HOT DOGS-AMERICA'S FAVORITE FOOD

HOT DOG! America’s  Favorite Food

          Why do people from other countries consider hamburgers, apple pie, and Coca Cola quintessential American foods, but fail to recognize our uniquely American novelty, the hot dog, in the same category? Most Americans agree that hot dogs should belong on our list of cultural foods. Yet, they are dwarfed by their cousin, the hamburger, and unrecognized internationally as a culinary symbol of the United States. It is true that sausage in a bun is not an American invention. It is, in fact, one of the oldest forms of processed food, having been mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey in 850 CE.  ("As when a man besides a great fire has filled a sausage with fat and blood and turns it this way and that and is very eager to get it quickly roasted.")

          The term, “dog” remains a mystery. No one is sure exactly where it originated. Some speculate that it was in response to an unfounded rumor that sausage manufacturers used dog meat until as late as 1845. Others say the term was coined by a cartoon in 1900 that likened the shape of the sausage to the dachshund. Hot Dogs are also called Frankfurters (named after Frankfurt, Germany), Weiners (misspelling of Wieners - short for Wienerwürst, the sausage of Vienna - ‘Wien’), and Red Hots. Red Hots were the invention of a German peddler, Antonoine Feuchtwanger, who sold sausages in the streets of St. Louis, Missouri, in 1880. He supplied white gloves with each purchase so that his customers would not burn their hands while eating the sausage. The customers walked off with the gloves and his profits. His wife suggested he put the sausages into a split bun, baked by his brother-in-law. He called them “Red Hots”, giving birth to our hot dog.

Then there was Charles Feltman, a German butcher, who supposedly opened the first Coney Island hot dog stand in Brooklyn, New York, in 1867, with a succulent pork sausage tucked into a roll. His dog, however, had no association with the “Coney Island” hot dog that refers to the natural casing around the beef hot dog, topped with an all-meat bean-less chili and diced white onions with two stripes of yellow mustard that was developed in Michigan. And, it is still under dispute whether it originated in Detroit, Jackson, or Flint, Michigan, with each claiming it as their own.

In Cincinnati, the "cheese Coney" is a variation of the Coney Island hot dog topped with the city's unique style of chili, onions, and shredded cheese which nearly hide the wiener, which is smaller in size than the typical Detroit-style Coney dog. Its popularity makes Cincinnati nearly synonymous with cheese Coneys. Outside of Cincinnati, the topping is referred to "Cincinnati style chili," whereas within the city it is simply known as "chili" from the many neighborhood franchises started by Greek immigrants.

Although the hot dog is eaten by all (real) Americans, variations are both regional and ethnic. That’s more than anyone can claim about the hamburger. These meaty treats have grown into a food featured at our country’s most revered events and traditions. Every stadium and amusement park sells hot dogs. You can buy a hot dog at every other street corn in New York City, but to purchase a hamburger, one must go into a restaurant.

Nathans earns the award as being most synonymous with America’s hot dogs. In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor, decided to present something truly American to King George VI of England and Queen Elizabeth (Mother of Queen Elizabeth II). Platters of Nathan's hot dogs were passed at a picnic at their estate in Hyde Park, New York, on June 11, 1939. The picnic menu was featured on the front page of the New York Times, claiming that only in America would visiting royalty be served a hot dog.

At what point the lowly hot dog experienced the metamorphosis from ballpark to ballroom cannot be determined. It might have been destined that something so incredibly receptive to almost any embellishment would eventually know no limits to gourmandizing them. Some say you can differentiate the economic class of hot dog consumers. The Proletariat (lower class) who eat ball park dogs slather on yellow mustard only, whereas the Bourgeoise (middle and upper classes) might begin with a dollop of Grey Poupon® and then add toppings that can range anywhere from bacon, blue cheese with guacamole, pâté de foie gras, or brie with sliced fresh pears.

Hot dog toppings, like those on pizza, are a matter of regional pride. Order a Chicago-style hot dog and you’ll get an all beef frank loaded with mustard, onions, peppers, relish, dill pickles, salt, and fresh tomatoes. Or maybe you prefer Italian hot dogs from New Jersey featuring a topping of peppers, potato, and onions. Then, there’s the truly American Brooklyn hot dog that is unembellished save for a heaping cover of old fashioned sauerkraut. Add your own mustard, but nothing else. Mid-westerners prefer theirs plain with mustard and ketchup. Both sweet and dill relish are acceptable to all, but never a sweet pickle. Atlanta folks smother theirs with coleslaw and sweet Vidalia onions. The all-beef Kosher dog has more ‘zip’ and crunch without any artificial flavoring or color, appealing to a more sophisticated palate, whereas the bland ballpark dog is favored by children.  Everywhere, the hot dog must be accompanied by a dill pickle, preferably Kosher - new, half sour or sour.

