Hot dog

A hot dog is a grilled, steamed, or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term can also refer to the sausage itself, which is typically a wiener (Vienna sausage) or a frankfurter (Frankfurter Würstchen). These sausages were culturally imported from Germany and became popular in the United States, where the hot dog evolved into a working-class street food sold at stands and carts, closely associated with baseball and American culture. The sausage’s origins trace to Frankfurt, Germany, where pork sausages known as Frankfurter Würstchen existed since the 13th century and were served at imperial coronations. The wiener refers to Vienna, Austria, home to a pork-and-beef mixture; an 18th/19th century butcher from Coburg is said to have brought the Frankfurter to Vienna, adding beef to the mix. In German-speaking countries today, the sausages are often called Wiener or Wiener Würstchen, except in Austria where they are termed Frankfurter. The practice of serving the sausage in a bun has several disputed origins. One claim involves concessionaire Harry M. Stevens at the New York Polo Grounds in 1901, who used small French rolls when waxed paper ran out. Another story credits German immigrant Feuchtwanger in St. Louis around 1880, whose wife suggested using a roll after customers kept the gloves provided to handle hot sausages. A similar tale places Feuchtwanger at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair or the 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition. A third possible origin is pieman Charles Feltman, who in 1867 began selling sausages in buns from a cart at Coney Island, later building a permanent restaurant. The term “hot dog” itself dates to at least 1884, predating the legend that cartoonist Tad Dorgan coined it around 1900; his earliest documented use was 1906. The word “dog” had been used for sausage since the 1800s, possibly due to accusations of dog meat in sausages, a practice that occurred in parts of Germany. Hot dog preparation and condiments vary worldwide, with common toppings including mustard, ketchup, relish, onions in tomato sauce, cheese sauce, sauerkraut, jalapeños, chili, grated cheese, coleslaw, bacon, and olives. Variants include the corn dog and pigs in a blanket. The hot dog became ubiquitous across the US during the 20th century, with regional preparations such as those in Chicago street cuisine.