Chicago Hot Dog
Chansons de Le Chef et Le Chat
A close second choice was Homecoming by Kanye West but I wanted to pick something a little more under the radar. Jimmy Rogers was a guitarist, singer, and harmonica player. For over 20 years he was releasing music until he retired. During his hiatus from performing, he went on to own a clothing store and be a taxi driver. Following the Chicago riots in 1968 and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rogers fell back into music. In 1995, He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.
No Ketchup Allowed on this delicacy.
Ingredients:
1 Beef Hot Dog
1 Poppy Seed Bun
Yellow Mustard
Sweet pickle relish (Radiation Green in color)
Chopped White Onions
2 Tomato Wedges
1 Pickle Spear
2 Sport Peppers
Sub Banana Peppers/Pepperoncini
Celery salt
Consider adding:
I’m not suggesting that you mess with perfection, but cooking is all about trying new things.
Smoked Paprika or Chili Powder
Giardiniera
Pickled Red Onions
Cucumber Slices
Cream Cheese
Avocado Slices
Coleslaw
Jalapeño or Other Spicy Peppers
Bacon Bits
BBQ Sauce
Instructions:
Prepare the Hot Dog:
Boil, steam, or grill the all-beef hot dog. Boiling is traditional, but grilling (referred to as a "char-dog" style in Chicago) adds a nice flavor.
Warm the Bun:
Steam the poppy seed bun until it's warm and slightly soft. If you don't have a steamer, you can wrap the bun in a moist paper towel and microwave it for about 10-15 seconds.
Assemble the Hot Dog:
Place the cooked hot dog in the steamed poppy seed bun.
Apply the yellow mustard along the length of the hot dog.
Add the bright green sweet pickle relish next to the mustard.
Sprinkle the chopped white onions
Place the tomato wedges along one side
Add the pickle spear along the opposite side
Place the sport peppers on top
Finally, sprinkle celery salt
Chicago will always hold a special place in my heart. This was my first real adventure as a human. I was taking a step out by myself into something new, leaving the nest. Since the day I moved to Chicago my life has been drastically different than I anticipated or planned. Sadly I am no longer a part of the city of Chicago, but it will forever be a part of me. I loved the atmosphere, the attitude, the FOOD, and more than anything else, I loved the wind. They really do call it the windy city with good reason. I find New York to be dank and dingy sometimes. It is certainly special in its own way, too. It’s just that there is something about feeling the breeze in your hair is just magical, it does something nice to my soul. Sure it is cold…really cold, but still.
When it comes to food, a hot dog that’s been “dragged through the garden,” is not for everyone. Some people just do not understand deep-dish pizza. IT IS ITS OWN THING. Regardless, I often think back to the first night that I spent. My girlfriend and I went to a beautiful restaurant where we met an amazing server. He gave us the ultimate initiation. My girlfriend and I shared a beef wellington, a few glasses of wine, and a nice dessert. Then we started talking to our server and his pour got heavier. He started giving us special wines that we had to try now that we were there. Then he gave us a cocktail for good measure. But the cherry on top, the creme de la creme, was that he gave us a handshake, he said, ”welcome to the city,” and topped us off with a shot of Malört.
Those who know, know, and those who don’t will just have to find their way to Chicago.
