In my family, I grew up knowing that my parents would support me no matter the mistakes I made. Bad grades, underage drinking, becoming an English major? All could be forgiven. Unless, of course, I put ketchup on a hot dog. Then I'd be out on my ass.

In advance of the Fourth of July holiday, I emailed my dad to see if his opinions on hot dogs and ketchup had changed at all. "It is not that ketchup on hot dogs is inherently disgusting (although even the thought picture was enough for me to lose my appetite for breakfast)," he wrote back, before going into an intricate theory about why mustard is just better.

My personal favorite way to eat a (preferably spicy) hot dog is with sweet relish, mustard, and pickled jalapenos, but that's not for everybody. Chicagoans famously like to put a pickle spear in the bun and top the whole thing with celery salt like some seriously fancy patriots. The sugary red substance known as ketchup is OK, too, if it accompanies mustard. But on its own, ketchup on a hot dog is considered by my clan to be a sign of childishness and disrespect.

Pretentious foodies agree. But does science? My dad's theory, though clearly right, is a mix of science, gut feeling, and mysticism. So I figured I should double check with the hard scientists.

Hot dogs come in different varieties, but usually share some general taste profiles: umami, saltiness, sweetness. Sure, you could put more sweetness on top of that if you're, I don't know, a child, but if you're an adult with an adult's palate, you probably want to complement that flavor. Mustard, in all its varieties, is characterized by a sharp vinegar and spice flavor, on the bitter and savory spectrum. Surely, science agrees that tangy is the best flavor to accompany something fatty, salty, and sweet?