What will stretch from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles over five times this Fourth of July?
If you guessed the number of hot dogs Americans will consume over the holiday weekend, you would be correct. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimates about 150 million hot dogs will be grilled and devoured by the time the last sparkler has fizzled out on Monday.
To be ready for this annual demand, grocers in Troy have been stocking up.
Greg Fowler, a meat clerk at Kroger at Maple and Coolidge, said while there is always a steady market for dogs, he said summer months definitely show higher sales. He said Oscar Meyer brands are a best seller in his store, but that Troy shoppers prefer the bun-sized variety over any other dog on the floor.
“When we have a sale on a particular brand, that’s the one we’ll sell the most of at that time,” Fowler added.
Whole Foods Market on Maple Road has a full supply of organic, uncured chicken, turkey and beef hot dogs marketed by Applegate Farms. The market said it goes through about four cases of the hot dogs each week per during normal months, but summer holidays and weekends show a marked rise in sales.
At Hollywood Market on Maple Road has a variety of fanciful frankfurters, from the specialty hometown maker Dearborn Sausage Company or nationwide favorites like New York’s Nathan’s Famous Frankfurters and Chicago’s Vienna Beef wieners. Of course, the store also carries traditional franks by Ball Park, which come in beef, turkey, low-fat and bun-sized varieties.
Koegel Meats in Flint answers the demand of hungry Michiganders by increasing production about 30-40% every summer. That’s over and above their staggering output of 13 million pounds of frankfurters and other lunch meats every year.
Topping It OffDeciding what type of hot dog to eat doesn’t seem to be nearly as hotly contested as what to put on a dog.
Dirty Harry fans will recognize fictional Harry Callahan’s stance on the proper topping for this portable meal with his stern admonition: “Nobody, I mean NOBODY, puts ketchup on a hot dog."
Yet walk into most any backyard barbecue, and you are likely to find not only ketchup, but also the requisite mustard and relish.
Renee Freeman, 53, of Troy, said she enjoys crowning her dog with baked beans or even leftovers.
“Last time we had sloppy joes, both my husband and I put that on our hot dogs, and it was delicious,” Freeman said.
Troy High School student Grace LaBelle, 14, said she prefers her frankfurter with a simple smear of mustard and ketchup most of the time.
“I like chili dogs, too,” she said.
Grace isn't alone. Borrowing the name from a New York amusement park spot, Metro Detroiters helped to make the "coney dog" famous.
Tim Martin, 45, of Troy said he prefers the “Coney Special,” a standard coney dog complete with loose hamburger, chopped onions and mustard.
Devoted coney fans often order a take-out chili to serve up their own coney dogs at home. For coney cravers too far from Michigan for a classic coney, National Coney Island offers coney kits through its website.
Missing a taste of home, Windy City natives, brothers Scott and Gary Lukas, brought their native Chicago style hot dogs to Troy 24-years ago when they opened Hippo’s Hot Dogs Restaurant on Rochester Road.
Their menu fare has been so popular with Troy diners and catering customers that they expanded into a new location in Clinton Township that can seat up to 90 diners.
Scott Lukas said the “Hippo Dog," which comes spilling over with mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, pickle, sport peppers and seasoning, is the restaurant's most popular item.
If you guessed the number of hot dogs Americans will consume over the holiday weekend, you would be correct. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimates about 150 million hot dogs will be grilled and devoured by the time the last sparkler has fizzled out on Monday.
To be ready for this annual demand, grocers in Troy have been stocking up.
Greg Fowler, a meat clerk at Kroger at Maple and Coolidge, said while there is always a steady market for dogs, he said summer months definitely show higher sales. He said Oscar Meyer brands are a best seller in his store, but that Troy shoppers prefer the bun-sized variety over any other dog on the floor.
“When we have a sale on a particular brand, that’s the one we’ll sell the most of at that time,” Fowler added.
Whole Foods Market on Maple Road has a full supply of organic, uncured chicken, turkey and beef hot dogs marketed by Applegate Farms. The market said it goes through about four cases of the hot dogs each week per during normal months, but summer holidays and weekends show a marked rise in sales.
At Hollywood Market on Maple Road has a variety of fanciful frankfurters, from the specialty hometown maker Dearborn Sausage Company or nationwide favorites like New York’s Nathan’s Famous Frankfurters and Chicago’s Vienna Beef wieners. Of course, the store also carries traditional franks by Ball Park, which come in beef, turkey, low-fat and bun-sized varieties.
Koegel Meats in Flint answers the demand of hungry Michiganders by increasing production about 30-40% every summer. That’s over and above their staggering output of 13 million pounds of frankfurters and other lunch meats every year.
Topping It OffDeciding what type of hot dog to eat doesn’t seem to be nearly as hotly contested as what to put on a dog.
Dirty Harry fans will recognize fictional Harry Callahan’s stance on the proper topping for this portable meal with his stern admonition: “Nobody, I mean NOBODY, puts ketchup on a hot dog."
Yet walk into most any backyard barbecue, and you are likely to find not only ketchup, but also the requisite mustard and relish.
Renee Freeman, 53, of Troy, said she enjoys crowning her dog with baked beans or even leftovers.
“Last time we had sloppy joes, both my husband and I put that on our hot dogs, and it was delicious,” Freeman said.
Troy High School student Grace LaBelle, 14, said she prefers her frankfurter with a simple smear of mustard and ketchup most of the time.
“I like chili dogs, too,” she said.
Tim Martin, 45, of Troy said he prefers the “Coney Special,” a standard coney dog complete with loose hamburger, chopped onions and mustard.
Devoted coney fans often order a take-out chili to serve up their own coney dogs at home. For coney cravers too far from Michigan for a classic coney, National Coney Island offers coney kits through its website.
Missing a taste of home, Windy City natives, brothers Scott and Gary Lukas, brought their native Chicago style hot dogs to Troy 24-years ago when they opened Hippo’s Hot Dogs Restaurant on Rochester Road.
Their menu fare has been so popular with Troy diners and catering customers that they expanded into a new location in Clinton Township that can seat up to 90 diners.
Scott Lukas said the “Hippo Dog," which comes spilling over with mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, pickle, sport peppers and seasoning, is the restaurant's most popular item.
