National Hot Dog Day - Recipes & Reviews

 July 16th is National Hot Dog Day, and you can't get much cheaper than a Hot Dog meal.

 So let's begin with a recipe that is literally a hot mess, the L.A. Street Dog. The wiener is bacon-wrapped and topped with mayo, ketchup, mustard, and a grilled fajita mix of bell pepper, onion, and finally a spicy jalapeno. Whew, that's a mouthful. Check out my version below. And click on any restaurant name or recipe name to see the original blog post with all the yummy photos and tasty prose.

My latest Hot Dog recipe is a Baltimore Baloney Dog. This Great Depression era invention is a cheap$kate's dream, or nightmare if you are averse to processed meat.

The premier tube steak purveyor in town may be Fab's Hot Dogs. Chef-owner Joe Fabrocini has brought virtually all of America to the San Fernando Valley, offering a menu of beautifully crafted dogs from every region worth its mustard. The selection of hot dogs is head-spinning, but go ahead and dive into my video, where I show you a few favorites.



Summertime is Hot Dog Season, and nothing beats making your own. I always have mustard and pickle relish in the fridge, and tube steaks and hot dog buns in the freezer. I make 'em this way more than any other - sweet pickle relish, sour mustard, and a meaty weenie on a bun, so good, and below is my simple recipe for a Relish Dog.



Pink's, L.A.'s most popular hot dog stand (the place can't put up all its celebrity headshots of visiting movie, television, and rock stars), was started in 1939 with just a pushcart and has the longest lines of any fast-food stand, and deservedly so. It has been filmed and reviewed by every media outlet in L.A., so I won't repeat it all here. 

However, I did notice one special hot dog that has not been covered, and that is the "Dude," named after the conductor of the L.A. Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel (he is moving on to the NY Phil). It's the most extravagant of hot dogs - get an eyeful of it in my video below.



I like a Chili Dog anytime. Where does this cheap$kate, lazy Chef get his chili? From the can, of course! 

I do have a Homemade Chili recipe if you want to indulge. Just watch my Chili Dog recipe and make your own, the 99 Cent Chef way.



Let's Be Frank, serves up wieners with compassion. No factory farm beef, pork, or turkey is used in their franks. All the animals are 100% grass-fed and humanely raised locally in California. Hormones, antibiotics, nitrates, and nitrites are not added to the production of meat.

I often gild the lily, that is, I lay it on thick, like my next Hot Dog recipe, a Chili & Sauerkraut Dog. 

I find sauerkraut from the jar, and chili from a can is tasty enough -- no need to complicate things.

If chili and sauerkraut are not your cup of tea then leave out the heaviness of chili and go with a simply delicious Kraut Dog. I've left a jar of sauerkraut in the fridge for weeks at a time and it keeps on giving mouth-pukering, sour-flavored hot dogs.



Carney's dining train car once hosted the cheapest Hot Dog Happy Hour on L.A.'s notorious and famed Sunset Strip, serving a trifecta of beer, hot dog, and fries for $4.75! Alas, no more since COVID changed the price structure of most restaurants in L.A. But their Hot Dogs are just as delicious, Happy Hour or not. Below is a flashback video of dining at Carney's Happy Hour of Hot Dogs, Fries, and Beer...oh man, those were the days. 

Your Boys of Summer have to try my Ohtani Dog, made in honor of the Los Angeles Dodgers home run phenom, Shohei Ohtani. Mustard and pickle relish, check, plus dried seaweed? Hey, give it a shot - seaweed adds a salty kick. 

I use Seaweed Snacks that cost a buck per 10-sheet package, so the price is right. I found 10-inch Dodger Dog wieners on sale once, but you can use any favorite tube steak.

Come on down to Crenshaw Boulevard in South L.A. for soulful hot dogz served by Earlez Grill. These wieners are split and grilled on a flattop for max flavor. Check out my video below to hang with the boyz and girlz in the hood.



I like a Chili Dog with a sweet relish. Hot, meaty chili cut through with sweet relish is satisfying on so many levels. Just watch my Chili & Relish Dog recipe...be still my heartburn!



