Tag Archives: travel

Don’t Judge A Hotdog By Its Title

Have you ever ordered something based off of the title of it? And when you actually get it, it is totally not what you imagined it to be? This post is about the many ways hotdogs can be served. DH, DD#2 and I were traveling through the Hudson Valley in NY and decided to tour West Point Military Academy. After the tour we went to this hotdog joint that had 100 plus different types of hotdog condiment combinations. I think it also had like 6 different types of hotdogs from Kosher to bratwurst varieties. I surveyed the numerous types they had listed and decided upon a waffle hotdog. What I imagined before ordering was a beef hotdog in a bun made from a waffle, so with that vision, I ordered green relish too. I thought about adding cheese as well but decided to skip that. My DD#2 ordered a traditional beef hotdog with mustard, and nacho cheese, and DH ordered one with coleslaw . When we picked up our order and took it to our table the others were very happy with their selections. I on the other hand could only laugh hysterically. Mine might have been delicious, had I not ordered green relish too. It came as a Belgian waffle with hotdog pieces chopped up in the batter and the green relish was mixed in to it too. And to top it off it came with butter and maple syrup. I ate it in its entirety, but it was a meal to remember. It was also no fault of the hotdog joint either. (After all, I’m the goofball who ordered the relish too without knowing what the heck I was ordering). If the line wasn’t so long, I would have tossed it and ordered a more traditional one. Live and learn. Ask what the item is? Don’t assume by the title. Very good advice.

A Second Hand Experience

Once again while at the dentist we were chatting about food… she told me about her trip to France and the amazing experience she and her husband had. Of course while she was talking I really couldn’t say much since I was having a new crown installed. What I remember is she signed up for the cooking lesson in advance, not really knowing what to expect. The French chef was into healthy pure cooking, and there were no written recipes shared. Recipes are not always written or shared by chefs or home-cooks. In fact, writing a recipe is very time-consuming. My dentist, as she worked on my tooth told me about how the French chef cooked everything with a low temperature, slowly roasting the food. The chef par roasted peppers, then placed a pan on top roasting them more. That process caused the skins to easily peel off. The chef also low roasted chicken with numerous vegetables in a clay pot with lid. If I remember right, the chef served it with a tapenade on top. Dessert consisted of a pear drizzled with olive oil and honey roasted on a low temperature along with a herb that I just can’t remember what she said. The final dish was sprinkled with pollen, which my dentist said has antioxidant qualities plus there was a texture to it. It was served with vanilla ice cream. They were very pleased with the whole experience. As she described the food, I could just taste it in my mind. . .