I hadn’t eaten in several hours, and had a 40 minute commute ahead of me as I passed a street cart and decided to rely on old faithful… a Sabrett. The dirty water hot dogs have never let me down for a quick snack on the run, and I always order a sausage. In my opinion a sausage has more kick in terms of flavor and spice compared to their regular hot dog counterpart, plus I prefer the overall meat to bread ratio as well. I don’t like food that has a high ratio of bread, compared to other ingredients. I eat my breakfast “sammiches” on a tortilla, I like my pizza crust thin, and if I get an italian sandwich I pile on the meat. Don’t think I am gluttonous about it, I only wind up eating a quarter or maybe half of what is served to me, I just want the consistency a certain way.
So a sausage with a touch of mustard (the only true condiment), and a smidgen of sauerkraut. In case you give a shit, they are pronounced Suh-Bret, however once a woman tried to correct me saying they were pronounced Suh-Bray… puhleeze. She obviously didn’t eat them, nor was she from New York. My friend works for Sabrett and once had the owner hire me to repair his laptop. Whilst there I noticed he had a brochure for Papaya Dog, and I asked if they made Papaya dogs as well. Not only do they make Papaya Dogs, but they’ve also started making Nathan’s as well.
The employees were in the middle of testing the prototype for what would be a picante Sabrett hot dog, grilling them up and offering me one for myself. A proper hot dog has got to be grilled so you can give it that crunch on the outside. Upon biting into it I tasted jalapenos and other spices surrounded by a trusted juiciness. When I finished what work I had I asked if I could have a couple of hotdogs to take home. They guy said sure and went to the refrigerator. Upon returning he handed me a 48 pack of experimental picante Sabretts. I just looked at him and said “Seriously, I mean you know I live alone. no girlfriend, no family nothing”. He told me I would figure it out, and somehow… I just knew I would.
That night after getting home I went by the my bodega and noticed Mani (the owners son) chillin on a milk crate out front. He asked me what I was up to. I said “I worked at Sabrett today and now I got a 48 pack of “top secret” hot dogs, and these bitches are spicy son.”
Mani got serious and said “yo, Lenny just cleaned the grill and the Yankees’ game was about to start… We got the beer, you got the dogs, what do ya think?”
No fucking doubt.
All the old men in the bodega had been drinking heavily for severals hours now and when I busted out those Sabretts, they just went bananas. Someone even broke out a George Forman grill and we just started cooking everything up. When asked what bread he was gonna use Mani said “yo man I just keep it hood and throw them shits on Wonderbread.”
Worked for me.
Mani’s dad, Francisco, put two on an Italian roll, but everyone else kept it real on white. I completely forgot that I had a friend coming to meet me, so I just sent him a text telling him to meet me at the bodega. In walked in my friend, Bob, who just so happens to be a sausage maker. Bob just takes in the scene. The Yankee’s were blasting on the TV, everyone’s drinking beer, and eating hot dogs. Bob hesitated as he glanced at the grill and said “Hey are those Sabretts?”