Summertime Taste In The Middle Of Winter

My father-in-law was a true renaissance man. He taught me many things while he was alive, and I picked them up the best I could.  Cars, cards, fixing anything that moved. Those were his specialty.  And, of course, grilling.

It was an event when he rolled out the grill. Surrounded by little containers of secret spices he mixed up himself, specialized tools for keeping the fire "just so," and plates of marinated...well, everything.

But the best thing he taught me, this culinary shaman from yesteryear, was the simplest, most rewarding pro-tip that I will now pass on to you: The joy of the wintertime hot dog.

When he was spending hours at the grill, he always took a few extra minutes, and a package of hot dogs to cook up perfectly for later. He would take those perfectly charred charcoal-grilled dogs, and set them aside for freezing.  He'd pop them into a Ziploc bag, and later in the year, when the grill was covered (With not only it's cover, but 8 inches of snow) he would bring these summertime treats out of the freezer, and into the microwave for about 30-45 seconds.  Then, they'd go into a bun, wrapped in a paper towel, and back into the microwave for another 15 seconds.

In a minute, this guy recreated one of the best summertime moments in the world.  The hot dog steaming hot, right off the grill. Throw a couple on a paper plate, garnish, add a few Kitchen Cooked Chips around it, and serve it up with a Miller High Life.

That's good eatin' my friends.  I sure miss those afternoons where no occasion became a special occasion, with a few hot dogs and some great storytelling.  Remember to throw some extra dogs on your grill this summer!