No ketchup
It’s time to celebrate, fellow hot dog lovers*, it’s National Hot Dog Day**!
And it’s time for me to tell another story about how slow I am.
When I was driving to the city on Sunday, I saw a few electronic tollway signs that said “no texting, no speeding, no ketchup.”
photo from here, I did NOT take a photo of the sign
I totally was NOT getting the “no ketchup” part.
So I told Steven about it, and he’s like, “yeah, because they don’t put ketchup on their hot dogs in Chicago?” (And I was driving in Chicagoland.)
So much duh, Kim. So. Much. Duh.
And now that I get it, I find it very humorous they put that on a sign. And wonder how many out-of-towners it confused.
I have not had a proper Chicago dog this year – all of mine have been in Wisconsin or at home. Soon… Soon.
*Last week someone told me they went to a ballgame and I asked if they got a hot dog, and they said they didn’t want to eat lips and a$$. To which I suggested, “get the vegan hot dog!” So, to clarify, I’m a lover of vegan hot dogs.
**Did anyone celebrate National French Fry Day last Friday? And wasn’t it recently National Ice Cream Day? Gotta love these made up holidays!
Themocracy
Ha! It’s funny because it’s on a highway sign that has nothing to do with hot dogs 🙂
I learned about the whole no ketchup on hot dogs thing not long after moving to Chicago, when I put ketchup on my dogs at Wrigleyville Dogs one late Friday or Saturday night, not realizing that was a thing. I contend that I’m not from there, and when I really want to get into an argument, that coney dogs are better than Chicago dogs. There. I said it. I don’t need a salad on my hot dogs.
Exactly!
If they don’t want us to use ketchup, WHY IS IS OUT?! For the fries? I haven’t had a coney dog. The internet says it has “meat sauce” and onions and mustard? Is this accurate? I do love all the toppings on the Chicago dog 🙂
Yep it’s basically a chili dog but I think the distinction is that the sauce doesn’t have beans in it. When I make my own, I blend my chili up a little to get the right texture. So meat sauce is an accurate description.
Speaking of hot dogs – Terry found a hot dog place in Columbus that has veggie and vegan dogs, so we’re going to check that out soon to see if you guys would like it 🙂
Yum! I will have to try a vegan one some day! And let me know what you think of the place in Columbus (although I figured all our meals would be at Melt?!)!
That sign would 100% confuse me too. They look like some good dogs!
Ha ha, I wonder what percentage of people have the “huh?” reaction!!!
It was National Ice Cream Day on Sunday! I definitely celebrated, because that’s basically a religious holiday as far as I’m concerned 😛
I will never understand why it is so forbidden to have ketchup on a Chicago-style hot dog. I mean, I get that it’s not one of the toppings you’re supposed to include for it to be Chicago style, but I don’t understand WHY it’s not one of the toppings you’re supposed to include. Ketchup is categorically delicious and frankly (heh puns), I think a hot dog without ketchup is not a hot dog worth eating. I will happily and unapologetically put ketchup on any hot dog I eat in the city of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, because it makes the hot dog better.
Yes! Ahh, in my ideal life I have ice cream every night. Yum.
I looked it up and found a few theories here: https://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/03/01/ask-geoffrey-why-no-ketchup-hot-dogs-chicago (the Obama quote made me LOL). I agree that it’s a strange thing though! I wonder what other cities have that is similar to this! You keep doing you (and using ketchup, and fun puns!)!
I also would not have understood that sign either. I just quizzed Harrison–he said he did know that Chicago-style hot dogs don’t have ketchup, but he said he might have gotten that road sign.
I love vegan hot dogs too! Now I want one.
I am glad it was not just me! Steven made it seem so obvious!!!!
GET ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And load it up with yummy toppings so it tastes like something, ha!