Corn Dog (1929); Hot Dog Roll (1949)

Sun Apr 27 00:33:38 UTC 2003

CORN DOG

   Here's the 1942 Texas State Fair "Corn Dog" Myth, as presented in the NEW YORK TIMES:

  Article 1 -- No Title; By PETER APPLEBOME, DALLAS; New York Times (1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.; Oct 12, 1983; pg. C3, 1 pgs:
  His idea was the corn dog, or Fletchers Original State Fair Corny Dog to be precise, a hot dog on a stick wrapped in cornbread that is as much a culinary tradition in Texas as scrapple is in Philadelphia or soft pretzels are in New York.
  When the State Fair of Texas, America's largest, opened last Friday, Mr. Fletcher was on hand to lord over six stands selling the creation he and his brother, Carl, invented 41 years ago.
(...)
  After trying out a series of names ranging from K-9 and Brown Bomber to French Fried Hot Dog and Meal on a Stick, the Fletchers finally came up with a name and built a clientele.

  Unfortunately for the 1942 "corn dog" myth, I'd posted (see ADS-L archives) 1939 and 1941 "corn dogs" from these two ProQuest newspapers:

  1.      FLORIDA ON $30 A WEEK; A Modest Budget Allows for a Variety of Diversion in Winter Sunshine; By DORA BYRON; New York Times (1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.; Dec 7, 1941; pg. XX2, 1 pgs

  2.      A Woman's New York; Mary Steele, 5 Feet 10 Inches of Blonde, Successor to the Photogenic Frazier, Appears, Slightly Early, to Be 'Miss Glamor'; By Alice Hughes; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Jul 29, 1939; pg. 9, 1 pgs

   I was going throught this wonderful book today (more on it later), and it looks like "corn dog" is even earlier.  Maybe, now that I'm on good terms with the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council for solving the "hot dog," you'll see this information soon on their web site?

300 YEARS OF KITCHEN COLLECTIBLES
new and greatly expanded third edition
by Linda Campbell Franklin
Florence, Alabama: Books Americana
1991

Pg. 235, col. 2:
IV-180.  (ILLUSTRATION--ed.)
_Corn dog baker._
"'Krusty Korn Dog' baker, also sandwich roaster (grill) or steak fryer.  A big money maker!  For use on gas, gasoline, oil or coal stoves.  'Krusty Korn Dogs' are novel and delicious.  The hot dog is baked inside the corn batter, which as it bakes, moulds itself to resemble an ear of corn 6 3/8"L and 1 1/2" diameter.  Easy to make: Red hots are first fried in butter, then placed in 'korn dog' sections together with required amount of batter, they are then quickly and thoroughly baked together.  Baker is made of cast iron, smooth japanned finish, with heavy, sturdy wire coil pan handles.  Heavy lifting handles at each end."  Frame is 2 1/2" x 10 1/4" x 21 1/4"; fryer pan is 3/4" deep x 8 1/2"H x 8 3/8".  You bought the frame and a fry pan (griddle), and a pair of the "Krusty Korn Sausage Dog Pans," each of which made two, separately to suite your business.  In Pick-Barth wholesale catalog of many makers' hotel and restaurant supplies, 1929.
   $40.00-$150.00

Pg. 272:
IV-369.
_"Hot Dog" patent._
  This picture is from the June 1930 issue of Science & Invention, in their "Yankee Brains at Work" column about new inventions.  This is Patent #1,742,945 issued to Peter S. Banff.  "Relates to an electrical cooking device designed primarily for that type of sandwich termed 'hot dog.'"(...)
   (Just thought I'd add this one, too.  A child eats a food product molded in the shape of a dog.  Stick to animal crackers, kid--ed.)

   OCLC WorldCat showed no successful results, but there's a mention of the 1929 catalogue on Google Groups:

From: MrOGee (mrogee at aol.com)
Subject: FS:Restaurant catalog-1929
This is the only article in this thread
View: Original Format
Newsgroups: rec.antiques.marketplace
Date: 1997/11/14

Albert Pick-Barth Co.-1929-Everything in Equipment
        Furnishings and Supplies for Hotels, Restaurants,
        Clubs and Institutions. Very good condition.

E-mail MrOGee at AOL.Com

---------------------------------------------------------------
HOT DOG ROLL

   When did supermarkets start selling the "hot dog roll" we all know and love?  And why are hot dogs sold in differently numbered packs than hot dog rolls?  I'll leave the latter question for Cecil Adams.

  1.      Display Ad 7 -- No Title; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Nov 22, 1949; pg. 8, 1 pgs

  2.      Display Ad 7 -- No Title; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Sep 30, 1949; pg. 7, 1 pgs

  3.      Display Ad 8 -- No Title; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Sep 2, 1949; pg. 9, 1 pgs

  4.      Display Ad 14 -- No Title; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Jul 8, 1949; pg. 15, 1 pgs

  5.      Display Ad 9 -- No Title; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; May 20, 1949; pg. 9, 1 pgs

  6.      Display Ad 10 -- No Title; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Apr 8, 1949; pg. 9, 1 pgs

  7.      Display Ad 8 -- No Title; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Apr 1, 1949; pg. 9, 1 pgs

  8.      Display Ad 9 -- No Title; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Mar 18, 1949; pg. 9, 1 pgs

  9.      Display Ad 9 -- No Title; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Mar 11, 1949; pg. 9, 1 pgs
("We're proud to introduce to Safeway customers three new packaged rolls baked in the same modern bakery as the famous Mrs. Wright's Bread.  Bun-Craft Hot Dog Rolls, CLub-Snak Sandwich Buns and Dinner-Quik Pan Rolls.")

  10.      Photo Standalone 2 -- No Title; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Jul 17, 1942; pg. 6, 1 pgs
("Two high school sorority inductees...roll hot dogs up Thirteenth Street hill...")

  11.      One More Week...; Mr. Frick and Mr. Harridge Speak; By Ben Dulaney.; The Washington Post (1877-1954), Washington, D.C.; Apr 13, 1936; pg. X15, 1 pgs
("The other disagreeable fact that can be recorded in the races is that even on the first day of the spring season you can't get a fresh hot dog roll.  They pack 'em away each year in burlap bags and save 'em like porch rockers.")

  12.      Classified Ad 3 -- No Title; New York Times (1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.; Aug 26, 1934; pg. N16, 1 pgs
("FOOD ITEM--SENSATIONAL--BIG PROFITS selling 'Rights' to make HOLLOW hot dog rolls; royalty-commission basis; send stamp.  House of Spaulding, Lowell, Mass.")

  13.      Hot Dog Roll, Derelict in Prague Gutter, Brings Lynching Threat to Callous Owner; New York Times (1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.; Nov 30, 1930; pg. E3, 1 pgs