gregz wrote:
>
> Perhaps putting ketchup on mashed potatoes is like putting ketchup on a hot
> dog.

Chuckle. When I first moved to Chicago metro I tried a Chicago hot dog.
Hated it. Posted on chi.eats about the experience. Actually selling a
boiled hot dog to a paying customer is crazy to me. The response was
"You're not from around here, are you?" That's right. Just moved at
the time. Ah well, I've since enjoyed a vast variety of excellent
Chicago food. Just very few hot dogs. When I go to a hot dog place
(other than Hot Dougs) I tend to get a burger. The local burgers are
excellent (everywhere, but that does include Chicago).

A joke based on my impression of Chicago dogs -

Q - Why don't they offer ketchup for the hot dogs in Chicago?

A - Because hot dogs taste better with ketchup.

Tomato based flavoring goes well on meat. Witness meatballs and
primavera sauce. Styles of chilli that use tomato. Seemingly half of
all Mexican restaurant dishes. What's ketchup other than a low quality
tomato condiment that had sugar added to make it appeal to small
children? What's a hot dog but a low quality meat product designed to
reduce the total amount of flavor to make them appeal to small
children? Clearly what flavor hot dogs have is improved with ketchup.
Improved more with mustard? Sure. But Chicago is a place that puts on
hot dogs some stuff that looks like kryponite that tastes slightly sour
and nasty. Clearly they won't have something that improves the flavor
of their dogs. That might start to compete with the superior pizza or
excellent "italian" beef or many other wonderful local foods. Foods
other than their hot dogs that is ...