I grew up in the Chicago area. But it wasn’t until I moved here did I hear the term, Chicago Hot Dog. Growing up it was just a hot dog. Ketchup, mustard, pickle relish on a hot dog bun. When I moved here someone asked me how I liked Chicago Dogs. I had no idea there was such a thing.

As I have found out, a Chicago dog has sliced tomatoes, celery salt, bright green relish, onion and mustard, never ketchup. Maybe it was because I grew up outside of the Chicago city limits, but I and my friends never experienced a Chicago Dog.

There are many kinds of hot dogs, Chicago (obviously), New York, Kosher, Chili, Kraut and even a Dodger dog. No matter the name, the dog is a staple of Americana. But some folks believe they aren’t healthy. My sister-in-law told my mother-in-law that at her 80th birthday party. My mother-in-law has enjoyed hot dogs all her life. Eighty years old, yep, they must be unhealthy.

My favorite version of the wiener is, of course, cooked outside on a grill. Nothing beats the slightly charred flavor. Its skin blistered and crisp. It’s the only type my daughter will eat.

Unlike my belief on pizza toppings, I like to experiment with my dog toppings. Sauerkraut is by far my most favorite addition but if I don’t mind getting a bit messy, I slop chili on it too.

As strange as it sounds, the second most favorite version came from a hot dog cart which showed up every day next to the station. His dogs had that extra flavor, hard to describe,but with a bit of chili, onions and kraut, it was a feast. Unfortunately, the hot dog man and his cart disappeared a year ago.

The traditional hot dog with bun is fine, but more times than not, I just cut the wiener up and add it to a pasta or bean dish. Recently I did that in the station break room adding the hot dogs to the “neat round spaghetti you can eat with a spoon.” I was surprised to hear a fellow worker comment that she, too, liked that version. Attending college, the boys and I lived on macaroni and cheese with hot dogs cut up. The four of us could feast on 3 bucks and save money for the important stuff, beverages!