Growing up in the south, I was aware that we had our own quirks, traditions and crazy ideals, but I had no idea that some of our weird ways were strange to even fellow southerners. I learned this when I moved from Phenix City, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL for college. One afternoon while talking with friends and discussing food I said, " I love scramble dogs!" I was waiting for someone to agree, but all I got was strange stares and looks of confusion. I continued "Y'all do know what a scramble dog is, right?" Still nothing. Even my friends from Athens, GA and Montgomery, AL had never heard of such. It was then that I learned a 'scramble dog' was a local dish only known to those in Columbus, GA/Phenix City, AL area.

So if you don't know what a scramble dog is, let me educate you. It's a hot dog (usually cut into bite-sized pieces), with bun opened wide topped with chili, mustard, ketchup, cheese, onions, oyster crackers and relish (or anything else you can conjure up). A good scramble dog can't be picked up with your hands, forks are required. It's so good and so bad all at the same time!

These delicious memories were stirred up when I saw Gun and Garden's list of '100 Southern Foods You Absolutely, Positively Must Try Before You Die.' Low and behold the scramble dog in Columbus, GA was listed. See, I really did know what I was talking about!

Click on the map to check out all 100 that made the map. Yum!
http://gardenandgun.com/map