Ted’s Hot Dogs
If I were to write a list of “things I know about my Dad” one of them would be the fact that he worked at a hot dog stand in Buffalo, New York after graduating from high school. There are 3 things he’s taught me that he learned from that experience:
- How to cook a hot dog. Specifically ways to score or puncture the outside surface (or casing) of the hot dog to ensure even cooking and an attractive finished product.
- When returning change to someone, hand it to them, don’t slide it across the counter, because it’ll take them a long time to pick up.
- He didn’t want to work at Pat’s for the rest of his life.
That he spent the entirety of his career working at IBM, and yet his summertime stint at Pat’s Charcoal Hots left such an indelible mark is worth taking note.
Pat’s doesn’t exist any more, not since 1984, but Buffalo’s love of Sahlen’s hot dogs cooked over a charcoal fire lives on in the form of Ted’s Hot Dogs. I remember my Dad taking me to Ted’s during our visits to Buffalo when I was younger and telling me his stories from that summer in 1967. I don’t know if I have my dad to thank, or genetics, but I do love me a good hot dog (Exhibit A, Exhibit B), so I was excited to relive the experience while we had the chance—even given the circumstances.
nice storry ;-)) – and the hot dogs looks great – much better than the hotdogs how are offerd from IKEA stores. Is Ikea in usa also offering this cheap flabbering hot dogs ??
The picture looks great, and I love the Ted’s photos! I live in Missouri and you can’t get charcoal broiled anything….makes me hungry!
Geli, yep, you can get cheap hot dogs at IKEA in the US (as well as swedish meatballs). In fact Stephanie and I will need to visit IKEA soon, so maybe we’ll take some pictures. I wonder how/if they change their menu for different countries.
Bill, thanks again for letting me use what appears to be the only photo (that I could find) of Pat’s on the web! Not to be confused with another Pat’s. Hope you get back to Buffalo sometime for some real “charcoal hots”.
hi justin – i didn’t think – that they change the menue.. i never visit the indoor restaurant of ikea its normaly located between all the furniture – and after you payed at the ceckout they offer hotdogs and softice – also some swedish specialities – just like cakes, cookies. You get a hotdog in the roll – and than you can add onions, cucumpers, mustard and ketchup ;-)) – i prefer to add all of this – it makes the hot dog sausage tastless *ha..ha..* and i have to tell you – all mans hat to visit ikea with there girls ;-))) the fact : all the stuff in the uper floor …
…sorry – my bad english.. i mean the staff downstairs ;-))
And I’ve raised the quality of the scoring of a hot dog after working there to using a sharp knife and forming an intricate cross-hatch pattern on our hot dogs. [But be careful not to nick your fingers when you do this – this has always been a worry of mine but so far I still have all ten digits unlike some of my relatives but that another story] Originally the scoring was done for several reasons, one of which was to insure that the insides were heated/cooked quickly on the grill-line since each hot dog had a casing, and second, this made them more tasty IMHO because the casing was browned and crisped. I have always wanted to further raise the scoring from cross-hatching to actual art – maybe a retirement opportunity, who knows!
Dad, I see an illustrated blog post in your future…!
I worked there the summer of my senior year at Bennett 1958 and my 1st summer coming back home from college. The worst assignment Tasty Freeze. The best, working till 1 AM Sat and then partying till 3, then Sherkston Quarry. I could tell a few stories from there some are Xrated but most are just fun. Go Tigers.
WE MISS PATS AND THE HOT-RODS
We moved to CA in 1958. My fondest memory is of those Pat’s hot dogs around the mid-50’s before we moved. George’s Hamburgers across the street had one customer to Pat’s 10. I’ve tried everything to make them the same. I even ordered Sahlen’s. I think where I messed up is not using charcoal. I will try that for sure. Wish me luck. If it doesn’t do it for me I’ll come back for Ted’s.
I grew up on Colvin where it bends, in the 50s until mid 60s and ate many Sheridan dr hots and later when visiting buffalo. Lately, I’ve become aware that the open flame turns meat and rolls into a cancer causing carcinogen. The black parts and toasted .opps.
Pats was on one corner of Parker and full of kids in cars. George’s was across Parker and as has been noted was not full of anyone, for some reason. Teds, down the street was like George’s, for adults and families. When pats was torn down to build a pirate chicken place ( or something like that), teds became the place and stayed that way. Pizza was a rarity and no one knew what a taco was. I’ve lived in California for 50 years now, and saw charcoal broiled hots here once. Salads are big here, and seafoods, not cooked with carcinogens that we know of.
In the 50s, there was a small hots, burgers and shakes stand near Belmont, not far from teds. The owners lived in back. I went to St. John’s school with their son, John lettuce. A good guy.