Celebrate National Hot Dog Day At These Tampa Bay Eateries

ACROSS TAMPA BAY — Despite persistent stories about what they're really made of, hot dogs continue to be consumed across the country at a rate of 20 billion a year, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (see the ingredients guide).

National Hot Dog Day is Wednesday, July 17, and hot dog eateries and food trucks throughout Tampa Bay will offer specials on this perennial American favorite forever associated with baseball and summer days.

According to the NHDSC, hot dogs are a type of sausage that were introduced as frankfurters in Frankfurt, Germany, in the 1600s by butcher Johann Georghehner.

The origins of the name "hot dog" and the use of buns remain a mystery, however.

Some claim the hot dog became an American staple in 1893 when vendors began selling the sausages on buns at the Colombian Exposition in Chicago.

Others credit New York Journal cartoonist Tad Corgan with coining the name hot dog after he saw vendor Harry Stevens selling "hot dachshund sausages" during a game at the New York Polo Grounds in 1901. Corgan supposedly illustrated the scene with a dachshund dog nestled in a bun, although no copies of the cartoon can be found.

Maybe it was Charles Feltman, a German butcher, who served the sausages with milk rolls from his stand on Coney Island, New York, in 1871 or the German immigrants who sold hot dogs from push carts in New York City's Bowery as early as the 1860s.

There's one thing hot dog historian Barry Popick knows for sure. The hot dog was around in the 1890s. An article published Oct. 19, 1895, in Yale University's Yale Record mentions students "contentedly munching on hot dogs." He also found references to wagons selling hot sausages in buns outside Yale dorms as "dog wagons."

Whatever its origins, Americans quickly embraced this food that was easy to eat, convenient and inexpensive.

Regional Hot Dogs

Before long, each region of the country developed its own treatment of the hot dog.

• New Yorkers, who consume the most hot dogs in America, eat their dogs with steamed onions and a pale, deli-style yellow mustard.
• Chicago dogs are served in a poppy seed bun and are topped with yellow mustard, a bright green relish, chopped raw onion, sport peppers (hot baby peppers preserved in vinegar), tomato slices, a dash of celery salt and a dill pickle.
• Turner Field in Atlanta, now Georgia State Stadium, created the hot dog topped with coleslaw and sometimes Vidalia onions.
• Kansas City serves its hot dogs on a sesame seed bun with sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese.
• The Rockie Dog served as Coors Field in Denver is a foot-long dog with grilled peppers, kraut and onions.
• The Fenway Frank at Boston's Fenway Park is served in a New England-style bun with mustard and relish.
• A Southwest favorite, the Sonoran Dog is a grilled, bacon-wrapped hot dog smothered in pinto beans, grilled onions and green peppers, chopped fresh tomato, relish, tomatillo jalapeno salsa, mayonnaise, mustard and shredded cheese.
• The Texas Dog served at Minute Maid Park in Houston comes with chili, cheese and jalapenos.
• The West Virginia Dog features chili, mustard and coleslaw atop a wiener on a steamed bun.
• The Italian Dog, popular in New Jersey, is a hot dog on thick pizza bread topped with onions, peppers and deep-fried potatoes.
• The classic Philadelphia dog is an all-beef hot dog with a fish cake inside the bun, topped with sweet vinegary slaw and spicy mustard.
• The Cleveland Polish Boy is served with a layer of french fries, sweet Southern-style barbecue sauce or hot sauce, brown mustard and cole slaw.
• The Cincinnati Coney is smothered in chili and grated cheddar cheese.
• The Half Smoke is popular in the nation's capital. It's a spicy half pork, half beef sausage topped with chili, mustard and onions.
• California has several takes on the hot dog. But carts around Los Angeles and San Francisco generally serve them wrapped in bacon with grilled onions and peppers.
• Seattle vendors split their dogs in half before grilling them. Then they're placed in a toasted bun and topped with grilled onions.
• Alaskans love their Reindeer Hot Dog, although the sausage is usually made with caribou, not reindeer. It's sauteed in Coca-Cola and served on a steamed bun with grilled onions.

Tampa Bay Hot Dogs

With Tampa Bay's amalgamation of people from around the country, eateries and food trucks have developed variations on all these styles.

Some favorite spots for hot dogs in Tampa Bay are:

Mel's Hot Dogs -- The granddaddy of Tampa hot dog joints, Mel's has been serving dogs at 4136 E, Busch Blvd., Tampa, since 1973. Founder Mel Lohn is a Chicagoland hippie who was touring Florida with his rock band in a hollowed-out school bus when he found himself in Tampa and couldn't find a single hot dog stand. His Chicago dogs became the stuff of legends. But if you want a twist on the traditional, try the Fire Dog, a quarter-pound beef sausage made with spicy cayenne pepper served on a steamed hoagie bun and topped with brown mustard, grilled onions and bell peppers and hot sport peppers.