A culinary car crash of cultures, the Oki Dog is a true representative of diverse Los Angeles. Combining the all-American fast food standbys of hot dogs, chili, and American cheese with the Jewish deli classic pastrami, all wrapped in a Latin street food Mexican blanket of a flour tortilla. I dare you to try and finish one. Well, if you want to see what I'm talking about, look no further than the video below.

Potato Salad on a Hot Dog? Don't knock it till you try it! My Homemade Potato Salad recipe follows the Potato Salad Dog video.

You don't have to go far these days to bring Coney Island to your town. 

I used to get a famous East Coast Nathan's Hot Dog from the frozen deli case of my local Dollar Tree, when I want an easy, microwavable, quickie lunch. They do the job and I even wrote a Cheap$kate Deal of the Day you can read here.

They come naked so I dress the dogs with just mustard and sweet pickle relish. What are your fave toppings?

Baltimore Bologna Hot Dog - Video Recipe

What do you get when you combine Baloney with a Hot Dog? You may not want to know.

Well, I'll spill the beans, you get a Baltimore Bologna Hot Dog. Locals call it a Baltimore Hot Dog. That's right, it's a regular Hot Dog wrapped in fried baloney with a smear of mustard, all tucked into a bun. 

The local paper, The Baltimore Sun, goes into greasy detail about the origins a click away here (quickly copy and paste the article before the paywall pops up). Basically, it was during the 1920s Depression that baloney started showing up with a hot dog in a bun to add extra calories and was popularized in the 1940's at a local deli run by Nathan Ballow. 

When you visit Baltimore get a Baltimore Bologna Dog at Attman's Delicatessen. There is a fun video visit when you click here. One notable difference between theirs and mine is they use three slices of baloney per hot dog. I use only one slice of baloney per hot dog. It could be that their hot dogs are longer or the baloney slices very thin? For my Baltimore Bologna Dog I cooked one grocery store bologna slice and one hot dog - it was a perfect balance.

        Baltimore Bologna Hot Dog

The main requirement for the recipe is that the baloney (or bologna) and hot dog are fried together so the greasy meaty flavors mix. I usually steam my hot dogs, but for a Baltimore Baloney Hot Dog you gotta go with the fried version. 

I do find that nowadays baloney and hot dogs are much leaner, so I used a teaspoon of oil to prevent the baloney and hot dog from sticking to the frying pan.

One note on frying baloney. Sometimes a slice of baloney will bubble up during frying. I will make a half-inch slice into the middle and press the slice to contact with the hot pan and get an even surface grilling.

Rotate the hot dog while grilling. Both hot dog and baloney are precooked so all you are doing is heating them both up and adding a little char or browning.

I like to steam my Hot Dog Buns, but you can grill or serve them right out of the bag. Click here Click here to see how I steam Hot Dog Buns.

Thank god that baloney, hot dogs, and buns are still cheap. I find them at my local Dollar Tree for just over a buck apiece. Use any favorites you have locally.

I still get mustard, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish for the same prices. 

The combination of Bologna and a Hot Dog is a killer combination, literally. You don't want to eat these too often, but as a tasty gimmick, it works. 

The flavors complement each other as they are similar. Some meat purveyors call baloney a large sliced hot dog. I find that baloney has more seasoning flavors, especially if you compare hot dogs made with mild pork and poultry.

I made my Baltimore Balogna Dog topped with mustard, but I would add sweet pickle relish or even sauerkraut next time. And believe me, there will be a next time! 

Baltimore Bologna Hot Dog - VIDEO      Play it here. Video runs 1 minute, 54 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here. just click here. 

Ingredients

• Hot Dog - any type like beef, pork, poultry, or vegan.
• Baloney - any favorite type, thick or thin-sliced.
• Hot Dog Bun - I like to steam mine. Okay to grill or serve right from the bag.
• Mustard - okay to add any favorite Hot Dog toppings.
• Vegetable Oil - 1 teaspoon. Leaner hot dogs and baloney may need some oil to keep them from sticking to a frying pan.

Directions

Nothing to this recipe. A Baltimore Bologna Dog has fried baloney and a fried hot dog.

