4 minute read
Where to find hot wieners and
Let’s Be Frank
Whether you like your hot dogs saucy or snappy, Rhode Island has them all
By Megan Schmit
Some foods just scream summer. You know what I mean: ice cream, BBQ, lobster rolls, and basically anything on the grill – which means hello, hot dogs! There’s something nostalgic about this portable bite; maybe it conjures memories of the ballpark, or backyard barbecues, or childhood dinner staples. Some like them slathered in chili and cheese, others prefer a drizzle of classic ketchup, and in Rhody, we even have our own special ways of jazzing up our dogs with a snappy skin or smothered in meat sauce. Read on for a list of where to get your favorites.
BEN’S CHILI DOGS
Nestled on Broadway, neon signs lure passersby inside with promises of cheese and chili dogs – or, order online from an extensive menu of kraut, chili, bean, and chourico and pepper sausages. Newport, Instagram: @bens_chili_dogs
E.P. WEINERS
Nothing says Rhode Island quite like E.P.’s wiener specials: Two or three hot wieners served with French fries and coffee milk. East Providence, Facebook: EP Weiners
FIREHOUSE HOTDOGS
You can’t miss this fire engine-red trailer on Putnam Pike, a fan favorite since 1989 for lunch and late-night fast food like classic hot dogs, wieners, chili dogs, and even a double dog served on an 8-inch torpedo roll! Johnston, FirehouseHotdogs.com
LEN’S HOT DOG HAVEN
Find an entire menu dedicated to dogs: plain, cheesy, topped with sauerkraut or chili, and even New York style (cooked onion in red sauce) or Puerto Rican (chili, cheese, kraut, and potato sticks). Pawtucket, LensHotDogHaven.com
SPIKE’S JUNKYARD DOGS
Starring jumbo beef dogs, Spike’s has appeared in the likes of Phantom Gourmet and Yankee Magazine. Try their signature Junkyard Dog garnished with tomato, pickle, scallions, banana peppers, and mustard. Warwick, SpikesJunkyardDogs.com
BRING BRANDS HOME
Feeling like a backyard barbecue? Stock up on your favorite style sausage from local makers for chillin’ and grillin’ at home.
Little Rhody Brand Frankfurts
German-style snappers, jumbos, and skinless franks, plus other specialties like NYS wieners. Johnston, LittleRhodyHotDogs.com
Saugy, Inc.
Signature snappy sausages, AKA “Rhode Island’s First Hot Dog”, beloved since 1869. Cranston, Saugys.com
Gastros
Small-batch artisanal salami and sausages, including hot dogs and kielbasa, handmade from Berkshire Pork and Wagyu Beef. Woonsocket, GastrosCraftMeats.com
Chez Pascal & The Wurst Kitchen
Restaurant marketplace offering varieties to-go, like pork and paprika, cheddarwurst, and, of course, hot dogs. Providence, ChezPron.com Whimsical weiners from Weenie Wizard
Foraged Fruit Meets Botanical Gin
A sparkling summer sipper uses garden harvests and Providence-distilled gin
By Liz Murray
Juicy blackberries (which are at peak
season in June and July) blended with crisp cucumbers and a squirt of lemon give your typical gin and tonic a bright, fruity remix, and are easy to procure from either your own backyard garden or one of Rhode Island’s many pick-your-own berry farms. Paired with Ornamental Gin from Industrious Spirit Company, where craft liquors are distilled right in Providence with local grains, this drink is a truly a foraged concoction that completes an afternoon spent swinging in a hammock or hosting a garden brunch party.
All of ISCO’s sustainably sourced spirits offer unique flavor profiles, but their gin is especially complex and floral, with hints of lemony citrus and botanicals. Sweetened with fresh berries, it’s ideal for a refreshing summer cocktail. Their Ornamental Gin and other spirits can be found at most local liquor stores, or from their to-go window at their Sims Avenue distillery. ISCOSpirits.com
CUCUMBER BLACKBERRY GIN AND TONIC
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup blackberries, washed • 2 mini cucumbers or 1/2 of a large cucumber, peeled • 2 Tbsp water • 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (approx. 1/2 of a large lemon) • 2-3 shots of ISCO’s Ornamental Gin
• 1 cup tonic water, divided between 3 glasses • Optional garnish: Fresh mint leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a blender, toss the blackberries, cucumbers, water, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Blend until completely combined, about 30 seconds. 2. Place a wire mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the blackberry-cucumber mixture over the strainer. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, press the mixture until all of the juice drains into the bowl below. 3. Pour the juice into a cocktail shaker. Now for the gin – you can use as much or as little as you desire, but I used 2 shots (3 fluid ounces) to keep it light. Drop in a few ice cubes, and shake well. 4. Divide the mixture evenly into 3 glasses (should be about 1/3 cup of liquid per glass), and top with equal amounts of tonic water. Garnish with cucumber slices, blackberries, and/or mint, and enjoy!
Tip for serving a crowd: This cocktail works well as a large-batch recipe, too – simply triple the ingredients! Since it’s a blended bevvie, no additional steps are required to transform this porch sipper into a garden soiree crowd-pleaser.
For more tips and recipes, visit RecipeHippie.com or follow @recipehippie on Instagram.