Isaacs World Famous-- Among the offerings at Isaacs World Famous, 7801 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, is the Isaac's Famous Chili Cheese Dog.

Roger's Chicago Hotdogs -- Owner Roger Muller was born and raised in Chicago so it's hardly a surprise that he prefers the Chicago version of the dog. This hot dog joint is located at 2636 U.S. 19 in Holiday.

The Dog House and More-- Located at 106 N. U.S. 41 in Ruskin, The Dog House and More offers specialty dogs like the Bacon Mac & Cheese Dog with white barbecue sauce.

Dixie's Dog House — Opened in 1970, Dixie's Dog House at 250 107th Ave., Treasure Island, is Florida's oldest Chicago dog house. Start with the traditional Chicago Dog, a Vienna Beef hot dog on a steamed poppy seed bun with mustard, pickle, relish, onions, sport peppers and celery salt. Then work your way up to the Comfort Dog, a quarter-pound dog on a poppy seed bun topped with mac n' cheese. On National Hot Dog Day, buy one hot dog, get one free.

Grateful Dogs — Walter Brunner's Pinellas County food truck serves up specialty dogs, sausage and brats. Try the Devil Dog, served with pepper jack cheese, zesty cherry pepper relish, buffalo sauce and buttermilk ranch.

Bruce's Chicago Grill & Dog House — Owner Bruce Karlin opened his Chicago-style dog eatery at 7733 Ulmerton Road, Suite 3, Largo, in 1994, and has remained true to his native Chi-Town hot dog, offering traditional dogs with yellow mustard, bright green relish, a dill pickle slice, tomato and cucumber, diced onions, sport peppers and celery salt on top of a Vienna beef dog nestled in a poppy seed bun. For a change-up, Karlin also offers the Reuben Dog, Jalapeno and Cheese Dog and, of course, the Chili Dog. Make sure to order a soda pop with your dog.

Hot Dogs on Main — Susan and Nick Annenos offer Chicago, Brooklyn dogs and everything in between at Hot Dogs on Main, 505 Main St., Dunedin. In addition to a variety of regional dogs, the Annenoses have come up with some of their own concoctions like the Greek Hound Dog with cucumber, onion, tomato, feta cheese, olives tzatziki, pepperoncini and a dash or oregano. Another popular choice is the Chihuahau with guacomole, mango salsa, jalapeno, melted cheddar, onion and fritas.

Coney Island Grill— Coney Island Grill at 250 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. is St. Pete's oldest restaurant. It was founded in 1926 by Pete Barlas and is now operated by son Hank and grandson Pete Barlas II. They specialize in Michigan-style chili dogs and hand-dipped shakes.

'Merica Food Truck — Founded by husband-and-wife team Ben and Amy Laffey, 'Merica Food Truck roams Wesley Chapel and beyond, winning over hot dog fans with its offerings that include the award-winning Asian with Japanese mayo, grilled onion, teriyaki, picked ginger, nori and furakai and the L.A. Street Dog, a bacon-wrapped dog with grilled onions, red bell pepper, jalapenos, spicy mustard, spicy mayo and spicy ketchup.

Chicago Paulie's — Chicago Paulie's at 1301 N. Howard Ave., Tampa, can whip up a Slaw Dog with homemade coleslaw; the North Carolina Dog with mustard, Vienna chili, chopped onion and coleslaw; along with New York- and Chicago-style hot dogs. Try two for just $6.98.

Daddy Dawgs — Located at 3101 State Road 580 in Safety Harbor, Daddy Dawgs Hot Dogs and Ice Cream owners Tyler Booser and Brandon Booser offer all-beef Nathan's, Sabrett and Vienna Beef dogs as well as a 12-inch Prime Angus Beef half-pounder. You can get your dogs wrapped in crescent dough, pretzel dough, bagel dough and corn meal on a stick. Specialty dogs include the Grilled Cheese Hot Dog and the Mac-N-Cheese Dog.

Detroit Coney Island —Those seeking a taste of the Motor City might want to check out Detroit Coney Island at 32922 U.S. 19, Palm Harbor. The family-owned restaurant prides itself on it authentic Detroit Coney Dog with chili, mustard and onions in a steamed bun. On National Hot Dog Day, buy one, get one free.