Ten hot dogs?
Ten?
How does one topple 10 hot dogs?
For those who don’t know, I’m a hot dog nut. I’d go so far as to say I am a bit of an aficionado. I savor my hot dogs.
Usually, when I go to a hot dog joint, I get two — one with yellow mustard and one plain. Usually there’s no added “fluff” on a dog, outside of places where it’s needed (for example, when I was in Chicago and got a Chicago-style dog).
But I always get a plain one so I can really appreciate the taste of the dog.
I’ve been known to go an hour or more out of my way to try a local hot dog joint (though, ironically enough, I’ve yet to visit a hot dog place in a town where I work — and pass by the place a couple of times per week), and when I am planning a day of activities, hot dog places are usually my first search for food stops.
I’ve been known to travel extra to hit the original Nathan’s at Coney Island, though I’ve yet to be there live for the annual hot dog eating contest. It is something I’d like to do one day.
During those travels, I’ve had really good hot dogs and some not-so-good hot dogs. It’s rare for me to think a hot dog is truly bad. Though, when in college, we went to a wrestling show at the Legion hall in Hazelton, Pa. The hot dogs there were downright awful … and I’m shocked I didn’t get sick from them.
But I digress.
What about 10 hot dogs? All right… jeez… I am getting to that.
For me, though, where are hot dogs really prevalent? At the ball park. I’m a baseball nut, so it goes naturally. In fact, I have a hard time remembering any trip to a park where there wasn’t a hot dog eaten. (There are also places I am hoping to one day have a dog, such as Wrigley Field or a Dodger Dog in LA).
This past summer when I went on the Summer of Baseball Tour? I had at least one hot dog at every park I visited. Sometimes they were really good, sometimes not so much. The times we stopped somewhere before the game to eat? That usually meant one hot dog around the seventh inning.
After all, I had to try one.
A few years ago, before I had the reality of diabetes and health concerns take over, I went with my brother, a cousin and his son to a Phillies game. The dogs at Citizens Bank Park are Hatfields, and they are awesome.
But they are also expensive. That usually means one or two of them, with a drink and maybe some fries or something is your dinner.
However, it was dollar dog night.
Yes, you read that right. That means hot dogs for that night cost a buck. Yee ha!
Needless to say, we took advantage.
I’m pretty sure I didn’t reach 10 hot dogs that night, but I came close. However, if I remember right, it was about the seventh inning when the promotion was ending. So we made a run for a final bunch of dogs. The vendor I ran into had 10 left. So I bought them all.
We didn’t eat them all.
I was looked at rather crazy when I came back with all of them. So we divided them up and gave a couple to people around us.
Since that night, I haven’t been to a dollar dog night in Philly. Honestly? I’m not sure I could do it again because I don’t know if I could avoid the temptation of trying for 10 dogs.
How ’bout them dogs?
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Hahah…I find your dedication to hotdogs inspiring.
Michelle recently posted..Dream A Little Dream But Don’t Have Any Fun
I’m glad it can inspire! 😉
You are way ahead of me in the hot dog eating department. The most I’ve eaten at once is two and don’t do that anymore for weight reasons. From my childhood, I remember some great dogs and now it seems that’s what I should have written on. It’s just the “ten” set me off on a different track.
Sounds like there really is something to that whole baseball park hot dog thing after all.
Linda recently posted..55 Hotdogs
Oh my goodness yes in regard to baseball park hot dog thing. It’s the perfect meal at a park!
And I don’t think I could devour as many as I might have a few years ago in my current state. Well, I might able to… but I know better. So I just tend to enjoy them more now!
I do love a good hot dog! I like mine with ketchup, mustard and sometimes sauerkraut. Whenever I see a hot dog on a menu, I am always intrigued. Burgers are my ultimate choice, but gotta love the dogs too!
Nadine recently posted..Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
I do like a burger, but dogs are items I chase after, though I don’t usually consider them on certain menus.
I”m probably weird, but I love hot dogs with cheese melted over them. Put a hot dog in a bun, drop some relish and catsup on it, then drop a couple of slices of cheese and nuke it in the microwave until the cheese is melted. Yum.
Paul Myers recently posted..Ten Hotdogs – Day 7 of the Chill
Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Wrap some bacon around that dog before dropping the other stuff on it and I’m in heaven.
Paul Myers recently posted..Ten Hotdogs – Day 7 of the Chill
Bacon dogs work… if I’ve already experienced the place or make myself. 🙂
If it’s a dog I make, or a place I’ve been etc., I can dig a cheese dog. Or some relish. (Never ketchup). But if I’ve never been to a place, or at a ballpark — plain or mustard only!
I have always wanted to try a Chicago Dog! Especially in Chicago!
Around here the big thing is having a hot dog that has a touch skin so it kind of pops when you bit in to it. My favorite!
Katherine recently posted..Ten Little Hotdogs
When I was in Chicago, it actually was before I became somebody who sought out good dogs. I met up with somebody out there to geocache and they asked me if I liked dogs, I said yes and we went to a Chicago-area place well known for the dogs. I was told I needed a Chicago dog. It was pretty good, I must say.
And a skin that snaps is a good dog for sure!
I don’t know if I could have eaten all 10 of them either!
Jill F. recently posted..20 Days of Writing: Day 7 – 10 Hotdogs
I definitely couldn’t do it now. I can’t imagine what those guys in hot dog eating contests are thinking!
I’m just a guy who happens to love hot dogs, but you sound like you’ve got a real passion for them. A ten hot dog purchase is ambitious, but I really can’t blame you for that kind of price.
KZ recently posted..Suffering from a Lack of Life
Well there were four of us, so I wasn’t going all in! But yeah, at a buck a pop, when they are usually like 3.50 or 4 at the park… a steal!
What a fun Post! Very clever. I never really think of hot dogs though I frequently prepare them for my grandson! I had to laugh on your ball park timing as my youngest daughter works in baseball and is currently coordinating an event at the field in Arizona! I’ll have to check out those Philly Dogs this summer.
Peggy Gilbey McMackin recently posted..Beef Tenderloin, Leeks, Mushrooms, Artichokes
A good hot dog is a tremendous meal, I think. The hot dog specials at parks can be great. They always seem to work out well!