National Corn Dog Day

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March 16th is National Corn Dog Day in the United States.

The corn dog can be considered to be a variant of the hot dog, although other sausages can be used. The hot dog is coated in a thick layer of cornmeal batter which is then deep fried. The original corn dogs were not served on sticks as current ones are. They are commonly served as fast food, typically from street vendors, and are often associated with such as fairs and sports games.

It isn't known who first developed the corn dog, as several people have laid claim to the title, but it is a comparatively recent dish. The earliest known corn dogs were served in 1937, when ballpark vendors ran out of hot dog buns.

Variants include ones with cheese between the hot dog and the corn, ones made from bratwursts, smaller types served to children and vegetarian varieties.