A few of my favorite things...

Yup, these little beauties!

I know a weenie man... 

Strange as it may seem, HOT DOGS are some of my favorite foods! I wanted to start a new segment on this blog having to do with "favorite things" and I think hot dogs are a great way to kick it off! 

I often joke and say that I could never be a vegetarian because I love hot dogs too much. I also once had a red t-shirt that read, "I <3 Hot Dogs." Wow, I really am obsessed! Since it is one of my "favorite things," I obviously know a lot about them, and I definitely know where to get the best dog at. So here, are my words of culinary, Oscar Meyer Weiner, wisdom. Enjoy! 

Rule #1: ALWAYS go all-beef with your hot dogs. Chicken ones taste funny & and the other ones are too mysterious. Stick with 100% all-beef and you'll never go wrong. (I was raised on the low-fat, all-beef, Oscar Meyer weiners... so good!)

Rule #2: When in Chicago, you MUST get a Chicago style dog. And please, get ALL of the toppings. You might go to jail if you don't. ;) 

 Chicago Cubs Game, Honeymoon, 2008:
Lemonade in hand, Chicago Dog in stomach

The BEST places to get a hot dog (in no particular order): 

1. DISNEYLAND, Anaheim, CA-- I'm telling you. They are the BEST! Me and my girl, Holly, would rave about them back in the day. You know why? THEY ARE GOOD! And they are premium all-beef hot dogs. Yes, premium is important. It may be $10 for a hot dog and chips, but trust me... you didn't know hot dogs like that existed in the happiest place on Earth. 

2. J-DAWGS, Provo, UT-- Do you live in Provo? Do you live in Utah? Please drive to 700 E and do yourself a favor! J-Dawgs is THE BOMB! And it's not just because of the cool entrepreneur success story behind it. When I go to Provo, I hope that someone wants to go with me... cuz I'm going! They cook their hot dogs on a grill, right there-- there are sliced so the grill-y goodness gets all up in it. You have the choice of Polish or Beef. Either way, you're golden. So, the dog is already good... what makes it even better? SPECIAL SAUCE! 

Mmmmmmm

The owner/creator/genius has his grandmother's secret recipe and it is amazing! Last time I went to J-Dawgs, I seriously considered buying a bottle of the sauce... and a t-shirt. Do you need help choosing what to put on these amazing hot dogs? Here's what I get EVERY time: 

• Beef or Polish-- truly, choose what ever tickles your fancy at the moment, they are both great! 
• Special Sauce-- YEAAAH!
• Onions
• Banana Peppers-- I die for these. SO GOOD! 

This combination is a true winner. But guess what? There are so many great options! Sauerkraut, pickles, jalepenos... live it up! 

3. CAFE CREPE, Santa Monica, CA-- I recently went back home to California, and while rendevous-ing with a good friend, we ate at this lovely joint. It was meant to be, friends! Crepes, you say? What does that have to do with hot dogs? Well, have you ever had a Parisian hot dog?

OOOOoooooo! 

Me neither! I had no idea this even existed. I spotted it on the cute little menu, and my friend was the one who actually ordered it.  J.Hatch ordered a ham and mozzarella panini... BORING! Had I known beforehand, I would have stopped that one. Luckily, my friend is good at sharing. So, the Parisian hot dog is on a french baguette (already a winner!), then it is covered with melty-gooey swiss cheese and bechamel sauce. Yes, I knew what bechamel sauce was before this. It looks so beautiful when it comes to you, you almost can't eat it, and we certainly did not besmirch it with ketchup. It was a winner in all of our books, and so I just HAD to share it with you!

And, just a few side notes about this place-- of course I had a crepe! A lemon-sugar one-- simple but oh, so delicious! I just love lemon on a crepe, and it's also very good on french toast with powdered sugar... DO IT! And the piece de resistance... A NUTELLA MILKSHAKE! Yes, why didn't I think of this before?? It was A-MAZE! So, next time you're cruisin by the beach, do some fun shopping, and get a treat at Cafe Crepe... 

Just a short walk from Santa Monica Pier!

So, there you have it! Important hot dog tips that you can use throughout your life. 

You're welcome. :) 

~M