regan administration convinced people that ketchup was a vegetable, so what’s the difference? We still went along with it.

About a year or so ago I went to a hot dog restaurant called, “Hot Doug’s” that served all types of hot dogs; from ones made of veal to chicken sausage to traditional all beef varieties. They also have French fries made in “duck fat.” It might sound disgusting, but it stops there. They were really good as I felt my arteries clog up with each fry I ate---however, one order was certainly enough for me. Probably for life.

Hot Dogs are a staple here in our area. You can find them at restaurants around the city, on hot dog carts, and of course at stadiums---funny thing about it, they all taste really good. It’s not like a hamburger or chicken which have wide taste swings and you really don’t know if it's going to taste good once you bite into it.

But, there is something about going up to a hot dog cart and ordering “a dog with everything.” That would consist of: mustard, relish, tomatoes, peppers and a slice of pickle. Where’s the ketchup? Not on a Chicago style hot dog---you save that for the fries.

Once you have ordered “the dog” you either eat it standing up, find a bench, or better yet, a piece of parcel to sit down and indulge---because in Chicago we know our food, and it spells h-o-t-d-o-g.

The photo above is of the “hotdog” guy. He is located at the corner of Main and Crescent in Glen Ellyn, IL. His name is Joe, has 2 boys and lives in a nearby community. Coming from a background of 10 kids in his family (8 of the 10 are girls), I am sure he knows all about “feeding a crowd.” About 3 years ago, he purchased this business from the “former hot dog” guy---they actually resemble one another---and his business has taken off. I asked him how many hotdogs he sells in an average week, and he told me. I promised to leave out that little bit of information from “Snap.Shot.” but you can be sure, he has a following and he has really “cornered the market” in serving some of the best hotdogs in town. If you are ever in Glen Ellyn, stop by and say hello to “Joe;” probably one of the funniest things on his cart is the container marked, “plain.’ You shake it over your hotdog---that is, just in case you want a plain one. The container is empty and the kids shake it as hard as they can to make sure they have a good ol’ hotdog, plain and simple.

Thanks for stopping by.