My Guilty Pleasure: Pat Kenny’s chilli dog and toffee apple slice

‘I discovered the chilli dog in Atlanta, but can’t find one in Dublin to match my nostalgic craving’

Throughout Food Month we will have a daily “Guilty Pleasure” feature where well-known faces share their secret treats, from the delicious to the daring to the downright strange. And you can win a great prize if your share your guilty pleasure with us. See below for details

"My ultimate guilty pleasure is the chilli dog. This is a taste sensation I discovered years ago, when I was living in Atlanta, Georgia. It's a delicious American hot dog smothered in a ground beef chili sauce and topped with cheese and served in a bun. A fellow student had ordered it, and as soon as his was served, I wanted one too. This was before fast food emporia arrived in Ireland and I had no idea what a chilli dog could be. Sadly I can't find one in Dublin to match my nostalgic craving for the Atlanta original, but maybe I'm not looking in the right places. Time for Eddie Rocket's perhaps?

“In the meantime, Dalkey’s Country Bake on Castle Street is temptation itself. Margaret’s toffee apple slice is irresistible. It’s a regular Saturday afternoon treat, and you can make it even more guilty and pleasurable by adding custard, ice-cream or fresh cream, and served with a cup of tea. I discovered it by accident when they had run out of apple pie and they suggested this as a substitute. Perfection for a couple of euro, and it never fails to please. The only thing is I do feel guilty, so that means an extra mile or two added to the already long walk with the dogs.”

The Pat Kenny Show airs on Newstalk 106-108fm weekdays from 10am-12.30pm

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To win an overnight stay for two with breakfast at Kelly's Hotel in Dublin plus dinner for two at L'Gueuleton French bistro, just tell us about your guilty pleasure. Whether it's tasty and tempting or odd and embarrassing, we want to hear about it. Email your entry plus your name and phone number to guilty@irishtimes.com and the winner will be announced at the end of Food Month.

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