I was just thinking about lunch when it hit me that we are going to go to the Box Elder County Fair this afternoon.  So, why not wait and pick up a hot dog out there.  With that in mind I decided to Google “Hot Dogs” and low and behold there popped up the Hot Dog and Sausage Council web site.

I had no idea we had a Hot Dog Council in Washington DC, but then it should not come as such a big surprise.

When I think about the making of hot dogs I picture lots of meat being ground up and mixed in a big old mixer and then formed into the dogs.  Anything could be put in that thing.  So, I guess we must have some regulations governing that.  I picture also just what sort of meat cuts would be processed into hot dog meat.  My imagination goes wild and I don’t think I am far off.

I had a nephew once who worked at the plant in Hyrum for a year or so and he was assigned the hot dog area.  He swore he would never eat another hot dog in his life.  What does that mean?  You decide.

Hot Dogs are Americans contribution to the world.  They were invented here on our soil and are now being served world wide.  The old fashioned sausages from the old countries were and still are excellent table fare, but our little old hot dogs are just as good only without the tough outside skin.  How they began is still a mystery to me, but I imagine the maker could not find the tough old skins and made something else out of another part of an animal in order to stuff the ground up meat he was using into.  And then suddenly, American Hot Dogs were on the table being eaten.

I like a good old hot dog on occasion.  Even cold.  I like them boiled, split in half lengthwise and fried, grilled, boiled in beer (sort of a waste of beer), microwaved, cooked on a stick over an open fire (road dogs on a deer hunt)….mmmmmm….Hot Dog!  Even without any condiments like mustard and ketchup,  a hot dog, although drier than heck and hard to swallow is still better than nothing.  Right Dry Dog?  On that hunt we put potato chips on the bun with the dogs to moisten them up, even had some smoked oysters to put on them.  Not too bad.

The Hot Dog and Sausage Council reports that this year (2012) the baseball stadiums across the nation will serve 2.5 Million hot dogs!  WOW!  That is a whole lot of dogs.  If you add in the multiple millions that will be consumed at fairs/theme parks/back yards/other sporting event parks/camping and the multitude of other events requiring something quick to cook and consume and I’ll just bet we are looking at over 10 million!

In the cases of the baseball stadiums each one has its special hot dog that has a name and is different than any other stadiums hot dog.  I’ll make a few up, Charlie Clements Dog, served with shredded cheese and chili,  Yankee special with sour cream, cheese and broccoli, you get the idea.  Each trying to pull you in to try a hot dog, even if you miss an inning or two it will probably be a memorable event none the less.

If we had an entrepreneur at our rendezvous they could probably make a few bucks serving No Grimace Dogs,  Dry Dogs,  Fat Duck Dogs but I think I would stay away from the Dung Dogs or Butt Dogs, even Muskrat Dogs might have a tough sell.  On another note however a Reverend Billy Dog or a Sir Butt Dog might get some sales.

Well, I have to go to the County Fair, I have a grand daughter (Addie) who is playing between gigs of the “Apple Pie Fiddlers”.

Can’t hardly wait for that hot dog and coke at the fair!  I’ll call it “The Fair Dog”!

Bears Butt

August 25, 2012