The Italian hot dog, topped with fried potatoes, onions and peppers — not tomato sauce or mozzarella cheese — is an iconic dish in New Jersey, where it was created in a home kitchen nearly a century ago. Hot dogs are truly the all-American food.
They were “invented” in the U.S. after German sausages were served in buns, and they’re a staple of baseball games — the all-American pastime. And they are truly a democratic food: nearly anyone can afford to enjoy them. But even more, hot dogs are American because of their adaptability, reflecting the ingenuity and diversity that gives our country such a rich culinary tapestry.
