It's National Hot Dog Day today and what's more American than hot dogs?  It turns out that Americans trend dress up their hot dogs with a variety of toppings based on the region where they live.  According to a Harris poll conducted on behalf of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC), mustard is the all-American favorite topping but those that live in the South tend to enjoy chili, cheese, and coleslaw on their hot dogs.  Meanwhile, North-easterners like sauerkraut, Westerners like a kick with jalapenos, while Mid-westerners tend to be conservative with just ketchup.

Personally, I like to mix it up with toppings.  I like almost anything except sauerkraut and my feeling is that the more toppings on a hot dog the better!

If you love a good hot dog or frankfurter then you can thank the Germans since the hot dog was developed in Germany. Germany has always been known for their sausage and hot dogs are just a smaller version.

According to Hotdog.org, in 1893 in the city of Chicago there was a Colombian Exposition where many people were introduced to sausages eaten in a bun and loved these "hot dogs" because they were easy to eat and inexpensive. The idea took off and in that same year, sausages in buns were served up at baseball parks, an idea started by St. Louis bar owner, Chris Von de Ahe who happened to be a German immigrant who owned the St. Louis Browns (major league) baseball team.

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No one can argue that hotdogs are healthy but everything in moderation, right? They just taste so good!

12 Great Ice Cream Stands in Upstate New York to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

What better way to celebrate this popular dessert and taste treat than by stopping by these fantastic dozen ice cream stands! Enjoy!

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

The Most Head-Scratching List Of Upstate New York Trivia You Have Ever Read!

Wait....is that Mr. Ed in the photo above? What on earth could that talking horse have to do with Upstate New York?

OK...trivia time! Where is the geographic center of New York State? Where are all the lollipop, corn dog, and cotton candy sticks made? Where is the oldest (and shortest) covered bridge in the U.S.? Where is the most visited celebrity grave of all located? Is there really such a thing as a two-story brick outhouse, and if so where the heck is it?

Well, if you answered "Upstate New York" to all of these you are right. And you will definitely enjoy this delicious list of trivia about our region!

Everybody loves a good story, or some head-scratching trivia facts. This list pulls the curtain back on nearly 40 amazing pieces of Upstate New York history you probably didn't know about. Are they earth-shaking? No. Are they interesting? Definitely!

Whatever happened to "that kid" in the Willie Wonka movie? Where was the first grand slam home run in organized baseball hit? Where is the oldest mini-golf in America located? Tell us the story of Binghamton's Kentucky Derby winner! Tell us the story about TV's "Mr. Ed" and his connection to Upstate New York! How could the oldest continuously operating Boy Scout troop be in a tiny Upstate New York village? And what was that controversy over famous singer Kate's Smith's Lake Placid, NY grave all about?

The answer to all of these questions and many more lie in Upstate New York.

Enjoy!

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

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