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Chicago, Save Some Hot Dogs for Us! We're Hungry!

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Hello, foodies…

Well, the first official day of summer felt like summer here in Pennsylvania…we had 100-degree temperatures Wednesday, yesterday, and they're calling for a high of 95 again today! So, for the past few nights, I've been grilling everything. And, last night, I made Sunday's In the Kitchen with David road trip recipe: Chicago-Style Hot Dog Relish and slathered it on top of some all-beef hot dogs…just like they do in the Midwest!

So what's a Chicago-style hot dog? It's always an all-beef hot dog (usually steamed, boiled, or grilled) that's set on a poppy seed bun and then loaded up with mustard, onions, relish, dill pickles, tomato slices, sport peppers, and celery salt. Yes, they really do put all of those toppings on their "authentic" dogs! And, it's incredibly flavorful, as you might expect.

While you certainly recognize most of those ingredients, the lone topping you may not be familiar with is sport peppers. These are green peppers that measure about 1-1/2 inches long and have a medium bite. You'll usually find them in the canned produce aisle of your grocery store near jarred banana or jalapeño peppers. If, for some reason you don't see them, look for pepperoncini peppers, an Italian cousin. They're very similar in taste and can give you the peppery depth you want on your Chicago dog.

It's truly an art-form in assembling one of these classics. Usually the dog is placed in the bun (which usually has poppy seeds) then comes the mustard, relish, and onions. Two tomato wedges are placed along side (in the crevice of the bun) and a pickle spear is balanced on the other side. Then, two sport peppers are put on top, followed by a sprinkle of celery salt. For tradition's sake, do try to assemble your own when you've got the time. But, for all those other busy days, I think you'll prefer my relish recipe (made from all of those toppings) on Sunday. Just slather it on and call it a day!

What else is the Midwest famous for? Why did we make Chicago a must-stop destination on our road trip? Here's Chef Danny Grant from RIA in Chicago. He's a FOOD & WINE Best New Chef of 2012.

Now that we've talked about savory flavors, how bout a little dessert? Check out this brownie recipe from one of two Cookbook Corner titles this weekend.

That's from a brand-new book called The Looneyspoon Collection (F09690) by sisters Janet and Greta Podleski who host a popular cooking show on Food Network Canada. Their book offers great-tasting, healthy recipes, useful nutrition tips, and a little corny humor. These two are so much fun…I know you'll love them!

Our second title is a favorite collection from Taste of Home: Simple & Delicious and Fresh & Easy (F09735) and here's another treat to tempt your taste buds.

Now for that blog question…I love grilled hot dogs with mustard and diced onions. How do you like to cook your dogs and how do you top them? Do you grill yours too, then top them with things like sauerkraut, ketchup, cheese, or chili? Share your preferences and it'll help us all get through these sticky dog-days of summer! See you Sunday at Noon ET.

Keep it flavorful!

—David