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Yup. The Chicago Dog has it's roots in the ethnic and immigrant past of the city. "Seattle Style" hot dogs are the result of some dudes, 20ish years ago, saying "Hey, we can make a hot dog! We'll call it a Seattle Dog! ZOMG! CUUUTE" It's a total gimmick.
Ironically, one way to tell whether you have a legitimate regional style is how easily it is associated with the city/state/place across the US. If you see a hot dog on a menu pretty much anywhere in America that is topped with neon green relish, celery salt, sport peppers, etc., it will almost always show up on that menu as a Chicago-style hot dog. Even in the enemy territory of Busch stadium, I imagine they sell Chicago-style hot dogs (never been there, so can't say definitively). Conversely, if you see a hot dog at a restaurant somewhere with cream cheese an sriracha, it is very unlikely to be called a "Seattle-style hot dog." They will think up some other cutesy name for it.
Anytime I have seen beer cheese soup on a menu anywhere in the country, it has been preceded with the word Wisconsin. On the (rare) occasion that I have seen chicken wild-rice soup on a menu anywhere in the country, it has been invariably labeled as "Minnesota Wild-Rice Soup." Baltimore pit barbecue. Cincinnati Chili. St. Louis style pizza. These are recognized BRANDS everywhere in the country.
Many Chicagoans don't even call Chicago-style hot dogs Chicago-style. To them, it is just a hot dog. The idea that a hot dog would be topped any other way is preposterous to them. Therein lies the difference.
I misspoke earlier. I consider Detroit and Cincinnati to both have regionally distinct brands of hot dogs (or chili dogs, I guess....) Cincinnati as I understand it incorporates Cincinnati Chili; in Detroit, they use a similar, but distinct, type of chili/goulash as a topping. Besides that, though, there are no regional variations. Simply, as you mentioned, there are thousands of different ways to top hot dogs, none closely associated with any city or region.
Heck, some people even put ketchup on their hot dogs. It's blasphemy, but they do it...
The difference is basically that the Seattle Dog is just newer and the Chicago Dog older. The Chicago Dog started at Fluky's by Abe Drexler around the time of the Great Depression and the Seattle Dog started by a Midwestern transplant named Hadley Longe in the 1980s who wanted to sell bagels originally and ended selling hot dogs outside the bars of downtown Seattle. The Chicago Dog has been around longer and has much more national popularity, but stop pretending like it's something magical. It's a good hot dog with a good selection of toppings.
Beer cheese soup is just German/Central European food basically, I've seen on menus all over the US and Canada that don't reference Wisconsin.
All you've done is try to scold the OP and derail a thread everyone else is enjoying. In a civil tone? Maybe. But you haven't added anything to the conversation, either. Nor have you addressed the people who disagree with you.
Clearly, you disagree with me, yet this is my forth or fifth time addressing you, in spite of the fact that you seem to just be looking for an argument.
I am not "scolding" the OP. The premise of his thread is perfectly fine. I'm taking issue with these gimmicky names that have been attached to these unoriginal hot dog creations and the people who are responsible for them.
Supposedly it's a unique combination that has been popular in Seattle since the 1980s and is prolific throughout Seattle but hard to find anywhere else. Also, if you have ever have a Seattle style hot dog from a vendor in Seattle you'd see there's definitely an art to making it.
So you won't see it at any random hot dog stand, but an 8 year old could make one. I could have a "Seattle dog" in less than ten minutes from now. All I need is some Philadelphia cream cheese.
How are the ingredients in a Chicago dog unique to Chicago? A regional variation means a style/combination that was invented in, is popular in, and is easy to get in a certain region. These all fit the bill.
As far as I know, Chicago style uses the local Vienna Beef hot dogs, which would make it a truly unique creation. Plus, this style has been around for generations, so they are the exception.
So you won't see it at any random hot dog stand, but an 8 year old could make one. I could have a "Seattle dog" in less than ten minutes from now. All I need is some Philadelphia cream cheese.
You will see it at any random hot dog stand in Seattle (as well as many restaurants). Also, if anything, the Seattle dog is a little harder to make than the Chicago dog, since the correct application of the sticky cream cheese is harder than just adding vegetables, relish and some celery salt.
You will see it at any random hot dog stand in Seattle (as well as many restaurants). Also, if anything, the Seattle dog is a little harder to make than the Chicago dog, since the correct application of the sticky cream cheese is harder than just adding vegetables, relish and some celery salt.
I'm with you for most of this, but on the latter portion, you're wrong. You would need a special, localized hot dog, a certain kind of bun, and some pretty specific ingredients, to make the Chicago dog you find in the region.
I'm with you for most of this, but on the latter portion, you're wrong. You would need a special, localized hot dog, a certain kind of bun, and some pretty specific ingredients, to make the Chicago dog you find in the region.
Fair enough - but if that's the case does that mean that Chicago-style hot dogs sold in other parts of the country (where they likely don't have the localized hot dog and buns) are not actually Chicago-style?
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i used to like am pm burgers!
