Latest news with #Roosevelts
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How the hot dog became America's favorite sausage
No food is more American than the hot dog. This humble, ubiquitous tube of meat has been a hit for more than 150 years, on boardwalks and city streets, at backyard cookouts and Independence Day parades. Like our country itself, it's a product of immigrants that has evolved to contain multitudes, from special toppings to mysterious ingredients. Bun or no bun, it's now a part of our national DNA, a roll-up-your-sleeves alternative to those other fancy cuisines. Here's how the sausage was made. —NATALIA GALICZA Frankfurters, a beef-and-pork link brought stateside by German immigrants, went viral in the 1860s, nearly four centuries after they were invented in the old country. By 1939, hot dogs were so American that the White House served them to the king and queen of England on a picnic with the Roosevelts, bolstering the U.S.-British alliance on the verge of World War II. 'Hot dog diplomacy' became a soft-power staple, fueling relations with the former Soviet Union, Middle East and Europe. The USDA requires that hot dogs — like bologna — contain this minimum majority of meat, often trimmings and scraps. Fat is capped at 30%, water at 10% and 'binders and extenders' like milk or cereal at 3.5%. It's all ground into a paste with salt, sugar and spices like nutmeg, paprika and coriander, cured with nitrites and smushed into casings — tubes made from sheep intestines, beef collagen or cellulose. Most are sold 'skinless,' the casing removed after cooking. The average American eats nearly six hot dogs each month. That's 20 billion nationwide each year, per the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, or at least 2 billion pounds' worth — more than 3,500 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty. By city, Los Angeles eats the most, but New York, Dallas, Chicago and Boston are not too far behind. We are not the same. New Yorkers favor sauerkraut and brown mustard. Chicago dogs come in a poppy seed bun with relish, veggies and celery salt. Other folks may add chili or fish cakes. Beef franks rule the East Coast; the West Coast leans into poultry. Americans don't distinguish between hot dogs and the stubby, beef-and-pork frankfurter or its longer, more slender relative, Vienna's 'wiener.' Industrial cheese-injected wieners are also hot dogs; but Polish dogs are not. That's the size of a Wienermobile, Oscar Mayer's 89-year-old marketing gimmick. Six such hot dog-shaped vehicles traverse the nation's highways with 12 drivers, less than 1 percent of all applicants for this coveted position. Costco, the membership wholesaler, continues another venerable campaign, selling 100 million hot dog and soda combos each year for just $1.50 each — the same price despite 40 years of inflation, at the co-founder's personal insistence. That's how fast dogs shoot from the notorious hot dog cannon, wielded by the 'Phillie Phanatic' at Philadelphia Phillies baseball games. At least four other pro sports teams have adopted the beloved contraption since its 1996 debut. Hot dogs have been sold at sports stadiums since the 1800s. Today, fans consume about 8,000 dogs at every Major League Baseball game, amounting to 20 million wieners across a six-month season. Competitive eater Joey Chestnut set this record at the Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2021, downing almost 17 pounds of beef — like swallowing 44 billiard balls. Since 1972, contest champs have eaten more than 1,509 franks. One hot dog can shave 36 minutes off a person's healthy lifespan. High sodium can cause cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure, while nitrates and nitrites have been linked to breast and prostate cancer. 'I love hot dogs. I love 'em in buns. I love them outside of buns. I love them with baked beans. I just like hot dogs. ... May there be many, many more hot dogs served in our wonderful land.' — Mitt Romney on National Hot Dog Day, July 19, 2023 This story appears in the July/August 2025 issue of DeseretMagazine. Learn more about how to subscribe.
Time Out
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Wave Hill is throwing a four-day party with free garden tours, live jazz and more
If your weekend plans don't already include a brass band, flower-making and hand-rolled ice cream—all under the glow of a Hudson River sunset— Wave Hill is about to change that. From Thursday, June 5 through Sunday, June 8, the Bronx 's beloved public garden is throwing itself a 60th anniversary bash that's anything but stuffy. Over four packed days, the 28-acre estate will be abloom with live music, interactive workshops, storytelling, open-air cocktails and the kind of family programming that makes kids and grown-ups equally giddy. The historic garden, perched high above the Hudson, has long been a haven for artists, nature lovers and anyone needing a moment of serenity (Mark Twain and the Roosevelts were early fans). But this celebratory weekend goes big by channeling Wave Hill's roots in creativity and community with an immersive lineup of art, ecology and pure summer joy. Kicking things off are hands-on nature walks, yoga on the lawn, woodworking demos and the rare chance to 'Meet the Gardeners' behind the blooming masterpieces. As day slips into golden hour, garden-inspired cocktails and twilight jazz take over. Saturday night hits a high note with a performance by Brass Queens, Brooklyn's all-female brass band bringing NOLA energy to the Bronx. Families can expect giant paper flower-making and pollinator rambles, while foodies can snag complimentary scoops from OnlyRareNYC, the city's first Black-owned hand-rolled ice cream biz. And yes, it tastes even better with sweeping views and a side of sunshine. The anniversary also marks the debut of four contemporary art exhibitions that weave together flora and feeling. Trees, we breathe explores our bond with the arboreal world through sculpture and sound. Bronx artist Sonja John fills the Sunroom with Floral Larceny, a luminous ode to diasporic plants. Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya transforms the Sun Porch with a suspended silk-and-brocade spirit-house, while outdoors, You're Soaking in It! invites dreamy communal rest amid the greenery. All the aforementioned activities are free with admission unless noted on the Wave Hill website. Admission to the garden is free on Thursdays, and you can get discounted tickets to attend the 60th anniversary celebrations on Saturday and Sunday by purchasing by June 6. (As always, admission is free for Wave Hill members.) In a city that often forgets to slow down, Wave Hill's anniversary is a reminder: Beauty blooms best when you take time to notice it.
