Pre-podcast Porta-Q'ing

Vancouver has not enjoyed a pleasant spring.  The city gets watered-down all winter, cleaning and greening, but causes her inhabitants to begrudge the nonstop rain.  We’ll delightfully complain, because we know that the rest of the country has to battle months of sub-zero temperatures, and the snow that accompanies it.

Spring ’11 has been basically non-existent, so when the sun basked my balcony last Friday afternoon, I fired up my portable-BBQ (porta-Q).  I bragged to my office-working podcast co-host Iris (@irisdias) that I was grilling up some chicken.  Immediately envious, she suggested we BBQ the following day, as she would be over to record the next episode of talk•fool•ery (our podcast).

Every week, Iris brings a new type of beer for us to enjoy whilst we record said podcast.  On this day, however, it was a veritable cornucopia; beer, plus smokies and buns!  Although it was overcast, the temperature was agreeable, and I had the perfect amount of propane required to cue.

Schneiders Bavarian Smokies are a delicious blend of pork and chicken, with a hint of garlic that rests within the juicy interior.  My mouth is watering just thinking about the meal.  Placed inside a toasted bun, these smokies were positively delectable. 

We washed these plump pleasures down with a bottle of Brooklyn Lager, this week’s beverage of choice.  Iris noticed that the labels on the beer included Hebrew writing.  I admit that enjoying Bavarian Smokies is not kosher, but would like to recognize that the Brooklyn Brewery's Lager was a wonderful compliment (especially to a couple of gentiles like us).

As we savoured our hotdogs while overlooking English Bay, Iris recounted that she prefers condiments to be at room temperature, as they detract from the sizzle of the main fair.  I wholly agree, and only recently concluded that my childhood dislike for sauces in general was probably more Celsius-based, as opposed to flavour.  For any picky eaters out there, I am proof that one day, taste will triumph over temperature.

Iris and I; chomping on Schneiders Smokies.

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Surf's Up

One of the jewels of British Columbia is a laid back little town named Tofino.  Located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Tofino is a world-renowned surfing destination.  During the summer, this sleepy little village is inundated with travelers looking to catch some Pacific waves. 

On this particular trip, I was camping with friends at Green Point in nearby Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.  To get here, you must traverse the long and winding road from across the island, through mountain passes and rain forests.  Even as you sit in your campsite, protected by cedar and spruce, it is easy to forget that the shores of the Pacific Ocean are but meters away.

Driving up with my pal Phil, we made sure that we were stocked in the hot dog department.  We are both experienced campers, and passionate about fire cooking.  We decided Maple Leaf Top Dogs 100%Angus Beef wieners would be the lucky recipients of some hot ember rotisserie.

Many people make the mistake of cooking directly above or in the flames.  However, the hottest part of a campfire is in the orange glow of the embers, or coals.  In no time, we had our hot dogs sweating; juicy and simmering, ready to be devoured.

Camping hot dogs may not be very glamourous, but there is no better compliment to sitting around a roaring fire, nestled within a rain forest, listening to the waves crashing ashore, beneath the brilliant stars, surrounded by friends.  A hot dog always seems to taste even better under these conditions.

Phil, toasting hot dog buns.

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Manitoba Hutterite-style

Many thanks to Kim (@kimberlygirling) for her guest posts on The Hot Dog Blog!  Her contributions are of the same reason I began this blog in the first place; to celebrate and share a love for summer's greatest treat!  Here is the final post of her four-part series:

Manitoba Hutterite-style

Here's me on Easter weekend, 2011, at my parent's house in Winnipeg.  Traditionally on Easter weekend, Winter-peg still has a thick layer of snow, and we use the holiday as an excuse to eat massive amounts of turkey, sip a stiff drink, and gripe about how we're dying for winter to end.  But this year, Winnipeg experienced an unexpected spring heat wave, which allowed us to sit out on the backyard deck for lunch.

