Moving to the US has meant having the excuse of trying loads of new foods - both of the national and local delicacy. Living in Michigan I'm spoilt with the Coney Island Hot Dog - one that has nothing to do with Coney Island in New York - the name merely refers to the origin of the hot dog and not the topping. When talking about Coney Island dogs on twitter I often get a lot of questions about it, so I though I'd dedicate a little blog post to everything about it.
The Coney is a firm fixture and favorite across south east Michigan and a variety of the dog can even be found in Ohio - often known there has the cheese chilli. But what is it? Well it's easily explained as a natural casing beef hot dog topped with an all meat, beanless chilli finished off with diced onions and mustard, and most importantly, Coneys are as messy as they are delicious, they might be cheap but they are mighty fine.
Left - Coney from Comet Burgers, Royal Oak. Right - Coney and sliders from The Telway, Madison Heights.
Come to Michigan and you'll be spoilt for choice with where to taste one, Lafayette and American Coney Islands next door to each other in Downtown Detroit always battle it out between themselves for the number one spot, but the region is full of Coney Island chains - Leos to National. But many independent burger places or diners will serve their own variety - the coney's from Telway in Madison Heights being a particular favorite of mine - plus is still has it's 50's decor which is always a win with me.
A trip to Michigan certainly wouldn't be complete until you've tried a coney dog. You can always check out my blog posts on my visit to Detroit's Lafayette Coney Island here.
How do you like your hot dogs?
How do you like your hot dogs?
There is quite a bit of debate about the Coney Dog and it's origins. Evidently, there is a hot dog that originated in Coney Island but the chili on it is more of a brown chili with a different type of flavor. There used to be a restaurant in Bay City that had this style. Pittsburgh also makes a claim on the chili dog but I forget the restaurant there that makes the claim. Michigan is home to two styles of coney dogs....the Detroit style you described and the Flint style which is a dryer sauce. You can get that style of dog at a place called Angelos (the original is in a not so good section of town, there is another just off US-23 at exit 88, I think).
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting to know, I think the history of the coney's is something no one is ever going to have a definitive answer on that's for sure!
DeleteJust this week I was looking up "Michigan hot dogs", haha, I'm not a big hot dog eater but they simply are the best!
ReplyDeleteAh see Michigan hot dogs are different still, and they are never called as such in Michigan or even the Midwest actually! All the terms and definitions get crazy but they are similar to the coney islands, but not the same.
DeleteThat looks damn good!!
ReplyDeletePS. Loving the new look : )
Gemma
Faded Windmills
Thank you - fancied a little update!
DeleteI think my husband would like the coney dog a lot. I , on the other hand, like my hot dogs with mayo, tomatoes, onion, ketchup and mustard. The husband thinks I'm weird because I like mayo on my hot dog bun.
ReplyDeleteHaha after the Mid West love for ranch on pizza, the mayo doesn't surprise me too much, although it's certainly different! I'm really hit and miss with mustard, i'm still getting over my fear of it.
DeleteI LOVE coneys! When my boyfriends brother was in from Texas that's all he and his wife wanted to make sure they had before they went back!
ReplyDeleteThey are def one of the MUST try foods in Michigan aren't they?! We keep meaning to take Joe's family to try some when they come in from Pennsylvania, but always run out of time, one day, one day!
DeleteThose look so tasty! I don't have interesting hot dogs in my country... or I haven't find them yet, but I usually make mine at home, with lots of onions and pickles! I also like tofu dogs.
ReplyDeleteYeah they are pretty plain in the UK too I will be honest, only some mustard and/or ketchup to brighten them up!
DeleteI'm pretty sure my husband would love to eat a coney island hot dog! They look sooo good... I chose a bad time to read this post (I'm starving!) Nice new header by the way, I like it! :)
ReplyDeleteJessica
the.pyreflies.org
Thank you - and yeah they always make me hungry thinking about them, those and sliders!
DeleteSo, I'm finally at home after a long long holiday... family are so tiring. So now I'm going to write you a long catch up comment ;)
ReplyDeleteFirst off, congrats on the greencard renewal. I knew it was a real marriage all along! Congrats for the house too! Can't wait to see some photos :)
I loved the demon head master! That was an awesome show. I was also partial to Goosebumps too :) I used to watch a lot of American shows on Nickelodeon with my younger brother and sister, some Saved by the Bell and that kind of thing. Also the Disney channel was quite popular in our house and I was quite the Lizzie McGuire fan.
Mmm hot dogs :) I haven't had a good hot dog in a while.
Also I'm liking the new theme too! And that pretty face of yours!
Yey to long comments!
DeleteI use to love Goosebumps too, although I never really read the books that went with them, I was more into the Horror Point stories, boy those were good back in the day!
And I will certainly be sharing some photographs of the new place!
Hope your had fun on your little trip!
Do you know, I have nearly the entire horror point (or point horror) book collection under my bed at home... Something near 200 books I think.
DeleteBlimey!
DeleteHello! Michigan native-turned-blogger here, I find it really funny that a lot of people actually don't know what a Coney dog is. I actually had someone ask me once if it was a hot dog in an ice cream cone...
ReplyDelete...um, no?
So anyway looking forward to your future posts! PS you can't go wrong with Coneys from National Coney Island - just be sure to try the baklava whilst you're there!!
Never been to National Coney Island yet - always really been to Leo's if we're not heading down into the city but it's been on my to visit list for a while!
DeleteHaha I couldn't imagine a coney in an ice cream cone, saying that the idea of Corn Dogs still confuse me somewhat as a Brit!
I JUST watched the Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown episode about Detroit last night and he talked about your guys' famous Coney Island hot dogs! It looked so good I had to get out of bed and make myself something to eat, haha. We don't get too fancy with our hot dogs in the San Francisco bay, but I do like mine with lots of toppings. Maybe I could go really California and add avocados :)
ReplyDeleteCat
http://oddlylovely.com
For some reason (I never got around to watching it myself) that Anthony Bourdian episode did not go down well in these parts. But any ways ... i'm trying to imagine a hot dog with an avocado topping - that would certainly be interesting haha!
DeleteSounds so good, except from the mustard. I don't like mustard. Actually I'm not a huge fan of condiments at all but that's not really important her. The coney island hot dog still sounds very yummy!
ReplyDeleteDebi x
I have a love hate thing with mustard, I certainly wouldn't reach out and add it to a hot dog myself but if it's coming on one I don't mind too much if that makes sense?! It's not so bad when the mustards on the chili, they actually blend well together.
DeleteI need this in my life! I love a good sloppy hot dog with oddles of onions and ketchup :) x
ReplyDelete