New York Hot Dogs

The dis-oriented author was born and raised in the Midwest. I still live in Iowa with my wife and the five (of our eight) children who are still at home. In my job I get to travel and spend time in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas and New York.

This week I am in New York, good thing because I have been craving a New York hot dog.

One of the thing I try to do as I travel is sample the local cuisine. I have enjoyed scrapple and Gino's steaks in Philadelphia. I love the Cincinnati trifecta; Montgomery Inn ribs, LaRosa's pizza and Skyline Chili. In  Canada, I enjoy poutine, donair and butter tarts. And recently in Florida, I was introduced to rock shrimp. In Chicago I eat deep dish pizza.

But this week I was craving a New York hot dog. What makes a New York hot dog different? First, I like the pushcart dogs the best. I look for the silver pushcarts with the blue and yellow Sabrett umbrella. These carts are on almost every corner in mid-town. The rolls (buns for us mid-westerners) are always warm and fresh. The Sabrett dog is an all beef frank, thinner than midwest dogs but with a crisper casing. I know real hot dog fans will groan but I do not particularly like mustard so I order mine with onions.

The first time I ordered a NY dog, I asked for it with onions. I expected some chopped raw onions like I would get at home. Instead, the vender deftly opened a door in the counter of his cart and reached in with his tongs. He took out a what looked like a watery pasta sauce with chopped onions in it. I could see from the steam rising that it was hot.

At the first bite I was hooked! Now every time I am in New York I have to stop by and get some dogs on the street. I was teaching a class in New York this week and I mentioned my fondness for New York dogs. One of my students told me that the onions in sauce is available in jars in area grocery stores. That evening I stoped in every grocery and bodega between the office and my hotel — to no avail.

The next morning when I got into the office there wa a bottle of Sabrett Onions in Sauce on my desk! Since you cannot fly with liquids in your carry-on these days, I knew I would have to check my bag. A small price to pay!

I know I don't have the right kind of rolls and I'll be using midwestern mystery-meat dogs, even so I will have authentic NY onions in sauce — I can hardly wait.