Food - Drink
The Topping Americans Originally Added To Their Hot Dogs
By NIKKI OVERFELT CHIFALU
Hot dogs are a traditional summer fare in the United States, with people eating them on the grill, at the ballpark, and from street vendors. It's up to you what toppings you prefer to put on your hot dog, but some people have strong opinions on the subject, especially when it comes to ketchup.
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council lists acceptable toppings as mustard, onions, relish, cheese, and chili. Yes, long before ketchup came along, the original toppings of choice were chili ground beef, mustard and onions, a style brought to the U.S. by Greek and Macedonian immigrants.
To many people, this is a "Coney dog." The ground beef chili topping is similar to "saltsa kima," a Greek spicy beef sauce made with tomatoes, and was served by Greek and Macedonian immigrants in restaurants across the East and Midwest during the 1900s and 1910s.