Picnic Perfect

Many Americans herald the arrival of warm weather with our favorite food ritual, the backyard cookout. From June to September, we eat "out back" most evenings, often inviting a few friends and neighbors to join us.

Cookouts seem to stop the clock. Maybe it's because nothing is rushed, not even the timing, since meals don't have to be piping hot when the weather is warm. Or perhaps it's the scent of smoky foods that turns anticipation into part of the party. But most likely it's the shared euphoria at dining under the sky after an endless winter.


There are always 4 main things one needs to have a successful classic cookout:
*Main Dish that usually includes meat such as chicken, pork, hamburgers & hot dogs
*Summer Sides like cole slaw, corn on the cob, baked or green beans, pasta salad
*Warm Weather Refreshers (alcoholic or non-alcoholic)
*Sweet Finale with brownies, cookies, pies, ice cream, or fruit salad

There are many main dishes you can choose from when planning your summer cookout but the most popular is the hot dog. Below are some fun facts about this American classic!

*Hot dogs, which are also known as "frankfurters", "franks", "weiners", "weinies" and "ball parks", are a staple of the American diet. They are known as the "Common Man's Food" because they're readily available, cheap to buy and easy to prepare. 

*The average hot dog is consumed in 6.1 bites

*Baseball fans will enjoy "in the ballpark" of 26.8 million hot dogs at US baseball stadiums this season. That's enough to circle the bases 36,000 times!

*You can custom pile anything on top of a hot dog and it still tastes great, but the most popular topping is mustard for adults and ketchup for kids.

*Weight Watchers includes hot dogs in its medically-approved diet regimen

*Hot dogs were among the first foods that were eaten on the moon

*Top 7 rated Hot Dog brands in the US:

1. Nathan's
2. Hebrew National
3. Louie's All American Kosher Hot Dogs
4. Sabrett Hot Dogs
5. Oscar Mayer
6. Sinai 48 Kosher
7. Tobin's First Prize

*Favorite Hot Dog Toppings:
-sauerkraut     -relish                                      
-cole slaw         -tomatoes
-chili                  -jalapenos
-cheese              -ketchup
-bacon               -mustard (yellow & spicy)
-onions              -mayonnaise
-hot sauce         -wasabi

-the possibilities are endless!

Love hot dogs but get tired of the same old thing? A cool twist you can try to give your taste buds a treat is wrapping hot dogs, mini or regular, in breadstick or croissant dough and cooking them in the oven.

July is National Hot Dog Month! So go ahead celebrate with one, or many, of America's classic and most delicious foods topped with as many toppings as you like...ENJOY!