Whistle Dogs

When we were kids, Mom would make us Whistle Dogs. Later I learned that they are served at A&W fast food restaurants in Canada. Basically, a Whistle Dog is a split hot dog stuffed with cheese and wrapped with Bacon. It is served topped with mustard and pickle relish.

There is also a hot dog called Texas Tommy. Popular with 1950s housewives and on almost every greasy spoon menu in Philadelphia, Eastern Pennsylvania, and South Jersey, the Texas Tommy is a grilled and split hot dog loaded with bacon and lots of cheese. Other condiments are optional but not necessary. The earliest Texas Tommys were wrapped in bacon before being cooked and grilled, or deep-fried like they used to make them at The Cup in Pottstown, Pennsylvania (now closed).

Cheddar cheese
Hot dogs, rinsed
1 slice bacon per hot dog, cooked about half way
Hot dog buns

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Slice cheese into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Butterfly hot dogs lengthwise. Place 2 cheese slices inside the slit and close hot dog. Wrap a slice of bacon tightly around the hot dog, covering the entire surface.

Place on a cookie rack that has been placed in baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Remove from oven allowing grease to drain for a minute on paper towels. Place a hot dog into each bun and serve with mustard and pickle relish.

A&W's Whistle Dogs
from http://www.food.com/ (Sue's Kitchen)

"I worked at A&W in the Montreal area during my college years and, by far, these were the best "non-steamie" hot dog around! Easy to make and so tasty. In the '70s we used Canadian back bacon - nowadays, they use regular bacon - both taste great. Ohhhhh, the memories."

2 hot dogs (brand of your choice)
2 slices bacon (or back bacon)
2 slices processed cheese
2 hot dog buns
butter
sweet pickle relish

Cook bacon until crisp/tender and set aside.

Split the hot dogs lengthwise but not all the way through. Butterfly the hotdogs on a lightly buttered pan or griddle. Cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Flip the hotdogs over. Fold cheese slices in half on the diagonal and put on top of the hotdogs. Add the bacon on top of the cheese. Cook until cheese melts slightly.

Lightly butter the hotdog buns and add to the pan; lightly toast both sides.

Remove buns and add relish, top with the hotdogs.

2 servings