Dawgs By Nature
Cleveland loves its mustard!
Attending a stadium or arena for a sporting event is always a great time. The food is usually a treat. Back in the day, it only featured traditional fare such as popcorn, roasted peanuts, Cracker Jacks, jumbo pretzels, soft drinks, beer, and hot dogs.
Nowadays, fans can order shrimp and grits, bacon macaroni foot longs, Philly cheesesteaks, Carne Asada loaded nachos, chicken quesadillas, chicken wings, pitas, mixed drinks in souvenir mason jars, churros, frozen slushies, and fried pickles.
But who doesn’t enjoy a hot dog basket with French fries and a meaty dog nestled in a warm bun? This is where condiments come into play. Some ketchup for dipping the fries is traditional, but dressing out the hot dog is a completely different venture. And a matter of preference.
RELATED: FALCONS RUNNING BACK HAS HIS OWN MUSTARD BRAND
As a child, it was usually ketchup only, with perhaps a bit of pickle relish. As the taste palette changed, mustard is either added to the dog or completely replaces the ketchup, along with the addition of onions. Sauerkraut is a popular topping along with other additives such as jalapenos, chili, grated cheese, and maybe some coleslaw.
How a hot dog is built may depend on where you grew up.
If that happens to be in Northeast Ohio, you know folks use brown mustard. Stores may offer the yellow stuff for sale, but for Clevelanders and Cleveland Browns fans, it is either Stadium Mustard or Bertman’s Mustard. It’s not officially a hot dog until the mustard is added.
In Chicago, their hot dogs feature a poppy seed bun, an all-beef dog, with seven toppings: yellow mustard, pickle relish, onions, tomato wedges, pickled sport peppers, some celery salt, and a dill pickle spear. In Austria, the bun is replaced with a hollowed-out baguette, the dog is longer and thinner, and is topped with onions and curry ketchup. In Arizona, the hot dog is called a “Sonoran” and wrapped in strips of bacon, then smothered in beans, onions, crema, salsa, cheese, and tomatoes.
In New York, it is called the “Dirty Water Dog” and served at a sidewalk cart. The dogs sit in a watery broth of seasoned spices and vinegar with traditional toppings of sauerkraut, mustard, and an onion sauce. “Red Hots” are served in Maine and North Carolina, which feature a bright red dog covered in a sauce made from onions, molasses, pickle relish, and peppers.
The “Half-Smoke” is served in Washington, DC served with mustard, onions, and chili as toppings. Then there is the “Slaw Dog,” which is a West Virginia tradition. This is built with chili, onions, and mustard, then topped entirely with coleslaw. The “Texas Tommy” is a Philadelphia favorite with melted cheese and wrapped in bacon.
And in Cleveland, it is whatever you like on a dog, but it all begins with Stadium Mustard.
Mustard invokes memories of grilling out on warm summer days or...
