Hot dogs are not sandwiches (according to National Hot Dog and Sausage Council)

[Gidney N Cloyd]

Despite what common sense and the DU poll the other day might suggest. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027319832

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/11/07/a-hot-dog-is-not-a-sandwich/75362898/
Yes, the classic American meal-on-the-go is wrapped in bread, smeared with condiments and eaten as a patriotic alternative to, say, a hamburger.

But a hot dog is not a sandwich, according to an official press release from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. According to the council, "Our verdict is…a hot dog is an exclamation of joy, a food, a verb describing one 'showing off' and even an emoji. It is truly a category unto its own."

*snip*

The NHDSC says it came to its decision after noting the hot dog's impact on American history as well as the "open" nature of a hot dog in a bun, a USDA-governed nuance.

The release acknowledges that the issue has escalated, becoming a deep "philosophical divide" that came to heads on the Today show, ESPN's Sportscenter, in NFL locker room, with Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, and most importantly in an inspiring pro-sandwich rant from For The Win's Ted Berg. (We're really sorry, Ted.)

[Chan790]

1. They're wrong.

A hot dog is a sandwich. Minimally, if you want to hold to the argument that a sandwich requires two pieces of bread, a hot dog is a sub/grinder/hero/hogie/whatever-else-that-style-of-sandwich-has-been-called.

This is as dumb as the argument among French chefs that a Croque Monsieur is not a ham sandwich.



In case anybody needed clarification on what a Croque Monsieur is.

[DawgHouse]

2. O.M.G. That looks delicious!

[Chan790]

3. Really easy to make. The instructions sound harder than it actually is.

All you need is two slices of a firm loaf of bread like brioche, some boiled ham and a grated firm nutty French cheese like Gruyere. If you want to get fancy, some bechamel (you can make bechamel...it's not that hard really. Recipe follows)...but you can substitute mayo, about half the French restaurants in America do. It's just inauthentic and not quite as yummy.

OTOH, it beats having a pint of Bechamel in the fridge and no idea what do with it...you make mac-and-cheese with it, just add cheese over low heat until the cheese melts and the consistency becomes uniform. Pour over cooked macaroni. Mix well. Top with breadcrumbs and bake covered with foil for 30 minutes.

Anyways, back to the Croque.

Toast and butter one side (the outside) of both slices of bread. Smear the other (inside) sides all the way to the edge with mayo or bechamel. Pre-heat oven to 350'F. Place one slice of bread on baking sheet, butter side down/bechamel side up. Pile on boiled ham. (This is the same "Danish-style" ham they sell in the supermarket...it's the cheap ham typically.) Don't be stingy. Top with shredded cheese. Don't be stingy here either. Top with the other prepared slice of bread. Over the top of it, pile even more cheese. Bake the fsck out of it until the cheese on top becomes toasty-brown and bubbles. (About 12-15 minutes or less depending on oven and altitude.)

Using a spatula, transfer to a plate. Cut on the plate. (It's going to be a cheesy runny mess.) Eat with a fork. Serve with cornichons or other bourgie-as-fsck French pickles.

Also, now you can make fancy French food to impress the special-friend/SO/whatever.

Bechamel sauce
Melt butter (1/2 stick) in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foamy. Add flour (1/4 cup) and cook, stirring, until mixture is pale and foamy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add milk (1.5 cups), stirring until mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thick and somewhat elastic, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard (2 tablespoon of a good French mustard, ideally whole-grain...NOT French's Yellow) and nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon); season with salt.

[Kali]

4. or as we learned it back in 70s home ec

medium white sauce

[Chan790]

5. Lucky.

I wish I'd had HS Home Economics.

They reassigned our Home Ec. teacher to teach sex education after they eliminated Home Ec. due to budget cuts.

I'd much rather she'd taught me how to bake a cake.

[DawgHouse]

8. That does sound easy, thanks!

[hopemountain]

6. no, they are eastern european burrito chalupas

[dilby]

7. I ate a couple Chicago Dogs the other day.

There is a restuarant/bar here that only serves different style hotdogs and they are the best. I hit it up at least once a month when I need a real Chicago dog.