Happy National Hot Dog Day! Let’s Breakdown The History Of The Classic Frankfurter

Mediteraneo - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purpose only, not the actual person
Mediteraneo - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purpose only, not the actual person

Happy National Hot Dog Day! This year, the holiday falls on a blisteringly hot Friday– perfect for grilling up hotdogs poolside and beachside alike.

And did you know that sausages are actually one of the oldest kinds of processed foods and reportedly date all the way back to the ninth century B.C.?

But, a city in Germany known as Frankfurt-am-Main has largely been credited with the invention of the frankfurter that we know and love today.

It was created in 1487 before finally reaching the United States in the 1860s.

Americans first regarded the treat as “dachshund sausages” after a German immigrant began selling the delicacy out of a food cart in New York City’s Bowery.

Shortly after, a German baker named Charles Feltman opened the first-ever Coney island hot dog stand– and the rest was history.

By 1893, hot dogs became the go-to snack at baseball games around the country. And in 1904, the hot dog bun was created by Anton Feuchtwanger– a Bavarian concessionaire.

Anton reportedly introduced the hot dog bun in St. Louis before the classic hot dog and bun pairing spread like wildfire throughout the nation.

And interestingly enough, the term “hot dog” was actually coined by Tad Dorgan– a New York Journal sports cartoonist.

Mediteraneo – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purpose only, not the actual person

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After hot dogs became a staple at baseball games, he was creating a satirical cartoon about the food.

But, he became stumped on how to spell “dachshund.” So, instead, he wrote “hot dog!”– and the term stuck.

Now, the hot dog and sausages market is reportedly worth over $72 billion as of 2020. Major hot dog brands such as Nathans and Sabrett have stolen the hearts of Americans everywhere and solidified the “hot dog” as a staple of American summers.

So, whether you enjoy your dogs smothered in ketchup and mustard, topped with relish, or drowning in cheese, don’t forget to enjoy a classic frankfurter today!

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Katharina Buczek graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Arts. Specializing ... More about Katharina Buczek

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