However, this world shaking event had no effect whatsoever on the popularity of the hot dog. It continues to be the number one choice of football fans, hockey enthusiasts, football fanatics and picnickers. Although considered an American phenomenon, the hot dog's history goes back to primitive humanity. When ancient beings discovered that cooked meat tasted better than raw, they began preserving that which they couldn't eat fresh. The stomach of animals was used for centuries to store and preserve the animal's flesh and blood.
Hot dogs are a member of the sausage family and are also known as wieners or franks.
It is believed that salami originated on the Greek island of Salamis. At the same time, Middle Easterners were using grape leaves as sausage casing for mixtures of lamb and rice while the Chinese began making pork sausages. But leave it to those ancient Romans to turn the common sausage into a delicacy. Historians have found documentation that the Romans were enthusiastic sausage creators and consumers. They were constantly seeking new sausages and recipes for creating more succulent and delicious versions.