Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dog: So Good It's Illegal
LA Times ^ | 2/6/08 | DANIEL HERNANDEZ

Posted on 02/10/2008 10:11:33 PM PST by traviskicks

Densely packed buildings, well-weathered and decaying, line the corridors of the southeastern section of downtown L.A.'s commercial district. The streets and sidewalks are choked with traffic and people. Spanish names and phrases dominate the signage and snatches of overheard conversations. This is one of those places in the city where it would be easy to convince an outsider that Los Angeles is not functionally a part of the United States. It feels more like a satellite metropolis of Latin America, magically implanted north of the U.S.-Mexico line.

Here, in the middle of the pedestrian traffic rushing by in the Fashion District, on the sidewalk along Los Angeles Street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, Elizabeth Palacios has built her business at a blue, beat-up mobile food cart protected from the sun by two bright beach umbrellas. She sells chips, bottled water, canned sodas and, until recently, the beloved but troubled icon of L.A. street food, the bacon-wrapped hot dog.

"I used to clean houses," Palacios says on a warm afternoon. "Then, a year later, I got the chance to work on a carrito. A month later, I started renting one. Four months of doing that, I had enough saved up. I bought a cart. 'What do I have to do?' 'Go around and around, and where there isn't a cart, put yourself there.'"

She did, 18 years ago.

"Back in those days, you didn't use the bacon," she says, indicating the hot dogs that lie unattractively in her golf-cart-like Cushman vehicle.

As she speaks, a customer approaches, peering at her meat bin. "No bacon?"

"No bacon," Palacios sighs apologetically, in accented English. "They don't let me."

She means police and L.A. health-department inspectors, but the customer doesn't need much explanation: He moves on.

(Excerpt) Read more at laweekly.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: baconwrappedhotdog; hotdogs; illegals
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-67 next last
To: traviskicks

I’ve had these bacon-wrapped dogs many times here in L.A. I’ve never gotten sick. Hell, I ate fish tacos from a street cart in Tijuana and didn’t get sick. I’m sure the conditions under which their cooked isn’t sanitary, but I just say “caveat emptor”, kiss it to God, and enjoy every bite...


21 posted on 02/10/2008 11:06:12 PM PST by Bird Jenkins
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: traviskicks
Well that is not how I like to have a hotdog, but I am not in her market, so good for her!!
22 posted on 02/10/2008 11:15:27 PM PST by valkyry1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: traviskicks
"This is one of those places in the city where it would be easy to convince an outsider that Los Angeles is not functionally a part of the United States."

One of tens of thousands such places in LA.

23 posted on 02/10/2008 11:26:34 PM PST by NoLibZone (If the Clinton years were so great, why is Osama doing so well?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: traviskicks
It has nothing to do with protecting people from themselves, and everything to do with ensuring a reliable revenue stream for the government. Without regulations, there is no need for a regulator. Without a regulator, there is one fewer mechanism which justifies taxpayer expenditure for investigating/surveilling private enterprise. To lose eyes on private enterprise is to increase the risk of government revenue loss by tax avoidance. This revenue is critical for the operation of the regulator (in this and in other spheres). For our own good, petitio principii.

"The bureaucracy is expanding, to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy." -Oscar Wilde

24 posted on 02/10/2008 11:46:02 PM PST by M203M4 (True Universal Suffrage: Pets of dead illegal-immigrant felons voting Democrat (twice))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: traviskicks
What's the worst that could really happen to you from eating these things? E.coli? Maybe hepatitis? I think it's worth taking a risk every once in awhile.

The comedian Doug Stanhope says, "I am a player in this life, not a spectator. Herpes to me is like a skateboarder with a skinned knee."

That's kind of how I feel about getting something like e. coli or hepatitis from eating a bacon-wrapped dog. But herpes would still suck. I can't get behind that, Doug.

25 posted on 02/10/2008 11:51:08 PM PST by Bird Jenkins
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bird Jenkins

I’ve had these bacon-wrapped dogs many times here in L.A. I’ve never gotten sick. Hell, I ate fish tacos from a street cart in Tijuana and didn’t get sick. I’m sure the conditions under which their cooked isn’t sanitary, but I just say “caveat emptor”, kiss it to God, and enjoy every bite...<<<<<<<<

You couldn’t pay me to eat from a cart once they showed the undercover footage of the filthy conditions some of the vendors maintain. I guess it’s the buyer’s choice, since there won’t be any illusions about suing the vendor if they become deathly ill.


26 posted on 02/10/2008 11:54:47 PM PST by Mjaye (Some folks close their mouth only long enough to change feet)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Califreak

Heh. Somebody should photo-shop that scumbag Obama’s face on that.


