Since moving to Aarhus and visiting Copenhagen, Denmark's capital, I've noticed hot dog stands all over both cities. These stands, called pølsevogne in Danish, have been part of Danish culture for over 100 years. Some Danish sausages are bright red, and they're often served with crispy onions, pickles and special sauces. I also recently traveled to Tromsø, Norway, where I tried a hot dog made with reindeer meat!
In the United States, we usually think of a hot dog as a sausage in a bun topped with ketchup, mustard, and relish. In Denmark, a traditional Danish hot dog often comes with ketchup, mustard, and remoulade, a yellow sauce made with ingredients including mayonnaise, mustard, and pickles. Other popular toppings include raw onions, crispy fried onions and slices of pickled cucumber.
In Bergen, Norway, and Tromsø, Norway, my hot dogs were served with a sweet, slightly tart lingonberry sauce. Lingonberries are small red berries that grow in Northern Europe and are often paired with meat dishes.
