Frankfurters, foot-longs, weenies – no matter what you call them, hot dogs are an American obsession.
They have become the unofficial official food of baseball games and backyard barbecues, and restaurant chains are starting to put them on other food – pizza crusts, pretzels and fast-food burger toppings.
According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (yes, there is such a thing), last year Americans ate more than nine billion hot dogs, seven billion of those consumed between the Memorial and Labor Day holidays.
That’s a lot of weenies.
With such a passion for the slender links, one would think we actually invented the stuff. But credit goes to Germany, as most historical accounts say that it was 15 th century bakers in Frankfurt who originally started slapping sausages into bread buns for sale.
The fact is, many Americans have just grown up with hotdogs. From the Oscar Mayer Weiner mobile and commercials in the 1960s to the ballpark memories, hotdogs represent summer and fun – even in the dead of winter.
It’s certainly year-round fare for Las Vegas restaurant owners Boyzie Milner of Buldogis, and Bob Remington of Steamie Weenie. Both have crafted menus with hot dogged fusions of their personal styles.
Buldogis is famous in some circles for its Angry dog – a blend of spicy pork bulgogi, Asian slaw, diced Jalapenos and a fiery mayo sauce.
One of Steamie Weenies many choices include the PBB&JJ – a bacon-wrapped dog, peanut butter and jalapeno jelly.
While both Milner and Remington dabble in the more exotic forms of hotdoggery, both claim to enjoy the delicacy in its simplest form, on a bun with a little mustard (never ketchup).
From Desert Companion: When Two Become One: The Hot Dog Crust Pizza
Bob Remington, owner, Steamie Weenie; Boyzie Milner, owner, Buldogis