Hot dogs happen to rank among this Grandma’s favorite food. As a freshman in college in Boston, a bunch of us got an urge for a Nathan’s hot dog. Back then, the only place to get one was Coney Island.
On a Saturday night, we drove back and forth from Boston to Brooklyn just to enjoy a Nathan’s hot dog. Of course, none of us ever told our parents.
It is lucky that this Grandma loves hot dogs. So do the grandchildren. I did some internet research. Hot dogs DO have their own day: July 23 is National Hot Dog Day. I am surprised it is not closer to July Fourth, but with so many assigned days, I bet this was the first available day to honor hot dogs after July Fourth.
The New York Times did a “Back Story,” giving us information about the history of hot dogs to share with our grandchildren when we feed them one of their favorite foods:
“The frankfurter came to the U.S. with immigrants from Germany, and the wienerwurst, or wiener, came with those from Austria. Some believe that the Germans always ate their sausages with bread. Others say the practice began at Coney Island in Brooklyn in the late 1860s or early 1870s, when a German immigrant, Charles Feltman, began selling hot sausages wrapped in a roll. By the 1890s, baseball parks were selling them – and calling them hot dogs. The origin of the name is disputed, but some say many of the immigrant vendors brought their dachshunds along, so the carts came to be called dog wagons. Then came the jokes that the meat was from dogs. Back to Mr. Feltman. He made enough money to start a restaurant where hot dogs sold for 10 cents. One of his employees, Nathan Handwerker, began selling his own hot dogs nearby in 1916, charging a nickel – and creating a New York legend. In 1939, Coney Island honored Nathan’s Famous hot dogs by organizing the first National Hot Dog Day.”
Eating hot dogs with grandchildren is something I think they will remember about this Grandma. Today, at BurgerFi, enjoying a Vienna Beef hot dog, I commented to my granddaughter that they served two other varieties: Kobe Style Beef Dog and Chicken Apple Dog. Even retail branches appeal to all tastes. However, the granddaughter was not interested in anything but the regular.
If you are not familiar with BurgerFi, which is Florida grown, you too should be able to enjoy the experience with your grandchildren soon. According to USA Today on line
“The scene: Fast-growing BurgerFi is another entrant in the increasingly crowded field of more upscale fast food burger joints in the style of Shake Shack, Five Guys, Elevation Burger, Bobby’s Burger Palace and Larkburger. It marries the fast food traditions of roadside convenience — ordering at the counter and quick turnaround — with the better-quality ingredients, more cooking to order and more creative choices that set these chains apart from the traditional fast food burger model. Florida-based BurgerFi has expanded across the breadth of the nation with a focus on major cities and college towns, and is currently in about 20 states.” You can read the complete review of BurgerFi here. I will have to start on trying something new fifteen times with hot dog varieties. . . .or not.
Why mess with perfection.
Joy,
Mema
Comentários