Add a little oil to a frying pan or grill. You can fry the hot dog whole or slice it down the middle. 

Baloney may fry quicker than a hot dog, so it's okay to start the hot dog first for a minute then fry the baloney.

Don't fry the baloney too long, only a minute or two, or it will dry out. You want a slight browning on at least one side. (No need to brown both sides, just present Baltimore Bologna Dog with the browned side showing.)

I make a small slice or two in the middle of the baloney. It may bubble up so a small slice will let the air out from under the baloney. Press down in the middle to get even browning. I like to slice in the middle, not on the outer edge, so the baloney stays perfectly round.

When the baloney and hot dog are lightly browned add them to a hot dog bun. 

I like mustard on my Baltimore Bologna Dog, and you can add any other condiments you like including chopped onion, chili, sauerkraut, cheese, and pickle relish.

National Hot Dog Day - Recipes & Reviews

July 17th is National Hot Dog Day, and you can't get much cheaper than a hot dog meal.

 So let's begin with a recipe that is literally a hot mess, the L.A. Street Dog. The wiener is bacon-wrapped and topped with mayo, ketchup, mustard, and a grilled fajita mix of bell pepper, onion, and finally a spicy jalapeno. Whew, that's a mouthful. Check out my version below. And click on any restaurant name or recipe name to see the original blog post with all the yummy photos and tasty prose.

The premier tube steak purveyor in town may be Fab's Hot Dogs. Chef-owner Joe Fabrocini has brought virtually all of America to the San Fernando Valley offering a menu of beautifully crafted dogs from every region worth its mustard. The selection of hot dogs is head-spinning, but go ahead and dive into my video, where I show you a few favorites.



Summertime is Hot Dog Season, and nothing beats making your own. I always have mustard and pickle relish in the fridge, and tube steaks and hot dog buns in the freezer. I make 'em this way more than any other - sweet pickle relish, sour mustard, and a meaty weenie on a bun, so good, and below is my simple recipe for a Relish Dog.



Pink's, L.A.'s most popular hot dog stand (the place can't put up all its celebrity headshots of dining movie, television, and rock stars), was started in 1939 with just a pushcart and has the longest lines of any fast-food stand, and deservedly so. It has been filmed and reviewed by every media outlet in L.A. so I won't repeat it all here. 

However, I did notice one special hot dog that has not been covered, and that is the "Dude," named after the conductor of the L.A. Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel (he is moving on, though). It's the most extravagant of hot dogs - get an eyeful of it in my video below.



I like a Chili Dog anytime. Where does this cheap$kate and lazy Chef get his chili? From the can of course! Just watch my Chili Dog recipe and make your own, the 99 Cent Chef way.



Let's Be Frank, serves up wieners with compassion. No factory farm beef, pork, or turkey is used in their franks. All the animals are 100% grass-fed and humanely raised locally in California. Hormones, antibiotics, nitrates, and nitrites are not added to the production of meat.



I often gild the lily, that is I lay it on thick, like my next Hot Dog recipe, a Chili & Sauerkraut Dog. I find sauerkraut from the can or jar and chili from a can is tasty enough -- no need to complicate things.



Carney's dining train car once hosted the cheapest Hot Dog Happy Hour on L.A.'s notorious and famed Sunset Strip, serving a trifecta of beer, hot dog, and fries for $4.75! Alas, no more since COVID changed the price structure of most restaurants in L.A. But their Hot Dogs are just as delicious, Happy Hour or not. Below is a flashback video of dining at Carney's Happy Hour of Dogs, Fries, and Beer...oh boy, were those the days. 

If chili and sauerkraut are not your cup of tea then leave out the heaviness of chili and go with a simply delicious Kraut Dog. I've left a jar of sauerkraut in the fridge for weeks at a time and it keeps on giving these intensely flavored hot dogs.



Come on down to Crenshaw Boulevard in South L.A. for soulful hot dogz served by Earlez Grill. These wieners are split and grilled on a flattop for max flavor. Check out my video below to hang with the boyz and girlz in the hood.



I like a Chili Dog with a sweet relish. Hot, meaty chili cut through with sweet relish is satisfying on so many levels. Just watch my Chili & Relish Dog recipe...be still my heart!



