In perusing through the list of potential options for this
assignment, hot dogs appeared to be very striking considering the time of
year. It is a food often consumed in the
summer, especially for the Fourth of July.
I certainly enjoy consuming hot dogs as well, whether they be in their
traditional sandwich form, or in some of the ways my family enjoys consuming
them. My mom has a famous macaroni and
cheese recipe among our family in which she sometimes includes chopped up hot
dogs. My family also makes baked beans with
hot dogs a lot in the summer, which I found from researching for this
assignment is called “beanie weenies”.
Hot dogs are a relatively processed food item. It is the fat and meat trimmings of a
multitude of kinds of meats. The most
commonly used are beef and pork, however chicken and turkey are also used. Salt, garlic, and paprika are commonly used
spices as flavorings during pre-packaging.
Mustard, ketchup, onions, sauerkraut, and relish are common toppings for
hot dogs, however the city of Chicago is known for having its own variance of
toppings. The traditional Chicago-styled
hot dog is usually beef, and uses mustard,
onions, relish; a dill pickle spear, tomatoes and pickled peppers.
Since hot dogs are meat based, they do inherently have some
positive nutritional value through protein.
Due to the use of preservatives and nitrites, however, hot dogs are
considered to be high in fat and can contribute to heart illnesses.
Hot dogs were originally called frankfurters, which
originates from the city of Frankfurt, Germany.
Starting In the 13th century, pork sausages would be served
to the public in the streets during royal coronations. The term ‘wiener’, another word for hot dog,
comes from the city of Vienna, Austria.
In German, it is spelled as ‘Wien’.
The change in the first letter, from Vienna to wiener, could potentially
have come from the difference in pronunciation of the letter ‘W’ from German to
English.
In modern day, the hot dog’s uses and representation are relatively
specific. Hot dogs are now commonly
associated with professional sporting events, especially baseball and
football. Hot dogs also represent a very
“working class” snack for major cities.
There are many multinational chains that now have street vendors selling
hot dogs and provide a quick, easy, and satisfying meal for an inexpensive
price at an efficient pace.
Hot dogs are also one of the most, if not the most, commonly
eaten foods at social gatherings with a grill, or barbeques as they are called. This is where the previously mentioned
connection they have to summer comes from.
The fourth of July, being that it is a very celebratory holiday in the
summer, has distinctly close ties to hot dogs.
The Nathan’s hot dog eating competition is something that was formed
from this connection. For the last 79
years, a crowd larger and larger each year has gathered in Coney Island, New
York to witness or participate in the competition which is now nationally
televised. Joey Chestnut, a professional
eater, has become the face of this competition in recent years. This past July 4, he won his eighth straight
Nathan’s hot dog eating contest in a row by consuming 61 hot dogs and buns in twelve
minutes. His record still stands from
the 2013 competition when he consumed 69 hot dogs in the same twelve minute
period.
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