Have you ever wondered about the amazing history and exciting tales behind everyone’s favorite summer snack? Get ready to embark on a flavorful adventure as we dive into the captivating world of hot dogs. From their invention in Europe to the thrilling hot dog eating contests, there’s so much to discover about these delicious treats. So, grab a seat and a tasty snack, because we’re about to uncover the fascinating story of hot dogs! 🌭
Fun Facts About Hot Dogs
- There is a council for hot dogs called the National Hot Dog Sausage Council.
- People eat 7 billion hot dogs between Memorial Day and Labor Day (that’s 462 days, or 15 million hot dogs eaten daily.)
- National Hot Dog Month is in July.
- McDonald’s started as a hot dog stand– the two McDonald brothers originally opened a hot dog stand in the 1930s.
German Hot Dogs
Sausage dates back as far as 9th Century B.C, mentioned in the Odyssey. However, the hot dog was not invented until hundreds of years later. Who invented the hot dog? The invention of the hot dog goes back to Frankfurt, Germany in the 1600s, where the “frankfurters” celebrated their 500th birthday in 1987. Another name for the sausages was “dachshund sausages” due to their visual similarity to the dog breed, dachshund.
Austrian Hot Dogs
Germany’s neighbor, the country of Austria also claims the invention of the hot dog, due to the origin of the word “wiener.”
“Vienna” is pronounced like “veen” in German. Vienna is the capital of Austria. The official language in Germany and Austria is German. So, frankfurters, wiener sausages or Vienna sausages originate from Europe, but what about the All-American hot dog?
Creator of American Hot Dogs
Charles Feltman was a baker and pie maker who immigrated from Germany to New York when he was 15. Coney Island, New York started to become a very popular tourist destination in 1829. Unfortunately, Charles’ pies were not selling well on the beach, so he came up with a new idea to sell sausages wrapped in a bun, topped with mustard and sauerkraut. The business was a hit! Feltman installed a tiny charcoal stove on his cart that was formerly only meant for selling pies. Thanks to Charles’ innovative idea to serve food from a small cart, he sold thousands of hot dogs in his first year of business. The hot dogs served on Charles’ cart were traditional hot dogs made of pork and beef, like traditional German sausages.
What Hot Dogs Are Made Of
Today’s hot dogs are made out of beef, due to the influence of Jewish-American butchers that used Kosher restrictions while butchering. Kosher is a type of Jewish eating, so certain foods like pork are not eaten. Kosher eating is a way that some Jewish people pay respect to the Earth and everything that lives on it.
Kosher Hot Dogs
Nathan Handwerker, a Polish and Jewish immigrant opened a competing hot dog stand to Charles Feltman in 1916. Handwerker originally worked for Feltman as a bun-slicer. Nathan’s restaurant blossomed into Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, due to its success as a grab-and-go restaurant. Feltman’s restaurant was largely successful and he expanded his business, opening a sit-down restaurant and other businesses to appeal to the tourists at Coney Island.
Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest
Nathan’s Hot Dogs hosts a hot dog eating contest on the Fourth of July every summer in Coney Island. The first contest was reported in the New York Times in 1972, the winner ate 14 hot dogs in 3 ½ minutes. The prize was 40 more hot dogs. However, in Horsemen of the Esophagus, a non-fiction book about competitive eating, the author writes the original winner of the contest was in 1916, when four immigrants ate hot dogs to prove who was the most American.
Hot Dog Eating Contest Champions
The most recent winners are Joey Chestnut (men’s) and Miki Sudo (women’s). The Pepto-Bismol pink belt is awarded to the winner of the women’s category of hot dog eating.
Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo have both held the title for the hot dog eating competition since 2013. Before Joey Chestnut, there was Takeru Kobayashi. Kobayashi, a Japanese competitive eater, was kicked out of the contest because he refused to sign a contract with the competitive eating league that was hosting the competition. In spite, Kobayashi hosted his own hot dog eating contest that year where he beat Joey Chestnut’s record by 7. Chestnut’s record is 76 hot dogs.
Chicago Style Hot Dogs
The Chicago style hot dog is a special treat from the windy city, packed with exciting flavors and colorful toppings! This delicious hot dog is served in a soft poppy seed bun and topped with classic ingredients like bright green relish, tangy yellow mustard, freshly chopped onions, juicy red tomato slices, a crisp dill pickle spear, and a sprinkle of zesty celery salt. It’s like a tasty rainbow in a bun! Chicago style hot dogs grew popular during the Great Depression.
Other Questions Like “Is A Hot Dog A Sandwich?”
- Is a pop tart a ravioli?
- Is cereal soup?
- Is water wet?
- Is cereal a salad, where milk is the dressing?
- How deep can a pan be before it becomes a pot?
- Is a hot dog a taco?
Words to Describe Hot Dogs
Red, round, dachshund, sausage, delicious, juicy, satiating, satisfying, salty, chewy, filling, yummy