A culinary car crash of cultures, the Oki Dog is a true representative of diverse Los Angeles. Combining the all-American fast food standbys of hot dogs, chili, and American cheese with the Jewish deli classic pastrami, all wrapped in a Latin street food Mexican blanket of a flour tortilla. I dare you to try and finish one. Well, if you want to see what I'm talking about, look no further than the video below.

You don't have to go far these days to bring Coney Island to your town. 

I used to get a famous East Coast Nathan's Hot Dog from the frozen deli case of my local Dollar Tree, when I want an easy, microwavable, quickie lunch. They do the job and I even wrote a Cheap$kate Deal of the Day you can read here.

They come naked so I dress the dogs with just mustard and sweet pickle relish. So, what are your fave toppings?

National Hot Dog Day - Recipes & Reviews

 July 18th is National Hot Dog Day, so let's begin with a recipe that is literally a hot mess, the L.A. Street Dog. The wiener is bacon-wrapped and topped with mayo, ketchup, mustard, and a grilled fajita mix of bell pepper, onion, and finally a spicy jalapeno. Whew, that's a mouthful. Check out my version below. And click on any restaurant name or recipe name to see the original blog post with all the yummy photos and tasty prose.

The premier tube steak purveyor in town may be Fab's Hot Dogs. Chef-owner Joe Fabrocini has brought virtually all of America to the San Fernando Valley offering a menu of beautifully crafted dogs from every region worth its mustard. The selection of hot dogs is head-spinning, but go ahead and dive into my video, where I show you a few favorites.



Summertime is Hot Dog Season and nothing beats making your own. I always have mustard and pickle relish in the fridge, and tube steaks and hot dog buns in the freezer. I make 'em this way more than any other - sweet pickle relish, sour mustard, and a meaty weenie on a bun, so good, and below is my simple recipe for a Relish Dog.



Pink's, L.A.'s most popular hot dog stand (the place can't put up all its celebrity headshots), was started in 1939 with just a pushcart and has the longest lines of any fast-food stand, and deservedly so. It has been filmed and reviewed by every media outlet in L.A. so I won't repeat it all here. However, I did notice one special hot dog that has not been covered, and that is the "Dude," named after the conductor of the L.A. Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel. It's the most extravagant of hot dogs - get an eyeful of it in my video below.



I like a Chili Dog anytime. Where does this cheap$kate and lazy Chef get his chili? From the can of course! Just watch my Chili Dog recipe and make your own, the 99 Cent Chef way.



Let's Be Frank, serves up wieners with compassion. No factory farm beef, pork, or turkey is used in their franks. All the animals are 100% grass-fed and humanely raised locally in California. Hormones, antibiotics, nitrates, and nitrites are not added to the production of meat.



I often gild the lily, that is I lay it on thick, like my next Hot Dog recipe, a Chili & Sauerkraut Dog. I find sauerkraut from the can or jar and chili from a can is tasty enough -- no need to complicate things.



Carney's dining train car once hosted the cheapest Hot Dog Happy Hour on L.A.'s notorious, and famed Sunset Strip, serving a trifecta of beer, hot dog, and fries for $4.75! Alas, no more since Covid changed the price structure of most restaurants in L.A. But their Hot Dogs are just as delicious now, Happy Hour or not. Below is a flashback video of dining at Carney's Happy Hour of Dogs, Fries, and Beer...oh boy, were those the days. 

If chili and sauerkraut are not your cup of tea then leave out the heaviness of chili and go with a simply delicious Kraut Dog. I've left a jar of sauerkraut in the fridge for weeks at a time and it keeps on giving these intensely flavored hot dogs.



Come on down to Crenshaw Boulevard in South L.A. for soulful hot dogz served by Earlez Grill. These wieners are split and grilled on a flattop for max flavor. Check out my video below to hang with the boyz and girlz in the hood.



I like a Chili Dog with a sweet relish. Hot, meaty chili cut through with sweet relish is satisfying on so many levels. Just watch my Chili & Relish Dog recipe...be still my heart!



