Hot Dog stands are on every other block in the city and I've heard that the owners make a good deal of money. (Seattle coffee carts?) In order to own one, the city requires that the owner be someone who is unable to hold a "regular" job for reasons relating to injuries, learning disabilities, etc, etc, etc.
Now you may look at this image of a hot dog stand menu (and there’s more too, this is just the top half of the menu) and think to yourself, well sure these look like regular old hot dogs. You might think, oh, maybe they just took photos of some of the sausages outside of the buns in order to better view the subtle differences between the meats. Well, I’m here to tell you no and nope. At least half of the varieties offered come as a grilled hot dog and a toasted or grilled bun as two separate items on a little paper plate. The bun doesn’t even have a slice in it, so there’s no puttin’ the dog in the bun after-the-fact. I’ve watched people eat these, and usually they hold the bun in one hand and the sausage in the other. They squeeze several different condiments on the plate and proceed to dip and bite, dip and bite. This is incredibly strange to me, because I thought the whole point of the hot-dog, is that the dog is HOT. Too hot to hold for that matter, which is why the bun was invented--as a thermal buffer between the hand and the sausage. Not to mention, the bun also functions as a convenient and very efficient vehicle for various toppings and sauces. I just don’t understand the idea of separating these two things that work so well together. So, consider this a call-to-opinions on the matter - and I’d especially like to hear from Susie here, since she took to the Danish hotdog culture like a natural.
1 comment:
I can't believe I missed this the day it happened! My thoughts on the separation of bun and wienie are that too often the bun dominates it's meaty superior. Just as the precious letter you receive is far more about the contents of the envelope than the envelope itself, the dog, so too, should be prioritized over the bun. The way the Danes do it may not be perfect, but they make their intentions clear. The dog comes first, then the dippers, then the buns. But, Nate, if you find yourself want the dog IN the bun, most dog stand guys will gladly cut open your bun for you, as I learned. One last thing. I think the Danes know that their buns SUCK! And that may be another reason for the lower status of the bread. If you go to Vienna or many parts of Germany, they serve you a perfectly grilled weiss wurst delivered within a sliced, crusty, almost baguette-like roll, an edible envelope worth savoring. And of course, the mustard is on the side. -Susie
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