Haute Dogs

The Hot Dog, also known as "frankfurter" and sometimes even "wiener", is thought by some to have originated in Frankfurt, Germany and by others were sure it started in Vienna, Austria. Regardless of its original European birthplace, it popped up in America in 1870 in Coney Island when a German immigrant named Charles Feltman started selling sausages on rolls...the rest was history.

Lately hot dogs have become seemingly haute, in a gourmet sense, so to speak. The ex-executive chef of RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen in Los Angeles, Roy Choi, is now the executive chef of the Kogi Korean BBQ Taco Truck that roams the streets of downtown LA and Venice Beach dishing out Kogi Tacos and Kogi Dogs. What's a Kogi Dog you ask? They stuff a toasted bun with shredded cheddar and jack, spicy pork, a charred hot dog, onion lime relish, salad, mayo, and "magic" sauce.  Goodbye ketchup and mustard. Hello gourmet toppings and secret sauces. Another crazy part about this kogi dog is the fact that you have to follow their online truck schedule and twitter feed to find out where they are located...as I type this they currently have 64,798 people following them.

Chicago's Hot Doug's serves up some pretty interesting concoctions of their own. They have a Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Fleur de Sel, a Spicy Jamaican Jerk Pork Sausage with Jerk Mayonnaise, Smoked Gouda Cheese and Roasted Plantains and an Atomic Ribeye Steak Sausage with Black Garlic-Horseradish Cream Sauce and Sheep's Milk Marisa Cheese...insane!

San Francisco's Absinthe Brasserie and Bar serves a house made kobe beef hot dog with Guinness mustard, chili ketchup, and sauerkraut. In East Garden City, Long Island, you can seek out The Hot Dawg Truck and get yourself a Hong Kong Phooey Dog complete with a Boar's Head wiener, pineapple, bacon, teriyaki, and chives. The New York City Hot Dog Company sells Greek topping combinations like hummus, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. 

From street corner carts to three star restaurants there is clearly a fascination with the hot dog. I plan to experiment this summer and hopefully you will too. Let me know if you come up with anything spectacular...