A culinary car crash of cultures, the Oki Dog is a true representative of diverse Los Angeles. Combining the all-American fast food standbys of hot dogs, chile, and American cheese with the Jewish deli classic pastrami, all wrapped in a Latin street food Mexican blanket of a flour tortilla. I dare you to try and finish one. Well, if you want to see what I'm talking about look no further than the video below.

You don't have to go far these days to bring Coney Island to your town. 

I used to get a famous East Coast Nathan's Hot Dog from the frozen deli case of my local Dollar Tree, when I want an easy, microwavable, quickie lunch. They do the job and I even wrote a Cheap$kate Deal of the Day you can read here.

They come naked so I dress the dogs with just mustard and sweet pickle relish. So, what are your fave toppings?

National Hot Dog Day - Recipes & Reviews

   July 18th is National Hot Dog Day, so let's begin with a recipe that is literally a hot mess, the L.A. Street Dog. The wiener is bacon-wrapped and topped with mayo, ketchup, mustard, a grilled fajita mix of bell pepper, onion, and a whole spicy jalapeno. Whew, that's a mouthful. Check it out below. And click on any restaurant name or recipe title to see the original blog post with all the yummy photos and tasty prose.

The premier tube steak purveyor in town may be Fab's Hot Dogs. Chef-owner Joe Fabrocini has brought virtually all of America to the San Fernando Valley, offering a menu of beautifully crafted dogs from every region worth its mustard. The selection of hot dogs is head spinning, but go ahead and dive into my video, where I show you a few favorites.



Summertime is Hot Dog Season and nothing beats making your own. I always have mustard and pickle relish in the fridge, and tube steaks and hot dog buns in the freezer. I make 'em this way more than any other - sweet pickle relish, sour mustard, and a meaty weenie on a bun, so good, and below is my simple recipe for a Relish Dog.



Pink's, L.A.'s most popular hot dog stand (the place can't put up all its celebrity headshots), was started in 1939 with just a pushcart and has the longest lines of any fast-food stand, and deservedly so. It has been filmed and reviewed by every media outlet in L.A. so I won't repeat it all here. However, I did notice one special hot dog that has not been covered, and that is the "Dude," named after the conductor of the L.A. Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel. It's the most extravagant of hot dogs - get an eyeful of it in my video below.



I like a Chili Dog anytime. Where does this cheap$kate and lazy Chef get his chili? From the can of course! Just watch my Chili Dog recipe and make your own, the 99 Cent Chef way.



Let's Be Frank, serves up wieners with compassion. No factory farm beef, pork, or turkey is used in their franks. All the animals are 100% grass-fed and humanely raised locally in California. Hormones, antibiotics, nitrates, and nitrites are not added to the production of meat.



I often gild the lily, that is I lay it on thick, like my next Hot Dog recipe, a Chili & Sauerkraut Dog. I find sauerkraut from the can or jar and chili from a can is tasty enough -- no need to complicate things.



Carney's dining train car hosts the cheapest Hot Dog Happy Hour on L.A.'s notorious, and famed Sunset Strip, serving a trifecta of beer, hot dog, and fries for $4.75! This is one of the best deals in town too!

If chili and sauerkraut are not your cup of tea then leave out the heaviness of chili and go with a simply delicious Kraut Dog. I've left a jar of sauerkraut in the fridge for weeks at a time and it keeps on giving these intensely flavored hot dogs.



Come on down to Crenshaw Boulevard in South L.A. for soulful hot dogz served by Earlez Grill. These wieners are split and grilled on a flattop for max flavor. Check out my video below to hang with the boyz and girlz in the hood.



I like a Chili Dog with a sweet relish. Hot, meaty chili cut through with sweet relish is satisfying on so many levers. Just watch my Chili & Relish Dog recipe...be still my heart!



A culinary car crash of cultures, the Oki Dog is a true representative of diverse Los Angeles. Combining the all-American fast food standbys of hot dogs, chile, and American cheese, with the Jewish deli classic pastrami, and wrapped in a Latin street food Mexican blanket of a flour tortilla. I dare you to try and finish one. Well, if you want to see what I'm talking about look no further than the video below.

