Chicago "Red Hot" Poppy Seed Buns
"The Midwest has a number of culinary traditions, and when I lived in Chicago I discovered a few of them. One of the biggest surprises was hot dogs. People in Chicago are very, very serious about hot dogs. The number of toppings and the specific sequence of layering on the dog of your choice were practically mind-boggling. First of all, there was the Chicago Red Hot, "dragged through the garden." This meant a Vienna Beef Frank, topped with (in order, please) yellow mustard; sweet green pickle relish; chopped onion; chopped fresh tomato or tomato wedges; a kosher dill pickle spear; "sport" peppers (tiny pickled hot green peppers); and celery salt. This is the dog you'll find at Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs. Other vendors strayed off the trail somewhat, but in general a Chicago hot dog may have onions, sauerkraut, hot peppers, mustard, and the brightest neon green relish you've ever seen riding on top. Sometimes chili, sometimes cheese. Ketchup? Well, all right, if you really must; people in Chicago are way too polite to scoff at you, but you will have branded yourself a non-native at the least. And a potential sissy at worst. Needless to say, the carrier for this megalopolis had to be substantial: no undersized, spongy supermarket dog buns for this creation, no sir! In the Windy City you'll find a big, chewy poppy seed bun that has enough oomph to support the skyscraper constructions that Chicago natives depend on for a quick lunch. Here's our version. — Susan Reid, Baking Sheet editor. Once you've made the buns, be sure to read our blog on creating a Chicago-style hot dog...."