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A half-smoke is a type of hot dog found in Washington, D.C., United States and the surrounding region. A half-smoke is slightly larger than than a regular hot dog, spicier and with more coarsely ground meat. It may be made of beef, pork or a combination of the two, and is served on a hot dog bun. In 2000, Washington Post Magazine named the half-smoke as the regional food in the Washington Dish Contest. The etymology of "half-smoke" is unclear as the sausage is not smoked, nor is it half of anything.[1] Numerous hot dog carts in Washington, D.C. sell steamed half-smokes, with those on Constitution Avenue catering to tourists and those on Pennsylvania Avenue serving federal employees. Restaurants such as Ben's Chili Bowl often grill their half-smokes.[2] Ben's half-smokes are arguably the most renowned in the city and, once grilled, are split enough to run a line of mustard down the middle before being topped with chili con carne and chopped onions. Comedian Bill Cosby is known to eat three half-smokes in one sitting during his occasional visits to Ben's Chili Bowl.
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