Chili Dogs

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:28 am

Add Root Beer to the things unavailable in Vietnam.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:30 am

LoyalTubist wrote:Add Root Beer to the things unavailable in Vietnam.

Actually, it's just about impossible to get real root beer around here.

Around 1960, the FDA determined that one component of the principal flavoring agent (sassafras root) caused cancer in lab rats and banned the stuff. Note that there is no record of it having caused cancer in humans, unlike, say, tobacco.

From time to time, there have been boutique brewers who use processed sassafras root with the carcinogen (safrole) removed, but they keep going out of business.

I really, really miss true root beer--and sassafras doesn't grow west of the Rockies, so I can't even make my own. Most commercial extracts like Zatarain's or Hires don't contain sassafrass root.

So, pardon me if I scoff, but A&W, Hires, Dad's, IBC and any other commercial brand I've seen isn't root beer (which is fermented, just like beer), but fizzy water with flavorings added.

Like real ginger ale, root beer has some (0.5%) alcoholic content.

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:33 am

I think you can buy some root beer extract. Hire's used to produce it. I think McCormick Seasonings puts it out now. That would be worth trying. (And I could get it sent here.)

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:18 pm

LoyalTubist wrote:I think you can buy some root beer extract. Hire's used to produce it. I think McCormick Seasonings puts it out now. That would be worth trying. (And I could get it sent here.)

Not the real stuff--lots of substitute flavoring, sadly.

There are some real sassafras root beers around though--just not distributed out here.

At any rate, if you're interested in brewing your own:

http://hbd.org/brewery/library/RootB.html

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:06 pm

A few years ago my daughter got me one of those cookbooks to tell you how to make things you normally have to buy. One of the items in it was Coca-Cola. It didn't call for Kola Nuts. Instead, it called for 12 No-Doz tablets!

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:12 am

I'm going to try this recipe for ginger ale out:

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Ch ... le_Ag0.htm

I'll let you know how it works.

Tubadork · Post by **Tubadork** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:28 am

MartyNeilan wrote:Not exactly chili dogs, but this place is the place in NJ. Frank O knows what I am talking about.

Deep fried hotdogs in urban New Jersey (go figure!) with the best homemade relish ever, and onion rings - really just strips and pieces - the size of a yorkbrunner. My grandparents used to bring me there since I was a toddler, and it was one of the top destinations for all the local high school students.

I took my southern wife up there once and she loved it, she always asks when we are going back.

FWIW, I did the Skyline thing one time and was less than impressed.

HOLY CRAP! RIPPERS!!!!!!!!!!
I remember them from the high school days (pre-vegetarian)
they were pretty nasty (you can prob.figure out why they are called rippers)
http://www.fart-sounds.net/
but then again, at 3am anything will do (esp. because that was my before my non-drinking days too!)

I miss beautiful NJ
http://www.njdiners.com/cgi-bin/listing.cgi
Bill

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:39 am

http://www.fart-sounds.net/

Let's get serious!
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/2006/07/fartingpreacher.html

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:14 am

We have a choice of colas in Vietnam:

Coke

Pepsi

and a couple of off brands*

The main thing I miss is the 12 ounce can! 12 fluid ounces is 354 ml. The normal can size here is 330 ml.

*very, very off brands!