The Dogs of War

So get this. Kraft Foods (Oscar Meyer Weiners) and Sara Lee (Ball Park Franks) have been in a legal brawl over who is Top Dog of the industry. A trial began this August in Chicago (I love this town) federal court, but Sara Lee filed suit back in 2009. Kraft countersued, and both companies claimed that the other exaggerated being America's best.

On Thursday, the companies announced that they settled outside of court, but the terms of the agreement are not disclosed (major bummer).

Read more here.

So who wins the dogfight in my heart? I hate to say it (because I grew up just a few miles from Kraft headquarters) but Ball Park Franks are my pick. Now, if all lawsuits were like this, I'd still be on my way to being legally blonde.

In other hot dog news, my Mom told me that today, September 10, is National Hot Dog Day. I have no idea if there's any truth to this because  I see a lot online that says that National Hot Dog Day is July 23. Maybe I dreamt her telling me this? More likely, she told me that it was Hot Dog Day so that I'd choose to eat hot dogs over brats today (unfortunately its either one or the other for me... I really need to work on that). She's just looking out for my health!

Whether it's National Hot Dog Day or not, I'd thought I'd celebrate. Here's my salute to hotdogs: the good, the bad, and the interesting:

The Good:

The Chicago Dog:

Poppy seed bun, white onions, pickle relish (neon green, kind of scary at first but you get used to it), yellow mustard, pickle, tomato, sport peppers, celery salt

Hot Dog Toaster:

I definitely need one of these for my new apartment.

Perry Como's #1 Hit in 1956 "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)":

Not sure if this song is about hot dogs, but there are few times I eat a dog without this singing this song in my head. Thanks, Mom.

The Bad:

Lunchable All Star Hot Dogs:

I now really appreciate that my Mom would never buy these for me.

Hot Dog Eating Contests:

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Baby Hot Dog Costume:

I can't decide if this is a good thing or not.

The Interesting:

$80 Hot Dog:

Most expensive hot dog, made by the Brockton Rox baseball team. 

McHot Dog:

Ray Kroc, who was CEO of McDonald's, apparently prohibited the company from selling hot dogs because he said they were "unhygienic." For years I've been haunted by this crazy memory of seeing hot dogs sold at a McDonald's in Springfield, IL on a family vacation the summer after first grade. I researched it, and found out that in 1995 McDonald's introduced hot dogs in some Midwestern franchises. I'm so happy that I did not hallucinate hot dogs at a McDonald's. That would just be weird. Oh and Tokyo had the "McHot Dog."

Hamburger Bed:

Okay, so not a hot dog. I just think this thing looks so cool. 

Happy Hot Dog Day!