History Of The Hot Dog: Why Do We Call Them Dogs? Where Do They Come From?

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Hot dogs were a favorite of street vendors. (Wikimedia Commons/Public domain)

There's nothing more America than a hot dog. You can find them being sold at street corners, baseball stadiums, and amusement parks or served at backyard cookouts, graduation parties, and holiday celebrations across the nation. They can be topped with cheese, chili, onions, jalapenos, pickle relish, and the traditional ketchup and mustard combination. Even though the hot dog is synonymous with America, the handheld meal hails from Germany, the best country for wurst sausages. They've been cooking up hot dogs for centuries, long before it came to America and earned its canine moniker. Here is a brief story of the all-American hot dog, its German roots, and how it got its odd name.