Oh, hot dogs, the star of summer cookouts and baseball games. But for this CNN writer, they’re more of a dud than a delicacy. As Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer festivities, most Americans are firing up their grills to savor some classic hot dogs—it’s practically a patriotic duty! However, this author won’t be joining the hot dog hype train. Despite hot dogs being an American favorite, racking up around 7 billion consumed during peak season from Memorial Day to Labor Day, not everyone is convinced. This writer finds themselves in a lonely camp of hot dog detractors.
The dislike for hot dogs runs deep in this author’s history. A traumatic childhood experience involving choking on a hot dog might have kick-started this aversion. Even though surrounded by friends and family indulging in hot dogs at gatherings and baseball games, the struggle to fit in with the crowd while despising these sausages has been real.
Despite feeling like an outlier for shunning this American staple, the author maintains an open-minded stance towards those who relish their frankfurters. The practicality and portability of hot dogs make them a convenient choice for outdoor gatherings—a quick bite that leaves one hand free for that chilled beverage companion.
While many adore the simplicity and tradition of snacking on these grilled delights packed in soft buns with generous squirts of condiments like ketchup and mustard, this writer prefers more robust alternatives like Italian sausages or chorizo. Hot dogs just don’t cut the mustard (pun intended) for them.
As tastes have evolved over time, our intrepid author decided to give hot dogs another chance by conducting some taste-testing (for science!). With an experimental lunch featuring all-beef franks cooked up with standard accompaniments—ketchup and mustard—the verdict was lukewarm at best. The once-loathed snack wasn’t as revolting as remembered but failed to win any gustatory accolades either.
In a world where debates rage about whether a hot dog qualifies as a sandwich and health warnings caution about their impact on lifespan (reportedly shaving off 36 minutes per dog), our protagonist remains steadfast in their dissent towards this iconic fare. Despite not hopping on the hot dog bandwagon, they extend warm wishes to all fervent sausage enthusiasts for a “frankly” delightful Memorial Day celebration. After all, if there are more left for you because of dissenters like them—well then, that’s just another reason to relish those tube steaks even more!
So next time you’re at a cookout debating what to grill—one man’s meat is another man’s poison!