It sure felt like summer kicked spring to a sizzling hot concrete curb this week.
Ancient Romans expected “dies caniculares” in late summer, and the Old Farmer’s Almanac calls for days of the dog star to heat up around July 3. But when the stars of Sirius align, I fire up the grill.
Some folks find refuge from the heat in a slice of cold watermelon or melt into a soothing scoop of ice cream when temps tip the scale, but I crave the meaty snap of the unofficial sandwich of summer — the hot dog.
But is the hot dog really a sandwich?
The debate among bread-filling fanatics can get heated. Merriam-Webster may define it as such but the actions of John Montagu say otherwise.
The 11th Earl of Sandwich, an esteemed member of the House of Lords who co-founded a restaurant chain focused on — you guessed it — sandwiches, sells tuna melts and meatball grinders but hot dogs are notably missing from the franchise menu.
The Royal We, seven generations removed from sandwich’s namesake, has spoken.
Despite Lord Sandwich’s notion and the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council’s insistence that the hot dog deserves its own category, I celebrate it as the king of summer handhelds.
If Mount Everest were made of sandwiches, PB&J would be base camp and the hot dog, capped with mustard and onions, would be its peak.
Other toppings are certainly worthy of this rare air, but I’m not one who relishes ketchup despite its proud Pittsburgh heritage. The sugary staple’s place at the picnic table is a debate for another column.
Like condiments, not all dogs are created equal.
As a resident of Lancaster’s Cabbage Hill, home of the world’s largest hot dog making operation, I consider myself qualified to rank brands based on flavor, snap, juiciness and nostalgia.
Don’t underestimate the value of nostalgia. Food is always better when it’s personal, and a seemingly simple hot dog can take you back to a family picnic that is otherwise no longer possible.
So, here are my Fav 5, just in time for your next summer cookout.
5. Nathan’s
Its beefy goodness, along with a root beer, is the “tastetrack” of Coney Island, the capital city of hot dogs. A trip to the boardwalk is incomplete without one.
4. Sabrett
This is my baseball game hot dog. Each bite takes me back to chants of “Der-ek Je-ter” and another clutch RBI. I dub it “The Captain” of hot dogs, and it pairs perfectly with an overpriced stadium Budweiser.
3. Hebrew National
The best widely accessible supermarket hot dog in the business. The proprietary blend of spices created in 1905 sets this all-beef kosher dog apart from its contemporaries.
Top it with kraut and pickles and enjoy with your favorite ice-cold pilsner.
2. Wardynski’s
Polish butchers are the patron saints of Great Lakes-region hot dogs, and while Chicago gets a lot of deserved attention, I think the best dogs come from Buffalo.
This beef and pork dog in natural sheep casing offers an exceptional snap when you take that first bite off the grill.
Wegmans, a Rochester-based grocery chain that has expanded into southeastern Pennsylvania, carries them if you’re not up for a western New York road trip.
1. Sahlen’s
It takes a super sheep intestine to make a dynamic dog.
Another Buffalo-based natural casing hot dog, the Sahlen Packing Co. has been making my family’s favorite frank since 1869, and I like to believe that my Civil War veteran great-great-grandfather, Conrad Seeber, enjoyed a Sahlen’s snap during a Grand Army of the Republic reunion in south Buffalo’s Cazenovia Park.
Unfortunately, Wegmans stopped carrying this brand during the pandemic. But trust me, they’re worth the road trip.
Did you know that July 20 is National Hot Dog Day? Mark your calendar but don’t wait that long to bun up to the summit of Mount Sandwich.
Fire up the grill and let’s get chubby!
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