Chicago’s Wrigley Field celebrates its 100^th Birthday today!

In honor of the centennial celebration, the ballpark is doing something really cool… they’re putting a historical twist on hot dogs.

“Decade Dogs” will commemorate each of the 10 decades that the North Side ball field has been in existence. If you look at the offerings you can really see how the American palate has become more adventurous and really embraced ethnic cuisine.

Some of the hot dogs sound absolutely delicious… others, not so much (I’m looking at you TV Dinner Dog).

Here’s a breakdown of the dogs, decade by decade, being offered at the Friendly Confines:

1910’s Rueben Dog: In honor of the invention of the Ruben Sandwich: Vienna Beef hot dog, sliced corn beef, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and Swiss cheese.

1920’s Chicago Dog: The Chicago classic hot dog: Vienna Beef hot dog, tomato wedges, pickle spears, sport peppers, diced onions, mustard, neon relish and celery salt, served on a poppy seed bun.

1930’s Cheese Steak Dog: In honor of the invention of Philadelphia’s favorite sandwich: Vienna Beef hot dog, shaved rib eye steak, grilled onions, peppers and provolone cheese.

1940’s Corn Dog Nibblers: In honor of the Corn Dog, invented at the Texas State Fair: Deep-fried mini Vienna Beef corn dogs.

1950’s TV Dinner Dog: In honor of that unforgettable foil-tray meal:  Vienna Beef hot dog, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.

1960’s Buffalo Wing Dog: In honor of that now ubiquitous party snack, invented at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York: Vienna Beef hot dog, diced chicken, buffalo sauce, bleu cheese crumbles and chopped celery.

1970’s Pulled Pork Dog: In honor of when America woke up and smelled the smoke (barbecue that is): Vienna Beef hot dog, pulled pork, barbecue sauce, fried onions and coleslaw.

1980’s Nacho Dog: In honor of the decade Tex-Mex cooking seduced the country: Vienna Beef hot dog, tortilla strips, nacho cheese, salsa and pickled jalapeños.

1990’s Bagel Dog: In honor of when bagels broke out of the New York Delicatessens and into middle America’s strip malls: Vienna Beef hot dog wrapped in a warm bagel with deli mustard.

2000’s Dog: The Decade Dog that is the most popular will also receive the honor of being named 2000 Dog.

I don’t see me being able to eat 10 dogs at any one game, so I guess I’ll have to make multiple trips back to Wrigley.  It’s a shame the Cubs can’t match the quality of the food!

Happy Birthday Wrigley Field!

Here’s a question for you: would you ever order a meal in one of those restaurants that touts its food as “heart attack-inducing?”

A judge this week settled a copyright infringement dispute between two restaurants (one in Las Vegas and one in New York City) that each wanted exclusive rights to use that phrase to sell gut-busting food that might/could/will kill you. (Ah, the beauty of a good marketing gimmick…)

The cardiac-inducing menu items? Glad you asked:

• New York’s 2nd Ave Deli’s “Instant Heart Attack” Sandwich is made with a half pound of corned beef, pastrami, turkey (or salami, pick your poison), served between two fried latkes. It costs $24.95… and no sharing.

• Sin City’s Heart Attack Grill’s “Quadruple Bypass Burger” is made with 4 half-pound ground beef patties, with all the trimmings. It costs $12.94 (also no sharing). If you want bacon with that (20 slices), add $3.69. Oh, and if you weigh more than 350 lbs., you eat for free.

The judge ultimately ruled in favor the 2nd Ave Deli, saying that even “unsophisticated” customers can tell the difference between a latke-based sandwich and a “gluttonous” cheeseburger. But just in case there’s any confusion, the judge says 2nd Ave Deli can’t advertise outside of Manhattan.

So, back to the question… can you see yourself sitting down and ordering either of these gut-busting items (and remember no sharing)?

I know it’s a free country and if you don’t want to be exposed to this kind of place, find another restaurant… blah, blah, blah. Now, don’t get me wrong, Mama likes her junk food (sometimes). But doesn’t it seem like selling these items is just a huge waste of food and money and further evidence of this country’s obsession with extreme eating?

What kind of message does this send? That overeating is a joke, something to be indulged because it’s entertaining? Then the joke is on all of us… because eventually, we’ll all pay in one way or another.