A hot dog bun is a type of soft

bun A bun is a type of bread roll, typically filled with savory fillings (for example hamburger). A bun may also refer to a sweet cake in certain parts of the world. Though they come in many shapes and sizes, buns are most commonly round, and are g ...

shaped specifically to contain a hot dog or another type of sausage. The side-loading bun is common in most of the United States, while the top-loading

New England-style hot dog bun New England-style hot dog buns, also often known as New England hot dog buns or top-loading hot dog buns, are the hot dog buns most commonly used in the United States region of New England and its cuisine. They may also be called split-top, top-sl ...

is popular in that region. Other regional variations include the addition of poppy seeds to the buns of

Chicago-style hot dog A Chicago-style hot dog, Chicago Dog, or Chicago Red Hot is an all-beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun, originating from the city of Chicago, Illinois. The hot dog is topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pick ...

History

Hot dog historian and professor emeritus at Roosevelt University

Bruce Kraig The English language name Bruce arrived in Scotland with the Normans, from the place name Brix, Manche in Normandy, France, meaning "the willowlands". Initially promulgated via the descendants of king Robert the Bruce (1274−1329), it has been a ...

believes the term "hot dog" was invented in the late 19th century by American observers of German immigrants, who ate sausages on buns. The Americans joked that the sausages looked suspiciously like the Germans'

dachshund The dachshund ( or ; German: "badger dog"), also known as the wiener dog, badger dog, and sausage dog, is a short-legged, long-bodied, hound-type dog breed. The dog may be smooth-haired, wire-haired, or long-haired, and comes in a variety of ...

s. Charles Feltman invented an elongated hot dog bun on

Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the s ...

in 1871 according to writer Jefferey Stanton. According to an obituary of Austrian immigrant baker

Ignatz Frischmann Ignatz is a masculine given name. Notable people with the given name * Ignatz Bubis (1927–1999), German Jewish leader and chairman of the Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland from 1992 to 1999 * Ignatz Leo Nascher (1863–1944), Austrian-born, ...

published in 1904, the "Vienna roll" supplied to Coney Island hot dog vendors was invented by Frischmann and made him a rich man sometime before his death. At the 1904

Louisiana Purchase Exposition The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from April 30 to December 1, 1904. Local, state, and federal funds totaling $15 mi ...

, in St. Louis, Missouri, a German concessionaire,

Antoine Feuchtwanger Antoine is a French given name (from the Latin '' Antonius'' meaning 'highly praise-worthy') that is a variant of Danton, Titouan, D'Anton and Antonin. The name is used in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, West Greenland, Haiti, French Guian ...

, served hot sausages called ' frankfurters', after his birthplace, Frankfurt, in Hesse. At first he loaned gloves for his customers to hold his sausages. When many were not returned, he asked his brother, who was a

baker A baker is a tradesperson who bakes and sometimes sells breads and other products made of flour by using an oven or other concentrated heat source. The place where a baker works is called a bakery. History Ancient history Since grains ha ...

, to invent a solution. Thus, the hot dog bun was born."History of the Hot Dog"
accessed January 29, 2011.

Regional variations

Split-top hot dog buns are popular in New England for lobster rolls and clam sandwiches. In

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, where poppy-seed buns are popularly served with

s, the buns are made with high- gluten flour to hold up to steaming. In Austria, Poland, and throughout

Central Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the ar ...

a "hot dog" is a baguette which is hollowed out by cutting off the end and impaling it on a spike so a sausage can be inserted. In Denmark this variation is known as a "French Hot Dog" because of the use of baguette, and a "French Hot Dog Dressing" which contains Dijon Mustard. Specially prepared baguettes are made for this popular food.

References

{{Authority control Buns Hot dogs

History

Regional variations

See also

References