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Whispers from the Old World
Pinpointing the exact birthdate and birthplace of the hot dog is like trying to nail jelly to a wall. Sausage itself is ancient, a method of preserving meat dating back millennia. But the specific type of slender, smoked, and cooked sausage we associate with the hot dog has distinctly Germanic roots. Two cities, in particular, vie for the title of originator. Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, proudly points to its “Frankfurter,” claiming its invention dates back to the late 15th century, possibly even 1487. They argue their sausage was the original, the one that eventually lent its name to the product. It was typically a pork sausage, seasoned and smoked in a particular way. However, Vienna (Wien), Austria, throws its hat into the ring, citing the “Wienerwurst.” The story here often credits Johann Georg Lahner, a butcher who trained in Frankfurt but moved to Vienna. Around 1805, he reportedly created a sausage using a mixture of pork and beef, calling it the “Frankfurter Wienerwurst.” Austrians often shorten this to “Wiener,” and argue this mixed-meat version is the true ancestor of the modern hot dog. The term “wiener” certainly stuck in the American lexicon.A Tale of Two Cities. The debate between Frankfurt and Vienna highlights the difficulty in tracing food origins. Both cities had rich sausage-making traditions. While Frankfurt claims an earlier date for its pork “Frankfurter,” Vienna popularized the mixed pork and beef “Wiener.” Ultimately, both likely contributed to the sausage that immigrants brought to America.Who is right? It’s nearly impossible to say definitively. Sausage making was widespread, and regional variations were common. What’s clear is that slender, cooked sausages were a popular food in German-speaking lands long before they crossed the Atlantic.
Coming to America
The story gets a bit clearer, though no less debated, when the sausage arrives on American shores. German immigrants flocked to the United States throughout the 19th century, bringing their cherished culinary traditions with them. Among these were their beloved sausages. Initially, these were likely sold from pushcarts and small shops, primarily within German communities. One often-cited pioneer is Charles Feltman, a German immigrant who began selling sausages in rolls from a pushcart on Coney Island, New York, around 1867 or shortly thereafter. He is frequently credited with popularizing the concept of serving the sausage conveniently nestled in a bun, making it an easy-to-eat beachside snack. His business grew into a massive restaurant complex, cementing Coney Island’s association with the hot dog. Another popular, though likely apocryphal, story involves Anton Feuchtwanger, a Bavarian immigrant purportedly selling hot sausages at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (World’s Fair) in St. Louis in 1904 (though some versions place him earlier). The legend goes that he initially lent white gloves to customers to hold the hot sausages but, finding that many gloves weren’t returned, he asked his brother-in-law, a baker, to improvise a soft roll to hold the sausage instead. It’s a charming anecdote, but historical evidence is thin.What’s in a Name? The “Hot Dog” Moniker
How did this “Frankfurter” or “wiener” get its most famous name? This is perhaps the most colorful, and controversial, part of the story. The most widely circulated tale involves cartoonist Thomas Aloysius “Tad” Dorgan. The story goes that Dorgan was attending a baseball game at the New York Polo Grounds, likely around 1901 or shortly after. Vendors were energetically hawking “red hot dachshund sausages,” playing on the sausage’s long, thin shape and German origins (dachshund meaning “badger dog” in German). Inspired, Dorgan supposedly sketched a cartoon depicting barking dachshund sausages nestled in rolls. Uncertain how to spell “dachshund,” he simply wrote “hot dog!” The cartoon was allegedly a hit, and the name stuck. It sounds plausible, and Dorgan was certainly a renowned cartoonist known for popularizing slang. However, researchers have struggled to find the specific cartoon in question. Furthermore, evidence suggests the term “dog” or “dog wagon” was already being used in connection with sausage carts by the 1890s, sometimes humorously, sometimes suspiciously. College magazines from the 1890s contain references to “dog wagons” selling sausages, possibly fueled by cynical student humor about the mysterious contents of cheap sausages. The term “hot dog” itself appeared in print before Dorgan’s supposed cartoon. The Oxford English Dictionary cites a use from the Paterson Daily Press in December 1892. So, while Dorgan may have helped popularize the term, he almost certainly didn’t invent it. The association with “dog” might have initially stemmed from the dachshund shape, but it also carried connotations, fair or not, about questionable meat sources, something the industry would later work hard to overcome.An American Icon Takes Shape
Regardless of its precise origins or naming, the hot dog rapidly became embedded in American culture during the early 20th century. Several factors contributed to its rise:- Immigrant Enterprise: Entrepreneurs like Feltman and later Nathan Handwerker (another immigrant who started at Feltman’s before opening his own competing, and ultimately more famous, stand, Nathan’s Famous, in 1916) made Coney Island synonymous with hot dogs.
- Baseball Parks: The convenience of eating a sausage in a bun made it perfect ballpark fare. Vendors roaming the stands became a ubiquitous part of the baseball experience.
- Affordability and Convenience: Hot dogs were cheap, quick, and easy to eat on the go, appealing to working-class Americans and busy city dwellers.
- World’s Fairs and Public Events: Large gatherings like the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago exposed vast numbers of people to new foods, including the increasingly popular sausage in a bun.
