The Topping That Makes Icelandic Hot Dogs Iconic

A hot dog may or may not be classified as a sandwich, but it's definitely classified as delicious. The best part of eating hot dogs (sometimes called glizzies) is that you never have to get bored with the same old thing. You can choose a Chicago-style hot dog, with its signature celery salt and pickled peppers; a chili-cheese wiener; or even a New York dog with sauerkraut — and those are just a smattering of the many (many) American varieties out there. We've also fallen in love with Venezuelan hot dogs, which are made different by the addition of crunchy potato sticks and cabbage.

Now, it's time to take your tastebuds to Iceland. You may associate Icelandic food with things like fermented shark, but the Land of Fire and Ice has been quietly serving an iconic, delectable hot dog that fully deserves international acclaim. Hot dogs from Iceland are a bit different from American franks in that they're often made of either sheep or lamb meat in addition to pork and beef, but that's not the kicker. The mojo in an Icelandic hot dog comes from pylsusinnep, a spicy and very sweet brown mustard. Its very name contains the root of the word for hot dog, "pylsur," and while it originated in Iceland, it's poised to take the world by storm.

Hot dog carts in Reykjavik are frequently swamped with both locals and visitors queuing up to double-fist some unique, delicious dogs, but you don't need to travel quite that far to partake of this delicacy.

Before the invention of the World Wide Web, most foreigners remained sadly ignorant of pylsusinnep, with its piquant blend of mustard seeds, brown sugar, vinegar, and spices. Nowadays, thanks to the glory of Prime shipping, you can get it delivered directly to your door courtesy of Amazon. It even comes in an "easy-squeeze" container. If you want quick, easy Icelandic hot dogs, you can also click "buy now" on ready-made remoulade, which is another component that makes these hot dogs unique, but the mayo-based condiment will taste fresher if you whip it up at home. Round out the equation with a thick coating of tomato ketchup and both crispy-fried and fresh-diced onions, and you have a hot dog that would do Iceland proud.

It's unlikely that you will replicate the meat blend they use in their franks unless you order the links online, but even a plain Jane Oscar Mayer specimen will sing when combined with the special mustard. Another Icelandic tip is to not boil the hot dogs too long; they should have some "snap" to the link for an authentic pylsur experience.