Haute Dogs
Good morning lovelies. It’s Mandy today. You know that thing, where your mind starts to drift and you measure some of your best life experiences through food? I was thinking of that the other day while eating leftover hot dogs off my children’s plates. The food was already cold, the tomato sauce had sunk in to the soft white roll and they were just scraps really, but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t still yummy. I know Vicki doesn’t need convincing about the culinary wonderment of the vienna, and while they continue to receive bad press and are the butt of many jokes (pun intended) they remain one of those so-bad-it’s-good foods that I can never say no to.
My first ‘alternative’ dog experience was when we holidayed in the US – I was about ten – at a 4th of July BBQ held in New Jersey on the field of a high school that was straight out of Grease (my mom was an exchange student there). I’d never had a sausage and roll grilled over the coals and slathered in creamy coleslaw, and it was a revelation. Plus the Heinz ketchup made me feel so cool and worldly, like a character out of an Archie comic at the Chok’lit Shoppe. Years later, I sat on the steps of The Museum Of Natural History in New York, my dog groaning under the weight of ketchup and onions and mustard and chilli and slaw. The actual sausage was diabolical, but the whole package was like a fireworks display of delight in my mouth. In Austria on a work trip a year or two later, it was a big fat frankfurter slashed open, grilled, topped with sauerkraut and strong cheese. It was so delicious that I went in for a second before I’d even finished the first.
With the summer season approaching, I like the idea of not having to fuss about every single lunch gathering or birthday party get-together with friends and their children. The people I like to hang out with, rather than turn up their noses, will appreciate a lo-fi menu consisting of a platter of good quality sausages either warmed in hot water (boil the water, then turn it off and drop the sausages in for five minutes) or grilled on the braai (Woolies have an excellent range of proper butchery-quality sausages and I adore the ones from Raith Gourmet), the softest rolls (Woolies white hot dog rolls can’t be beaten) and lots of amazing toppings. I also always keep a box or two of Fry’s vegetarian hot dog sausages in the freezer as my kids and I like them, plus you can cater for non-meat eating guests last minute. Here are a few ideas for gourmet dogs that I’d like to sink my gnashers into… Don’t forget the sweet mustard, hot mustard, tomato sauce, Tabasco and slaw. Oh, and baked beans. And baby bottles of Coke. A hot dog party wouldn’t be the same without them.
Philadelphia Dog
Spread with cream cheese and top with fried onions and sliced pickled jalapeños (grill the jalapeños for extra deliciousness).
Nacho Libre
Top with grated cheddar and melt under the grill or over the fire. Top with guacamole, salsa/relish and pickled jalapeños.
Swiss Miss
Top with gruyere or emmental. Melt. Top with sauerkraut and good quality or homemade mayonnaise.
In A Pickle
Finely chop dill pickles and mix into good quality or homemade mayonnaise. Spread on the bun, place the sausage, then top with thin slices of sweet and sour pickles, finely chopped pickled beetroot and more of the mayo.
Sweet Onion Dog
Caramelise onions and spread over the hot dog along with crumbled blue cheese or gruyere. Melt.
The Englishman In New York
Slather the roll in HP Sauce, sprinkle grated cheddar over the sausage and melt. Top with finely chopped pickled onion and slaw.
Heart (Un)Smart
Top with crispy bacon bits, cream cheese, caramelised onions and finely chopped de-seeded chillies or grilled jalapeños.
