Just in time for summer, our Hot Dog Toppings Guide will take you places with boring old hot dogs that you never thought of before.
WHERE'S THE KETCHUP?
Spicy mustards, chili, jalapenos, sour cream, chives, sauerkraut, deli meats like pastrami, and gourmet cheeses like Halloumi are a great way to add dimension to your barbecue. Halloumi in particular is great for grilling. It’s a salty, chewy cheese from Cyprus made from various combinations of sheep, goat and cow's milk. It has two main characteristics - its dense texture and its high melting point. The combination of the two makes halloumi ideal for a new and innovative hot dog topping.
GO GLOBAL
In Denmark and Norway, hot dogs, or "přlse", are served with bacon and or cheese. In Chile, the street vendors sell “completo”, meaning complete or everything, topped with diced tomatoes, sauerkraut, ketchup, sweet mustard, mayonnaise, and a spicy red pepper sauce known as ají dulce. If you’re up to the challenge and want to give your barbecue a global spin this year, you’ll need to at least have hummus, chutney, salsa, guacamole and shredded mozzarella on hand. Be sure to add a couple of imported condiments like Bixi Bixia from La Maison du Piment and Pommery Mustard from Meaux. The Pommery mustard is amazingly smooth and tasty, while the Bixi Bixia is pungent and extremely flavorful. Both of these make great conversation starters and will certainly add that je ne sais quoi to your toppings bar. Of course you can find all of these items at your local Fairway.
HORESERADISH, AVOCADO AND POTATO CHIPS, OH MY!
Get creative. Grilled mushrooms, fried onions, horseradish, blue cheese, avocado, coleslaw or even crushed potato chips make a fun topping and add a little extra crunch. A great way to get ideas is to take a look in your refrigerator and kitchen cabinets. Or, if you have kids, ask them. Before you know it, you’ll be crushing peanuts, dicing pineapples and more!
PASS THE BUNS
Hot dogs can be served in anything from traditional white buns to garlic bread, organic rolls, flour tortillas, sesame seed rolls and more. If you plan on going all out and really setting up an impressive toppings bar, be sure to pick up some hearty rolls to support the weight of the toppings. Make a quick trip to Fairway the morning of your barbecue and get all your favorite breads and rolls fresh from our Bakery Department.
THE CLASSICS
You’ve got to have them because not everyone is as adventurous as you are, right? Traditional toppings like ketchup, mustard, onions, diced tomatoes and relish are must-haves at any barbecue. You know there’s always that one guy who uses half a bottle of ketchup or 5 spoonfuls of relish just for one hot dog, so be sure to have an ample supply of these American standards.
If you’re a foodie, and you probably are if you’ve read this far, then the thought of a fun and creative hot dog toppings bar has probably gotten you so excited that you’re already writing your shopping list. Set all of these toppings out and let your guests get creative. They’ll love the variety and it will add a fun spin and lots of conversation to the day!
