Temperatures threaten to approach the triple digits as we prepare to celebrate our country's independence this weekend, which puts us smack into summer, the season of baseball, lazy patio nights and, of course, hot dogs, which we like to feast on as we wander the streets, tend the grill or root for the Rockies at Coors Field.We know of a few good weiners around Denver. These are the five best:5. Old-Fashioned Italian Deli Two generations of owners have manned the Old-Fashioned Italian Deli, a Littleton joint where you still have to pay your bill in cash. The Panzarellas were transplanted here from Buffalo, New York, and they brought their hot dog tradition with them: real Sahlen's sausages -- complete with twisted ends -- topped with Weber horseradish mustard, onions, sweet relish and pickles. 4. Mustard's Last Stand Mustard's boasts outposts in both Boulder and Denver, walk-up operations that turn out hot dogs, Polish sausages, burgers and veggie options of many different origins and varieties.

The place does a proper Chicago dog, topping Vienna beef with mustard, tomato, relish, sport peppers and celery salt, and that's what we like to order. But if you're looking for a chili-and-cheese smothered weiner, Mustard's is a solid bet. best wine served cold3. Chicago For two decades, Chicago has channeled the Windy City in the Mile High, serving up a veritable shrine to Chicago sports. dry red wine priceThe spot puts real Italian beef on Gonnalla rolls -- wet, of course -- and sells Fannie May candies, too, as well as an authentic Chicago dog: Vienna beef on a steamed poppy-seed roll with all of the proper accoutrements, down to celery salt and electric-green relish. where to buy total wine gift cards

Don't t add ketchup, or you'll risk the owner's wrath.   2. Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs The original Biker Jim's cart made the hot dog a haute dog, serving up plump and juicy reindeer, elk and pheasant sausages ribboned with cream cheese and piled high with Coke-caramelized onions. lowest price built in wine coolerNo wonder that Jim's has begun to expand into a veritable empire, with a fleet of mobile kitchens and a brick-and-mortar establishment in the Ballpark neighborhood that further expanded the menu, adding yak, rattlesnake and a Coney Island dog to the mix. can i buy wine online in ga1. Mile High Vienna Stand While we have room in our artery-clogged hearts for many kinds of weiners, it's the Chicago dog that truly represents, for us, what a hot dog should be. best wines in texas

That sausage is more dependent on recipe than technique, and Mile High does it exactly right, piling a springy Vienna beef dog with sliced tomatoes, onions, neon green relish, spicy sport peppers, a pickle spear, mustard and celery salt (of course) on a steamed, poppy-seed bun. Sided with a clip of fries, this hot dog nabbed our Best Hot Dog award in the Best of Denver 2011.More Best of Denver Lists: - Denver's five best restaurants for blind dates- Top five martinis in Denver -- good, better, Best!- Denver's five best burgers- Denver's six best pizzas- Denver's five best dive bars- Denver's five best dinners under $10- Denver's five best first-date restaurants- Denver's five best nachos- Denver's ten best french fries- Denver's five best green chile fixes- Denver's five best dishes of mac & cheese- Denver's five best breakfast sandwiches- Denver's five best wings- Denver's five best happy hours- Denver's ten best draft beer lists- Denver's five best spots for ice cream- Denver's five best BBQ joints- Denver's five best brunches- Denver's five best spots for sandwiches- Denver's five best street tacos

Follow @CafeWestword on TwitterHot dogs and a good zesty slawWine with hot dogs? The default adult beverage with the pups may be beer, but consider that a slew of wines are very beerlike indeed. They're the sparklers, the bubblies, the "Champagnes" of bottled beverages, from many lands and in a wide range of flavors and colors.Three suggest themselves here, a white, a rosé and a red, from a trio of regions much better known for their wines than their wieners. But the aim is the same: When man bites dog, the drink merely needs to be cold, crisp, clean and refreshing.The food: Dog night with zesty slawCombine 1 bag (16 ounces) shredded coleslaw mix; 1/4 cup each light mayonnaise and chopped cilantro; 1 teaspoon each red pepper flakes and salt; and freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Combine 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper in another bowl. Cook or grill 4 hot dogs; serve on toasted buns with the doctored ketchup, mustard, onions and relish, as you like.

Serve slaw on top of dog or on the side. Makes: 4 servingsThe wines2011 Cleto Chiarli e Figli Lambrusco di Sorbara Secco Vecchia Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy: Few red wines are more alive of flavor and texture than Lambrusco; chilling well brings out its cherrylike aromas and flavors, and heightens its utility with food. $17NV Mirabelle Brut, North Coast, California: Schramsberg Vineyard's second label and an always-great price for a well crafted, citrusy and apple-y bubbly; notable for its straightforward refreshment. $25NV Reserve de Sours Sparkling Rosé, Bordeaux, France: A mix of 50-50 merlot and cabernet sauvignon, with a beautiful pale-pink color, waves of finely etched bubbles and cleansing acidity. $20— Bill St. John, Special to Tribune Newspapers The Mysterious Death Of Lee MiglinFor Love Of MoneyPrincess Grace`s Fatal Crash: Her Daughter`s Account Year After Husband Slain, Miglin Moving ForwardKiller Who Fled Prison Is Caught After Deadly ChaseChicago native Susan Aikens stars on NatGeo's 'Life Below Zero'