The greatest thing about starting this blog is discovering that there are other people out there who share my love of sausage and bread! One of these is Stanton, who writes the excellent West Virginia Hot Dogs blog as well as the West Virginia Hot Hogs website. Stanton is passionate about hot dogs especially his local variety which features bean-less chili and coleslaw (yum). Here's a very brief Q&A with Stanton on the subject of - what else - hot dogs!
Q: What makes the perfect hot dog?
"Hot dogs in our part of the world must have a spicy chili sauce coupled with sweet creamy coleslaw. These two ingredients must be excellent because they make up the character of the hot dog. Beyond that, the bun, wiener and other condiments should be as high quality as possible, but the best wiener can't offset poor coleslaw and lackluster chili. The perfect hot dog, then, would be a grilled wiener on a steamed bun topped with yellow mustard, spicy chili, sweet coleslaw and finely chopped onions."
Q: Fries with your dog?
"For me personally, no, but only for dietary reasons. In a perfect world where one didn't have to be concerned with waistlines and cholesterol, absolutely yes."
Q: Why do you think is the secret behind the hot dog's popularity?
"Portability - the best "on the run" food you can find.
Adaptability - every culture can have its own unique version.
Dependability - no matter where you go (at least in the US) you can get a hot dog and you pretty well know what it's going to taste like."
Q: What drink goes best with a hot dog?
"Root Beer."
Q: Another food you love besides hot dogs.
"The kind you eat! Seriously, I've not found too many foods that I don't love. Hamburgers are high on the list."
Q; What's your record for most hot dogs eaten in one sitting?
"The most I remember eating is four. I prefer quality to quantity."
A big thanks to Stanton. Check out his website here and his very cool blog here. I think I'm going to have to try a homemade version of the West Virginia Dog. Sounds delicious!
