Tomato Growers Supply Co. wrote:This Capsicum annum type of pepper is popular for its use as a pickled pepper to go on hot dogs and other sandwiches. It is especially well known as an essential condiment in a Chicago-style hot dog. Peppers resemble Tabasco peppers, but the Sport pepper is larger, about 1-1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. They are medium-hot and produced in great abundance on sturdy plants.
JoelF wrote:If I can't get the neon relish, I'll order a beef, a Polish, an Italian...
Gert wrote:JoelF wrote:If I can't get the neon relish, I'll order a beef, a Polish, an Italian...
That's makes you the most fastidious hot dog eater in Chicagoland!!
The neocon ( I mean Neon) relish is just food-coloring, so isn't the difference tasteless? I appreciate your quest for the totally perfect dog. They are indeed hard to find right here in Chicagoland.
Cogito wrote:Mmmm, love that HFCS. Hey, what kind of coloring agent is used to give it that unearthly color?
chicagostyledog wrote:The tasteless neon green color was the invention of Abe Drexler, owner of Fluky's.
LAZ wrote:chicagostyledog wrote:The tasteless neon green color was the invention of Abe Drexler, owner of Fluky's.
What is your source for this attribution?
Gert wrote:JoelF wrote:If I can't get the neon relish, I'll order a beef, a Polish, an Italian...
That's makes you the most fastidious hot dog eater in Chicagoland!!
chicagostyledog wrote:I discovered the neon green color was added by the manufacturers to enhance the light colors of their pickles. During this process, someone got a bit carried away and went over board on the coloration.
tikibars wrote:I'd say the best three dogs in town (all mentioned above) are Hot Doug's, Wiener's Circle, and Superdawg.
tikibars wrote:Whenever I go to Weiner's Circle, I try to be as polite and courteous to the employees as possible.
It really freaks them out - I think it is as shocking to them as it might be for your 90-year old bible-belt gramma to go in there at midnight on a Saturday, hearing all of the fratboys screaming nasty words at the employees, just because they can get away with it.
tikibars wrote:I might be in a bog minority here, but I really don't care for Gene and Judes.
LAZ wrote:That's something like what I've heard. (Perhaps we know the same expert. ) Also that the color change started to become popular during the pop-art era of the 1970s.
I've heard some claimants as to who was first to make a point of using neon-green "piccalilli," but never Fluky's. Jack Drexler couldn't even recall even when Fluky's started using it, so it seemed unlikely his dad invented it.
Leah A Zeldes wrote:The “banquet on a bun” had its origins in the Great Depression, when greengrocer Abe Drexler decided his 18-year-old son, local sports hero Jake “Fluky” Drexler, needed an occupation. That was in 1929, when jobs were hard to find, so Drexler converted the family’s Maxwell Street vegetable cart into a hot-dog stand, and began offering the “Depression Sandwich,” which sold for a nickel. “He built it like a vegetable cart would do it,” says Fluky’s son, Jack. (Also called Fluky, he likes to say he was “born in a bun” and is today proprietor of three North Side and suburban stands.) “It was an instant success.” The only change since 1929 has been the relish, which turned its distinctive “nuclear green” color in the 1970s. Fluky says they developed it, but he’s not too clear about why. To fit the hot dog into the psychedelic era perhaps? Still, today it’s as critical a part of the sandwich as the celery salt.
Rene G wrote:Did Fluky change his story?
LAZ wrote:Rene G wrote:Did Fluky change his story?
More or less. He wasn't convincing in the first place. He couldn't say why and he couldn't pinpoint exactly when.
LAZ wrote:I don't care what kind of hot dog anybody grew up with. I don't care what kind of hot dog anybody likes better. For the purposes of this discussion, all I want to know is where to find this kind:
Dmnkly wrote:But I believe you're correct about Gold Coast Dogs being a strict adherent of the Vienna/Royko standard.
LAZ wrote:Gold Coast Dog locations include O'Hare, Midway, Union Station, 159 N. Wabash Ave. and 17 S. Wabash Ave.
eatchicago wrote:Steve,
I think you could also add the "Double-enhanced" version which would include such things as lettuce, green pepper, and cucumber--toppings that are not available everywhere, but are certainly not out of the question when regarding the history of Chicago dogs.
Best,
Michael
stevez wrote:It's true that those things are randomly available, but I don't think that anyone would define them as part of any so-called "standard".
Binko wrote:Green pepper?
Who does this? The only place I could think of off the top of my head that goes beyond the "standard enhanced" is Byron's. And they don't do green pepper, do they?
eatchicago wrote:Murphy's immediately comes to mind. The (now gone) Franksville in Evanston included lettuce and gp as well.
stevez wrote:I'm still having a problem with the Vienna marketed toppings being declared the standard hot dog toppings. Perhaps they are for the so-called "tourist dog", I won't argue that. In fact, I do agree that they are a standard; perhaps an "enhanced standard". From now on, I'll be referring to hot dog toppings in all posts as follows:
"Standard Minimalist" Chicago Hot Dog Toppings
Mustard
Onion
Relish
Sport Pepper
Pickle (Sometimes)
"Standard Enhanced" Chicago Hot Dog Toppings
Mustard
[Onion
Neon Relish
Tomato
Sport Pepper
Pickle
Celery Salt (Usually)
Poppy Seed Bun (Most of the time)
You'll notice that there is a bit of wiggle room when it comes to pickles in the standard minimalist definition and for celery salt and the poppy seed requirement in the standard enhanced definition. Those seem to be the major areas where there most often is variation from the Platonic ideal. For the sake of standards (pun intended), I invite others to join me in referring to dog toppings in this way.
Chicago Dog - 2.99
We've loaded our Vienna all-beef hotdog with tangy yellow mustard, neon green relish, onion, tomatoes, sport peppers, a pickle spear & a dash of celery salt"
Cogito wrote:I hate it when they put the mustard on last. I think it should go on first. That way the onions and relish stick to the dog better, and you end up with less mustard on your lips.
Rene G wrote:
Did anyone notice that Vienna's picture and descriptions don't quite match? What's labeled a pickle spear isn't long and pointed (it looks like a slice to me) and the "neon relish" appears to be normal green relish (maybe my monitor needs adjustment). It seems to me if Vienna wants to define the standard they should be a little more careful about it.
Rene G wrote:stevez wrote:It's true that those things are randomly available, but I don't think that anyone would define them as part of any so-called "standard".
Professors Bowen and Fay do just that in their book, Hot Dog Chicago: A Native's Dining Guide (Chicago Review Press, 1983, pp 1-2): "The extravagant 'garden on a bun' Chicago school of hot dog thought specifies the addition of lettuce, cucumber slices and pieces of green pepper." I'm with you (I suspect) in being thankful the GOAB style isn't more common.