You don't have to go far these days to bring Coney Island to your town. 

I get a famous East Coast Nathan's Hot Dog from the frozen deli case of my local Dollar Tree, when I want an easy, microwavable, quickie lunch. They do the job and I even wrote a Cheap$kate Deal of the Day you can read here.

They come naked so I dress the dogs in just mustard and sweet pickle relish, how about you?

2022 Oscar Party - Recipes

And the Best Oscar Entree goes to...YOU! Come and accept your award-winning chow and pass it around to your party guests so everyone has a taste of Oscar. Sit back and watch the Best Picture Oscar-nominated movie trailers below and my Best Oscar Entrees which are a feast for your eyes.

And click on any Best Oscar Entree nominee names to be directed to the original blog post for all the award-winning recipe prose and cinematic culinary imagery.

The first Best Oscar Entree nominee was inspired by Aussie director Jane Champion's revisionist tale of the Old West. Check out the trailer for Power of the Dog.

1. Power of the Hot Dog - Greasy chili and sweet pickle relish clash but realize they really belong together in the end.

The second Best Oscar Entree nominee goes with the noirish Nightmare Alley. It is a dark and disturbing tale by macabre master Mexican director  Guillermo del Toro.

2. NIghtmare Alley Tacos - Come accompany this Chef of the Night as he goes deep into the smokey neon-lit alleyways of Los Angeles. There lurk unlicensed vendors dispensing mind-bending street tacos!

The third Best Oscar Entree nominee is by way of Licorice Pizza from auteur director Paul Thomas Anderson. The flick is about an ambitious teen boy and his crush on an older 20something lady and takes place in the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s. 

3. Licorice Pizza with Egg - Valley girls and boys revel in sweltering summers so hot the sidewalks could fry an...

The fourth Best Oscar Entree nominee is based on Oscar-nominated King Richard with powerful leading actor Will Smith at the helm. I happen to live right down the street from the high school tennis courts Venus and Serena Williams trained on.

4. King Cake Richard - From their infancy, a father strives to shape his 2 talented daughters into heroic and historic tennis players.

The fifth Best Oscar Entree nominee is a filling riff on Belfast. This Oscar contender is by theater actor and director Kenneth Branagh. The film is an autobiographical slice of Irish life during the battles between Catholics and Protestants in the 1960s. 

5. Belfast Shepherd's Pie - The story of a family in tumultuous Belfast, Ireland that's also as heartwarming as a serving of mashed potatoes, beef, gravy, and peas.

The sixth Best Oscar Entree nominee is based on the movie Dune. This sci-fi literary classic adaptation is a hero's journey on a desert planet full of sandstorms and fury.

6. The Dune Lollipop - This Cheap$kate Space Cadet ingests a Scorpion Lollipop, trips out, and hitches a ride on a spaceship!

The seventh Best Oscar Entree nominee is based on CODA. This Oscar contender has a chorus of accolades and tells of a deaf fisherman family with a hearing daughter. Should she stay home to help or should she go? 

7. CODA Fried Fish - This fish-out-of-water story of a working-class gal finding her passion in music. Does she stay to help her family's fishing business or leave to pursue her music dreams?

The eighth Best Oscar Entree nominee is a 2fer based on West Side Story by Steven Spielberg. Two NYC gangs battle with a tragic outcome. Its creatively choreographed dance and classic show tunes retain the power of the original 1960s movie. 

8. West Sides Story - Plantains & Yuca are sides that will dance your tastebuds.

Yuca & Mojo Sauce

Fried Plantains

The ninth Best Oscar Entree nominee is a big ball of deliciousness based on Don't Look Up. A meteor is on course to crash into Earth in this satirical doomsday flick.

Don't Look Up Meatball - Look up in the sky, is it a meteor or just a food-borne hallucination?

The final Best Oscar Entree nominee is my homage to Drive My Car. Originating from a short story by renowned Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, the movie cruises down memory, love, and loss to acceptance.

Drive My Car Daiquiri - You may need to pick up a drive-thru Daiquiri to take on this gabfest of a movie.

