The American Chili Dog Has Greek Roots

Hot dogs are a favorite American food, but they have a European origin. The hot dog sausage is also known as a “wiener” and “frankfurter,” and comes from German-speaking countries. The "frankfurter" comes from none other than Frankfurt, Germany, while "wiener" derives from Vienna, Austria and is short for "wienerwurst" or "Vienna sausage." The frankfurter was most likely created in Coburg Germany before 1700 by a butcher named Johann Gerghehner, however, the hot dog gained its popularity in Frankfurt. Around 1800, the wiener appeared in Vienna, Austria, by a sausage maker trained in Frankfurt, Germany.

In the 1850s, the frankfurter was brought to America by German immigrants. The frankfurter had also been called a "Dachsund sausage" or “little-dog” in Germany because of its resemblance to the dog, and this name followed it to America. There seems to be some evidence that German immigrants sold frankfurters, sauerkraut, and milk rolls from carts in the Bowery (southern portion of New York City) in the 1860s. Some say the word hot dog was coined in 1901 at the New York Polo Grounds on a cold day. Vendors were shouting "They're red hot! Get your dachshund sausages while they're red hot!" A sports cartoonist, Tad Dorgan, observed the scene and drew a cartoon of dachshund sausages nestled in a roll. He simply wrote, “hot dog” next to the image because it was easier to spell.

Although all the ingredients for hot dog sandwiches were available, they were not combined correctly into a sandwich until the Greek’s came along and added their touch! The original vendors of hot dogs with chili sauce were of Greek origin, however, the restaurant owners and/or vendors guard their recipes, making it hard to find. The owners usually make large batches of the chili sauce themselves and they never share the recipe with their employees. Many times the recipe dies along with the owner. Sometimes the recipe is handed down within families, or it’s sold. Fortunately, for us, one great recipe was passed along, and you can find it at HotDogue Culture. Here, you can find original chili sauce, not a copycat recipe, which is quite difficult to make anyhow because of the multiple spices that create the rich flavor. Now that’s something to bark about!

With lovingkindness,