When a holiday falls on a Monday and everyone is home from work & school, the whole week gets pushed back a day. At least, it does for me! This is why I could never work from home - I'm not nearly disciplined enough to keep on schedule!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend - the weather was gorgeous here in northern NJ! For our family it was the first time in over a decade that we didn't spend the entire weekend on a softball field. It was a little strange, I will admit. All these years I thought we were missing something by always being on the road, but now I know: the holiday, as with any holiday, is what you make it. Softball tournaments were weekends spent together as a family, cheering on the team (our extended family). This year, we stayed close to home, went for a walk in a nearby park, tackled a few outdoor projects, played & relaxed. It was the 'unofficial' kick off to summer. I guess they call it 'unofficial' because around here the kids still have a month of school and the weather & water isn't nearly nice enough to call it summer. Where I grew up - south central PA - Memorial Day is the official start of summer. The pools are open, people are headed to the beach, and school is finished in about a week. It's amazing how different the same holiday feels based on where I live & my stage of life.
One thing about the long weekend that doesn't change is the cookouts! (It's Tasty Tuesday, you knew I was going to bring food into it.) For some people the debate is what to grill: chicken, steak, hamburgers, hot dogs? But where I come from, almost everyone eats hot dogs, so the debate is: what do you take on your hot dog? The answers are as varied as the people you ask! And maybe it offers a little insight into a person's personality...
Me? It depends... I like my hot dogs several different ways, depending on what's offered, the season, the setting, and what kind of hot dog it is. I know what you're thinking: hot dogs really shouldn't be that complicated. Here's the run down, in case you ever need to get me a hot dog!
1) I prefer Sechrist Old Fashioned Smoked Franks found in York County grocery stores or directly from Sechrist Brothers Meats in Dallastown. Click here to understand that this is NOT a brat, sausage, or manufactured hot dog! On these franks, yellow mustard is all you need, if you need anything. And they are best when made on the grill!
2) At a picnic with "regular" hot dogs and the "regular" offering of toppings, I like all the fixin's except mined onion. Pile it high with ketchup, yellow mustard & sweet pickle relish!
3) There's sauerkraut?! Yes! Squirt a little yellow mustard and then pile on the kraut! This is especially good at football games or autumn cookouts!
4) Now, if I'm visiting my parents and my dad gets a hankering for texas hot weiners (invented in PA), we go to The Famous! The original restaurant dates back to 1923, and even though they've grown to 3 locations, they hold on to old fashioned service & value. If you plan to visit, note that none of their locations are open on Sunday. Order your famous hot weiner with everything: it's split down the middle and cooked on a flat griddle, then topped with yellow mustard, Famous chili sauce and chopped (minced) onion! Even though I don't normally take onion on my dog, I do if it's a hot weiner!
5) Chicago Dogs are a whole different breed of hot dog! My parents spent a few years in Chicagoland and of course my dad's love for hot dogs led them to Portillo's. It was here that I picked up my taste for toppings like chopped cucumber, fresh tomato, and a dill pickle spear! Here's a picture of my version of a Chicago-style dog from this weekend: ketchup, yellow mustard, chopped cucumber, dill pickle spear and fresh tomato.
No hot dog is worth eating, however, if it's on an inferior bun! My choice is always Martin's potato rolls! The Chicago dog is usually served on a steamed poppy seed bun, which is hard to find around here, but worth it if you can!
Did you ever think there were so many ways to top a hot dog?! And I didn't even include my youngest daughter's favorite: the corn dog on a stick!
So, whether you like Ball Park, turkey franks, Sechrist, or veggie dogs there's as many ways to eat them as there are people who eat them!
I can't wait to hear how you take your hot dog! What does it say about you?
I hope mine says that I'm flexible and enjoy variety, with high quality and good values!
Click here to go to the blog if you're reading this in your e-mail. Leave a comment about your hot dog preferences!!
Your Partner in Ministry,
Shelly
warrior
"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Proverbs 16:24
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