Do try any of my Oscar Party Entrees - you're sure to get a Standing O. So have your acceptance speech ready because the golden statuette for Best Entree at an Oscar Party belongs to you, the host with the most.

I'll leave you with a video I made a while ago when the Academy of Motion Pictures had an exhibit with a podium on which a real Oscar stood. All you had to do was stand in line and take a picture with it -- well you can be sure I showed up for that! Just check out the video below:

May the Best Entree win!!

National Hot Dog Day - Recipes & Reviews

  July 18th is National Hot Dog Day, so let's begin with a recipe that is literally a hot mess, the L.A. Street Dog. The wiener is bacon-wrapped and topped with mayo, ketchup, mustard, and a grilled fajita mix of bell pepper, onion, and finally a spicy jalapeno. Whew, that's a mouthful. Check it out below. And click on any restaurant name or recipe name to see the original blogpost with all the yummy photos and tasty prose.

The premier tube steak purveyor in town may be Fab's Hot Dogs. Chef-owner Joe Fabrocini has brought virtually all of America to the San Fernando Valley, offering a menu of beautifully crafted dogs from every region worth its mustard. The selection of hot dogs is head spinning, but go ahead and dive into my video, where I show you a few favorites.



Summertime is Hot Dog Season and nothing beats making your own. I always have mustard and pickle relish in the fridge, and tube steaks and hot dog buns in the freezer. I make 'em this way more than any other - sweet pickle relish, sour mustard, and a meaty weenie on a bun, so good, and below is my simple recipe for a Relish Dog.



Pink's, L.A.'s most popular hot dog stand (the place can't put up all its celebrity headshots), was started in 1939 with just a pushcart and has the longest lines of any fast-food stand, and deservedly so. It has been filmed and reviewed by every media outlet in L.A. so I won't repeat it all here. However, I did notice one special hot dog that has not been covered, and that is the "Dude," named after the conductor of the L.A. Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel. It's the most extravagant of hot dogs - get an eyeful of it in my video below.



I like a Chili Dog anytime. Where does this cheap$kate and lazy Chef get his chili? From the can of course! Just watch my Chili Dog recipe and make your own, the 99 Cent Chef way.



Let's Be Frank, serves up wieners with compassion. No factory farm beef, pork, or turkey is used in their franks. All the animals are 100% grass-fed and humanely raised locally in California. Hormones, antibiotics, nitrates, and nitrites are not added to the production of meat.



I often gild the lily, that is I lay it on thick, like my next Hot Dog recipe, a Chili & Sauerkraut Dog. I find sauerkraut from the can or jar and chili from a can is tasty enough -- no need to complicate things.



Carney's dining train car hosts the cheapest Hot Dog Happy Hour on L.A.'s notorious, and famed Sunset Strip, serving a trifecta of beer, hot dog, and fries for $4.75! This is one of the best deals in town too!

If chili and sauerkraut are not your cup of tea then leave out the heaviness of chili and go with a simply delicious Kraut Dog. I've left a jar of sauerkraut in the fridge for weeks at a time and it keeps on giving these intensely flavored hot dogs.



Come on down to Crenshaw Boulevard in South L.A. for soulful hot dogz served by Earlez Grill. These wieners are split and grilled on a flattop for max flavor. Check out my video below to hang with the boyz and girlz in the hood.



I like a Chili Dog with a sweet relish. Hot, meaty chili cut through with sweet relish is satisfying on so many levers. Just watch my Chili & Relish Dog recipe...be still my heart!



A culinary car crash of cultures, the Oki Dog is a true representative of diverse Los Angeles. Combining the all-American fast food standbys of hot dogs, chile, and American cheese, with the Jewish deli classic pastrami, and wrapped in a Latin street food Mexican blanket of a flour tortilla. I dare you to try and finish one. Well, if you want to see what I'm talking about look no further than the video below.

You don't have to go far these days to bring Coney Island to your town. 

I get a famous East Coast Nathan's Hot Dog from the frozen deli case of my local Dollar Tree, when I want an easy, microwavable, quickie lunch. They do the job and I even wrote a Cheap$kate Deal of the Day you can read here.

They come naked so I dress the dogs with just mustard and sweet pickle relish, how about you?