Haute Dogs

Hello Wiener Fans!

This is a post about street foods and the good 'ol boy, the tube-steak. Some call him frank, red hot, weenier. A dog is a dog. OR is it?

I myself am a fan of the Costco dog, a mere $1.50. That is 6 quarters my friends. For a meal. Or at least until you consume about 40 bagel bite samples at Costco shortly thereafter.

Today, I happened upon a MOST gentile hot dog purveyor that sells dogs during the lunch hours down by the river. He's got a hot dog cart and a dream. But most importantly, he's got a hot dog hat.

I heard about this tasty tube-cart as I was reading the Wenatchee World, as I tend to do, from time to time. An article was published in his honor, and I do believe there was a bit of a spike in his business, because when I happened upon his cart this afternoon, he was sold out of monster dogs.

heh. This brings new light to the street food scene here in Wenatchee. So far, we have got the Taco trucks and the Hot Dog carts. We have had some durn good meals on behalf of those mobile eateries. So far, I have sampled a tongue taco, which seems adventurous but actually is quite a normal choice if you know ANYTHING about latin cuisine (which I don't). Next on my list of tacos to try is the goat. I have heard great things about a place in Chicago called Birreria Reyes de Ocotlan. Apparently, Birreria is spanish for Goatery. The rest of the name I cant really tell, nor do I have the resources to sit here and teach you spanish.

Here are some other dogs/trucks I want to try:

Hot Dougs….Foie Gras and Duck Sausage with Truffle Sauce. Wheeeeeeeeee!

Marination

The Swinery….Bacon shortbread cookies, among the other lush things you can shovel your face with here.

Tater Tart….this place looks so cute and warming! I especially like the purveyor's use of a POTATO as her head in her branding.

Kogi

Skillet Street and Maximum Minimus I like. Anyone who's anyone wants to stuff their face with poutine and pulled pork is a friend indeed.

Krusty Pups. Fair Fare

Costco Dogs and;

Dogs with cream cheese are divine. Now, this is a general category as not many vendors in the tube steak world can process what a dream it is to have cream cheese as an option on your dog. Kudos to those pioneers that do. Many thanks go to the Ballard Market guy as well as Dante's Inferno Dogs.

The Split Dog. This is a dog that you can find cooked in the most innovative way; the cart man makes a horizontal (or vertical depending on how you hold your dog, I guess) incision down the dog's back. This creates a gateway for crisp, meaty bits to form upon the edges of the split dog. The tube juices rise to the top and create a glaze of sorts. A self basting dog, if you will.

This textural component is not only highly desirable, it visually stimulates the senses and causes an automatic order of more than one split dog, even though you may be nervous because there are a bunch of ravers and bums hanging around the fountain near the Sephora downtown.

Last but not least, Pigs in a Blanket. MANY of you turn your nose down at these piggies, but eventually they all get eaten and everyone's bad cholesterol goes up, hence, mood levels rise. Just check your mood ring next time you eat one.

I cannot STRESS the importance of using lil smokies enough. Sometimes you just don't want to see a full size dog laying there, sheathed in some pastry wrapping. Its better to hide the tiny parcel of meat inside, creating a "buzz" at your next party. Everyone will be talking.

EW. Remember those hot dogs and lil smokies that had a molten vein of cheese running through them? I am not a fan. While researching, I happened upon this video of some guy attempting to make said molten cheese vein dogs. It's hilarious in a subtle, sad kind of way. Good background music though (Thomas Crown Affair). But I am disturbed at how close he let the wieners get to his Mac;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEBnf2E8tc4

Nellebee