There are hundreds of companies that claim to manufacture the best hot dog ranging from skinny dogs to big dinner franks to knockwürst to cocktail size. But, what about Bratwürst?  Is it a hot dog? The folks of German ancestry in Wisconsin consider it the Only hot dog. Made with pork and veal, it is simmered in a Pilsner beer infused with onions and then grilled over charcoal. It is traditionally served with ice cold Wisconsin beer and German Potato Salad. Miller Park Stadium in Milwaukee sells more bratwurst than hot dogs.

Ball Park hot dogs that once were a bargain can cost from $5.00 - $6.00 at Tampa Bay and Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadiums, which is a real hardship for most families. On the other end of the spectrum, the Cincinnati Reds offer food special days with a hot dogs and drinks priced at $1.00 - no limit - when they want to fill their stadium with an opponent that might otherwise not draw a crowd. You can also bring your own water and soda, prohibited at other stadiums. Smart business!

GREEK TOWN HOT DOGS DETROIT

1small sweet onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup crumbled Feta cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 package (15 ounces) Oscar Mayer® Selects Chicago Recipe Beef Franks

8 bakery-style hot dog buns, partially split

1.      Combine all ingredients except franks and buns. Refrigerate 1 hour.

2.      Heat grill to medium. Grill franks 7 to 9 minutes, turning until the outsides are seared.

3.      Fill buns with franks and onion mixture.

CONEY ISLAND CHILI DOG SAUCE (from Detroit)

Yield: Approximately 2 cups

Koegal, Dearborn, and Kowalski are Detroit’s local hot dogs. The best dogs for this recipe are long and skinny, made with a combination of pork and beef because they are not too spicy.

We Detroiters accompanied our hot dogs with Vernor’s® Ginger Ale, the oldest surviving soda in the United States, created over 130 years ago by a 19-year old boy, James Vernor.

1 pound ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 six ounce can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon ground cumin (heaping)
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1.      Brown the ground beef in a skillet, adding onions half way through. Add minced garlic when meat is almost done.

2.      Add the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Simmer over very low heat 15 minutes or longer.

3.      Set hot dogs into buns and cover lavishly with the chili. Some Detroiters spread the dog with extra yellow mustard and raw onions before adding the chili on top.

SWEET AND SOUR COCKTAIL FRANKS

A great hors d’oeuvre

The original recipe was developed by someone in Detroit during the 1950s. I have changed and added to it many times.

12 ounce package Cocktail Franks - Boar’s Head® quality

1 cup red currant jelly

½ cup Welch’s® grape jelly

½ cup French’s® yellow mustard

¼ cup Heinz® chili sauce

1.      Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat to low. Cover and allow the flavors to meld and incorporate into the franks. Serve in a chafing dish over heat with toothpicks.

HOT DOGS AND BAKED BEANS

Yield:   Approximately 4 servings

The amount of ingredients will change with beans that are seasoned, as well with individual palates. Taste as you go along.

15 ounce can baked beans of choice

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon brown mustard (Gulden’s® Spicy Brown)

2-3 tablespoons barbecue sauce

1 small red onion, chopped

Optional: 3 strips cooked crisp bacon, chopped

1.      Combine ingredients, reserving the bacon. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover. Simmer at least 15 minutes, stirring often.

2.      Stir in bacon to serve over grilled, boiled, broiled or baked hot dogs, knockwurst, or cocktail franks.

GERMAN POTATO SALAD

For Bratwürst

2 pounds new or red potatoes, unpeeled

½ pound thick-cut bacon

1 large purple onion, chopped

⅓ cup white vinegar

⅓ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon coarse grain brown mustard

1 teaspoon or more Kosher salt

¼ cup minced chives or green scallions

1.      Cover the potatoes with water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cover and boil gently until a knife can easily be inserted but the potatoes are still very firm. Drain immediately and cool to room temperature.

2.      Slice into rounds approximately ¼ inch in diameter. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl.

3.      In a skillet, cook the bacon crisp. Drain on paper toweling and crumble. Toss with the  sliced potatoes. Pour off and discard all but ⅓ cup of the bacon fat.

4.      Add the onion to the fat. Cook until soft but not colored over low heat.

5.      Stir in the vinegar, sugar, mustard and salt and cook over medium heat until thickened  and bubbly. Toss with the potatoes. Taste for salt and pepper. Keep warm. Sprinkle with chives directly before serving.

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