Pizza and Hot Dogs: Regional Foods No More
Food that is nostalgically or logically tied to one particular region is known as regional food. New England clam chowder comes from New England; Memphis-style barbecue comes from Memphis; and you can't get a Chicago-style hot dog anywhere but Chicago, right? Well, it used to be that way, but nowadays you can get any type of regional food no matter where you are, particularly in big cities or large metropolitan areas. Some foods are essentially the same type of food, but with a regional spin that makes them unique. The most notorious and widely debated multi-regional foods are, without a doubt, pizza and hot dogs.
Pizza
The two powerhouse regions known for pizza are of course New York and Chicago. What's the difference? Well, New York pizza has a thin crust, with wide-cut slices that you fold over before taking a bite. Traditional toppings are just light spiced tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, with additional toppings placed on top of the cheese before baking. The most noticeable difference between other types of pizza and New York-style pizza is the hand-tossed crust, which is made with high-gluten bread flour. Some people say that the flavor of the crust is solely attributable to the minerals found in the city tap water used to make the dough. Some pizza makers in other states even have the water transported across the country to ensure that their pies taste authentic.
Chicago-style pizza, on the other hand, is a deep-dish pizza with a buttery crust, lots of cheese, and chunky tomato sauce. The dough is made with cornmeal and olive oil, placed into a deep round pan that has been heavily oiled, and then pulled up the sides of the pan to form a crust. The crust is baked slightly, then it's covered with copious amounts of mozzarella cheese, layers of meats such as Italian sausage (a Chicago tradition), as well as vegetables including mushrooms, onions, and green peppers. The whole pie is then covered with an uncooked sauce of crushed or pureed tomatoes, then sprinkled with grated cheese. The end result is a thick, gooey slice of pizza that is often eaten with a knife and fork.
Hot Dogs
Chicago may be home to deep-dish stuffed pizza, but it is just as famous for its Chicago hot dog-a beef wiener in a poppy seed bun. The traditional Chicago dog is "dragged through the garden," meaning that it is topped with onions, cucumbers, dill pickle slices, tomatoes, and perhaps even shredded lettuce, pepperoncini, sweet relish, and bell peppers. The completed dog is then sprinkled with celery salt. The poppy seed bun is a must, and mustard is optional, but you never, ever put ketchup, chili, or cheese on a Chicago hot dog.
It seems like every region in the country has its own spin on the hot dog, and various toppings can include coleslaw, sauerkraut, shredded lettuce, strips of provolone or swiss cheese, hot sauce, bacon, and even cream cheese. Two other specific regional styles are worth noting. The Coney Island dog, best known for Nathan's on Coney Island, is a pork hot dog with a natural casing, topped with yellow mustard, diced onion, and beanless meat chili. The Carolina Dog, native to North and South Carolina, is served with chili, coleslaw, mustard, and chopped onions. In North Carolina you can also get a "cheese dog"-where the hot dog itself is replaced with a chunk of hoop cheese (American cheese) the same size as a hot dog, and then the traditional toppings of chili and slaw.
No matter how you like your pizza or dogs, with all the regional varieties that are becoming more easily available elsewhere, you should try stepping outside your comfort zone and trying something new. Who knows, you might actually enjoy it or come up with your own variation.