27 posted on 02/10/2008 11:55:30 PM PST by Lancey Howard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: 1FreeAmerican; ironman73
I almost died once puking my gut’s out until I was severely dehydrated - at least it felt like I was dieing. all from a little street food.

Same happened to my wife, youngest son and myself at Wendy's in 1978, haven't stepped foot in one since. A night in the hospital with I.V.s for the three of us was enough to last a life time.

My oldest son, 5 years old at the time usually ate like a little pig, except for that one time and he didn't want anything to eat and was the only one who didn't get sick.

I've accused him ever since of being "in on it". Since I am accusing a member of this forum of being a part of a conspiracy, I have pinged him to this reply.

28 posted on 02/10/2008 11:56:43 PM PST by Graybeard58 ( Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Bird Jenkins
I’m sure the conditions under which their cooked isn’t sanitary, but I just say “caveat emptor”, kiss it to God, and enjoy every bite...

Restaurant owners must pass health inspection and they probably wouldn't consider it fair if they were required to compete on price against sidewalk vendors who are allowed to cut corners.

29 posted on 02/11/2008 12:31:32 AM PST by rogue yam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: rogue yam

If there’s one thing an American should never be afraid of it’s a little competition. There’s sort of a “wild west” aspect to this that I find appealing.


30 posted on 02/11/2008 12:35:54 AM PST by Bird Jenkins
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Bird Jenkins

The issue is not competition but unfair competition. If the government imposes a cost on some vendors but not others then this is a subsidy to the unregulated. It is a very simple concept, really.


31 posted on 02/11/2008 1:05:38 AM PST by rogue yam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Irish Eyes
LOL.. takes me back to childhood. made a lengthwise split stuffed it with cheese and then wrapped it in bacon,unbelievable. BFP( before food police)

We did the same thing with knock wurst- heart attack city, but My Gawd! what a melody of flavors.

32 posted on 02/11/2008 1:55:26 AM PST by backhoe (Just a Merry-Hearted Keyboard PirateBoy, plunderin’ his way across the WWW…)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: arderkrag

“Call me when the nightmare masquerading as a free nation is gone and my country is back.”

No kidding.


33 posted on 02/11/2008 3:51:27 AM PST by ought-six
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: dayglored
You forgot the cheese.
34 posted on 02/11/2008 3:57:45 AM PST by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM .53 : 1 The FOOL hath said in his heart, there is no GOD.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: 1FreeAmerican

I almost died once - spent three days in the hospital in NJ - after eating tainted roast beef at a Roy Roger’s - it’s not just street food. While I don’t disagree with having health inspectors, I do disagree with this kind of blanket ban.


35 posted on 02/11/2008 4:19:07 AM PST by Hegemony Cricket (IX-XI -- numquam didici)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: traviskicks

I thought Mexicans were taking over Kalifornia, not mooselimbs.


36 posted on 02/11/2008 4:50:43 AM PST by HenpeckedCon (B. Hussein/Bernie Sanders-08)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dianna

I think I figured it out. Grilling produces “heat trapping gasses”. You know, CO2, “the most important green house gas”.


37 posted on 02/11/2008 4:53:16 AM PST by HenpeckedCon (B. Hussein/Bernie Sanders-08)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: traviskicks

Ninety-nine percent of the people here are mexicanos. Here, you don’t really see americanos. One or two,” she says. “Why are they coming now to get us out of here? Why the abuse? Why the abuse?”

These people and their carts are filthy, many are illegal aliens with diseases. They spray Raid on the food to keep flys away. I’ve seen them washing dishes in their backyards with a garden hose. They pay extortion money to the gangs and refuse to cooperate with the police. I’ve been sick so many times I rarely eat at McDonalds, Carles Jr. or Del Taco unless I travel outside of Los Angeles, Mexico.

They sell to children and the kid’s parents are too stupid to give a damn. Most of them are unlicensed. They push their home made carts to the elementary schools. I know of two people that got Hepatitis, both of them nearly died. They don’t pay taxes. They set up shop in front of restaurants and take their customers away.

This is all over Los Angeles and the authorities don’t give a damn.


38 posted on 02/11/2008 5:29:44 AM PST by Haddit (A Hunter Conservative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Moonman62
There must be some third world cesspool where you can go live, be free, and not be bothered by health department regulations. Mexico would probably be a good place to start.

If you think government health inspections are what keep restaurants clean, you've obviously never worked in a restaurant, or in government.

39 posted on 02/11/2008 5:36:01 AM PST by Trailerpark Badass
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: traviskicks

Welcome back Travis!


40 posted on 02/11/2008 5:41:25 AM PST by KoRn (CTHULHU '08 - I won't settle for a lesser evil any longer!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-67 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson