HOW TO EAT A HOT DOG AND OTHER FUN FACTS
July 6, 2014
July is National Hot Dog Month. In fact, about 7 billion (that's with a b!) hot dogs will be devoured between Memorial Day and Labor Day. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, there are some rules of etiquette you should know before you take a bite out of your next dog, including:
- Condiments should be applied directly to the dog, never on the bun. Wet condiments like chili and mustard go on first followed by chunky toppings like onions and relish. Cheese (shredded only, please) goes on top of the chunky items. Spices like salt and pepper are sprinkled on last.
- Ketchup is not a condiment ... it is a "no-no" unless you are under the age of 18.
- Another forbidden item ... utensils. Like New York Pizza, hot dogs should ONLY be eaten with the hands. And while not officially forbidden, napkins are considered to be unnecessary. You should just lick the chili and mustard off your fingers. But if you must use a napkin, it should be paper, not cloth.
- Sesame seed, poppy seed, and plain buns are all OK. Fancy gourmet flavors (e.g., sun-dried tomato) are considered "gauche."
- Don't take more than five bites to finish your dog, unless it's a foot-long ... then seven is acceptable.
- Beer, soda, lemonade, and iced tea are fine to serve with the dogs; wine is not.
Here are some fun facts about this tasty treat:
- Hot dogs are made from pork, beef, chicken and/or turkey muscle meat mixed with garlic, salt, sugar, ground mustard, nutmeg, coriander and white pepper, which is cured then cooked.
- The St. Louis World's Fair in 1904 commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase and introduced new products, including hot dogs, to thousands of visitors from around the country.
- Baseball fans are expected to consume more than 20 million hot dogs during the 2013 season.
- In 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth made the first visit to the United States by a British monarch and President Franklin D. Roosevelt welcomed them to his Hyde Park estate by hosting a picnic featuring hot dogs.
- Nathan's Annual Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, which began in 1916 and takes place at Nathan's hot dog stand on Coney Island, is broadcast on ESPN. Participants eat as many hot dogs as they can in 10 minutes. Last year, Joey Chestnut won his 7th straight championship and set a new world record when he consumed 69 hot dogs!!
- The world's biggest hot dog, created by Sara Lee Corp in honor of the 1996 Olympics, was (you guessed it) 1,996 feet long.
- 7-Eleven Stores are the largest seller of hot dogs in America, selling an average of 100 million annually.
- A Mexican variation on the hot dog, the Sonoran hot dog, is a bacon-wrapped hot dog placed in a Mexican bolillo roll topped with pinto beans, chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeno sauce, cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard. It is served with roasted chili on the side.
I love slaw dogs with mustard only. What's your favorite topping? Tell us in the comments below!
