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Food & Recipes

Are Hot Dogs Sandwiches? One Newspaper Says No

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While none of us are debating whether hot dogs are delicious (they are), the question of whether a hot dog is a sandwich has sparked a fiery discussion. One newspaper has decided to throw its hat in the ring, and it’s landed squarely on the side that says a hot dog is, in fact, not a sandwich.

Indiana’s Courier-Journal released a correction relating to 10 incidents when they incorrectly referred to a hot dog as a sandwich. It’s quite hilarious, and it reads as follows:

“On the following dates, the Courier-Journal incorrectly referred to hot dogs as sandwiches: Oct. 2, 1887; Aug. 10, 1901; March 20, 1904; July 21, 1935; Jan. 14, 1939; May 4, 1941; Sept. 15, 1950; June 29, 1958; Nov. 16, 1961; and Aug. 4, 1966. Among those errors were references to a frankfurter sausage sandwich, frankfurter sandwich, coney island sandwich, frankfurter sandwich with mustard, and, the most egregious, a frankfurter sandwich with catchup. We deeply regret the errors, especially that last one.”

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So why after all these years has the Courier-Journal only now decided to come forward with their corrections? In a tweet, the executive editor of the Courier-Journal, Joel Christopher, explained that he and his coworkers are “deadly serious about accuracy.”

But hot-dog gate, as USA Today has dubbed the matter, didn’t end there. Christopher’s colleague Joseph Gerth wrote that the idea that a hot dog was not a sandwich was “fake news.”

“…Unless you’re one of those food snobs who argues that hot dogs aren’t really meat, it’s impossible to say it’s anything but a sandwich.”

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To be frank (pun totally intended), we’re neither food snobs nor food experts, so let’s consult with the real authority when it comes to all matters regarding hot dogs: the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.

In a 2015 press release, the NHDSC played it safe with this noncommittal answer.

“Our verdict is…a hot dog is an exclamation of joy, a food, a verb describing one ‘showing off’ and even an emoji. It is truly a category unto its own.”

So while the NHDSC remains mum on the issue, we’re going to leave this one up to the jury of public opinion. What do you think? Is a hot dog a sandwich?

h/t USA Today

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