Being the hot dog loving family that we are, my mom suggested that we BBQ up a couple 'dogs to pair with a cool beer in the sunshine (that lady should be known for her great ideas).  She emerged from the house with a huge package of long, slender sausages, swooning, "Ohhhh we should try some of theeeese."  These delicious little beauties were a recent purchase from a neighbouring Manitoba Hutterite community (the communal, anabaptist sect that do a lot of farming in MB) and the same people who often sell us delicious whole chickens, hand sewn moccasins and the most delicious jams you'll ever taste.  The hot dogs sizzled on the barbeque, and their crispy outer layer lent itself to a sweet, juicy core.

Maybe it's just my warm heart for Winnipeg, maybe it was the unexpected sun, but Oh! Hometown Manitoba pork sausage just always tastes a little better to me....

Backyard brilliance.

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Graduation Dogs

The third installment of guest blogger Kim's (@kimberlygirling) hot dog commentaries:


Graduation Dogs

Ahhhh... Arts County Fair at the University of British Columbia; a day known for drinking and debauchery and general festivites on the UBC campus.  Now, I'm not one for gettin' crazy at ACF, but I do appreciate the good music, cheap beer and a chance to chill after classes are through.  Traditionally on ACF, your day starts early, and usually involves drinking commencing at 9am.

By 2pm, you're sun-stroked, exhausted and starving.  My friend Julie and I spot the hot dog cart around this time and think, "Yep. It's time."  I'll be honest, these are not the most spectacular dogs.  But, somehow they end up tasting the BEST!  She snapped this pic of me so that we could remember just how awesome it tasted.  I followed up that puppy with a swig of lukewarm draft-beer in a plastic cup and thought, "Yep, I love my life."   Happy Graduation!

Caged in for security.

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Münchner Weißwurst

The second of a four-part series from guest blogger Kim (@kimberlygirling):

Münchner Weißwurst

Munich, Germany 2009: After months of traveling around the world, I found myself here, in the land known for it's sausage.  My travel partner and I were wandering around the (amazing) Sunday farmers market in Marienplatz (the city's main square), and decided to pick ourselves up some lunch.  To go with our feast, we decided to try out traditionally Munich weibwurst, or "white sausage."

This snow white sausage is a mix of veal and pork bacon, and is seasoned with a mix of parsley, lemon, mace, onions, ginger and cardamom, amidst other things.  These little sausages are meant to be eaten really fresh, and are only usually served until lunchtime (lucky us!).  I have to say that it wasn't my very favourite sausage in Germany (I was more a fan of the curry street meat in Berlin; ohhhhh man!), but their soft texture and distinctive flavour still resonate for me as one of the many things that I loved about Munich.  Definitely try one out if you're there!

Not a banana.

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Two-foot Flute

Being a specific food connoisseur, it is important that you refrain from over-eating your selected treat of choice, in order to remain unbiased and to keep from becoming satiated.  Moderation is key, so that each and every bite is an unique experience, worthy of your taste buds.

With that in mind, I have invited fellow dog-thusiast Kim (@kimberlygirling) to guest blog a handful of her favorite hot dog memories.  I am pleased to post her first of a four-part series...

Two-foot Flute

Summer 2010: My friend Chris had just moved to Manitoba from Grand Prairie, Alberta, so one weekend we decided to take a little trip out to Grand Beach Provincial Park.  I know, I know, Manitoba isn't known for it's beaches; but the white sand at Grand Beach is really a provincial treasure!  After a day of sun and sand, we were on our way home when we spotted a sign at a roadside diner offering two-foot long hot dogs. Two feet!!  That sounded like a challenge to me!!  Naturally, I bet Chris a buck that I could finish an entire two-foot long hot dog, so we parked the car and prepared ourselves for a four-foot long feast of hot dog deliciousness.

They were surprisingly gigantic; so huge, in fact, that I felt a little ridiculous eating it.  Chris snapped this pic of me, playing myself a pre-dinner ditty on my hot dog flute.  This is just minutes before it disappeared down my hot dog chute.  I left that roadside diner one dollar richer.  Boom.

Two-foot flute-playing.

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