July 23rd - National Hot Dog Day

Has there ever been a food that is more of a staple to picnics, grill outs, and just meals everywhere in general than the hot dog? It's almost always the perfect compliment to a juicy burger, some great side dishes like pasta salad or even just all by itself at the local hot dog stand that has the buns perfectly toasted in the tin foil wrappers. I mean think about it, how many times do you go to a sporting event and grab a dog for a quick snack, or eat a couple of hot dogs while you're waiting for the main course to come out? It's such a simple yet diverse food that can be enjoyed in so many ways. The hot dog just seems to go with everything (probably because it has a little bit of everything inside of it) and has more than earned its spot for July 23rd to be known as "National Hot Dog Day".

There are many claims as to the origination of the hot dog, but the most widely accepted story about the birth of the hot dog comes from Frankfurt, Germany in the 13th century where pork sausages served in a bun were known as Frankfurter Würstchen (Würstchen is German for little sausage). The first known hot dog to be sold in America was when German immigrant Charles Feltman began selling sausages on rolls around 1870 in Coney Island New York. So it looks like there is some good to come out of Germany and we can finally forgive them for that other thing people have been on their case about for so long.  And that of course is making David Hasselhoff the number one singer in your country.  Shameful... 

There are many stories as to where the name hot dog first started being used in association with these small sausages. The most notable and first clear reference of the terms' use took place on December 31, 1892 in an issue of the Paterson Daily Press where Fred R. Shapiro wrote about a local vendor, Thomas Francis Xavier Morris aka "Hot Dog Morris", who overheard a young boy say to Morris "Hey, Mister, give me a hot dog quick". Other stories claim the hot dog got its name because dog meat was used to make it (which wasn't too far fetched considering Germans were known to eat dog meat) but that has yet to be proven today. The first "National Hot Doy Day" is not known, but I'd like to think that it started with the words "Yo, how many hot dogs do you think I can eat?"

What's your favorite way to eat a hot dog? With just a little mustard on top, ketchup, relish and onions, chili cheese, bacon bits, sauerkraut, stuffed with cream cheese and olives or just the good old foot long variety (pervert)? Whatever you fancy you really can't go wrong with this celebration. I'd suggest making one of each hot dog above plus a few unique dogs and have a hot dog eating competition with whoever you can find to participate with you. That shouldn't be too hard considering Americans consume more than 20 billion hot dogs a year...

There are surprisingly quite a few songs about hot dogs out there but I think Mickey Mouse's "Hot Dog Song" catches the true spirit of the holiday and is simple enough that everybody can sing along.

And while you're listening to this song on repeat in your mind, test out your culinary skills with this delicious chili dog recipe perfect for today's celebration.

Ingredients:

1 steamed all-beef hot dog
3 slices crispy fried bacon
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1 slice American Cheese
2 tablespoons mustard
1/3 cup chili 1 tablespoon diced onions; white preferred over sweet vidalia
1 soft hot dog bun

Preparation:
Spread mustard on a warm, soft hot dog bun. Place cheese on the bun, followed by the hot dog. Top with chili, bacon, tomatoes and onions.
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

Purchase
Mickey Mouse - Hot Dog!