We're Talking Dogs Here

The Fourth of July weekend is all about hot dogs.  There was the hot dog eating contest in Coney Island where Joey Chestnut (below) slammed down 69 hot dogs to become a 7-time champion.  But this is a time when millions of Americans chow down on hot dogs, whether in back yards, ball parks or beach-side parties. This is a food that numerous people love to loathe and yet hundreds and hundreds of them get consumed daily.  I have to say that I love a Hebrew National dog and it makes me quite happy with or without the bun.  A good friend loves the dog so much that he is spending a small fortune to create a hot dog cart that he plans to take on a camping trip of all things.

Appropriately enough, the frankfurters will be as diverse as the people consuming them. Granted, a hot dog itself is pretty simple: a beef or pork sausage, typically grilled or boiled, then slapped on a soft bun.  While fans can debate the merits of the dog itself — brands such as Vienna Beef, Hebrew National, Sabrett and Thumann's all have their champions — it is the condiments and go-withs that show the range of our tastes, with all manner of regional variations. 

The Denver Post gave a rundown of some of the favorite dogs in their city and I bet a few are favorites of yours.  Here are just a few of them, on a by-no-means-inclusive list. Most sell for $4-$5, so they won't break the bank. Remember, these shops carry a whole array of hot-dog styles, so, yes, you can have it your way.

Chicago Dog - This Windy City classic is a big pile of contrasting flavors and textures — too much for some palates (some folks balk at the tomatoes) but just the thing for countless others. A Chicago

Dog is constructed thusly: a frank, traditionally a Vienna Beef variety, grilled and nestled in a steamed poppyseed bun. The toppings include yellow mustard, chopped onion, neon-green relish, spicy sport peppers, a pickle spear and tomato chunks, all dusted with celery salt.  With or without a bag of chips, it's a meal.

Sonoran Dog - Hard to find outside of Arizona — it originated midcentury in Tucson — the Sonoran Dog is an exemplar of regional tastes. (Tucson is

located in the Sonoran Desert, just north of the Mexican state of Sonora, hence the name.) The frank is wrapped in bacon, then grilled. It is stuffed into a standard bun or a Mexican-style bolillo roll, then topped with pinto beans (either ranch or refried

Coney Dog - Despite their name, these hot dogs did not originate on Coney Island, the Brooklyn beach town that is home to the Cyclone roller coaster and the annual hot-dog eating festival that is as American as baseball, apple pie and obesity.  They hail from Michigan, and they still enjoy rabid followings in Detroit and Flint. The classic set-up: a beef dog topped with a beanless meat chili, finely ground with Hungarian spices and not too soupy, plus diced raw onions and mustard.

Chili-Cheese Dog - This is one of the most far-ranging of hot-dog styles, and is about as ubiquitous as the cheeseburger. The sausage is slathered with chili and cheese, typically a shredded cheddar, though some people swear by Velveeta. And that's it. For millions of kids, a chili-cheese dog has been the gateway food to bolder, spicier flavors.

The Vietnam - OK, maybe you can't find this in a food stall in downtown Saigon, but this hot dog bursts with Asian flavors. This dog, a pork sausage number

flavored with Thai chile and lemongrass, is topped with Asian slaw (pickled cabbage, jicima and carrots), mint, Thai basil, cilantro, black sesame seed and Srirachi aioli. Different? You bet. Delicious? Ditto.

Slaw Dog - It's a Southern thang, baby. These dogs are topped with a finely-chopped picnic-style cole slaw and believe it or not, it works. Now, there are variations within this dish, because some people also add chile con carne to it along with the minced, mayo-driven cabbage. This version is more popular in Atlanta than the Carolinas, where many folks are slaw-and-nothing-but about the topping, with perhaps a line of mustard added atop the dog before the slaw goes on.

Elk Dog - You didn't think a story out of Denver could leave out a hot dog that practically bugles "Rocky Mountain High," did you? Game dogs are popular in Colorado, including ones made from range-raised bison, but an elk dog is really something to show off to friends and relatives visiting from Out East.  Probably no one in Denver has done more to popularize the elk dog than Jim Pittenger, who first introduced us to them at his cart at 16th Avenue and Arapahoe Street before opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant a few blocks away in the Ballpark neighborhood.  Biker Jim is known for his range of creative condiments. Our suggestion: If you're trying the elk dog for the first time, try it with a smear of cream cheese, famously dispensed from a caulking gun, and some of his onions caramelized in Coca-Cola.