How to dress a haute dog

Love 'em or hate 'em, hot dogs are an integral part of July Fourth cookouts. And, as with so many other foods around the country, fans from different regions (and sometimes even within the same city) have their own ideas of how they're supposed to taste.

We consulted Patrick Wilson, of the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, and various regional hot-dog connoisseurs to learn what toppings you'll need on hand to offer guests a taste of home, or if you're just hankering to try something new.

"It seems weird that there is so much contention as far as what's put on a hot dog, and people really stick by their preference," Wilson said.

Here's a rough guide to re-creating a few tastes of home away from home, based on their suggestions.

Chicago: We checked in with Vienna Beef, the hot-dog company that has supplied Chicago since the late 1880s. Company president Howard Eirinberg says a true Chicago-style dog requires yellow mustard, bright-green relish, onions, tomato wedges, a pickle spear, sport peppers and a dash of celery salt in a steamed poppy seed bun.

"They call it dragging it through the garden," Eirinberg said.

Vienna Beef says the unique combination has its roots in the Great Depression, when street cart vendors hawked a whole meal on a bun for only a nickel.

New York: New Yorkers consumed more hot dogs last year than anyplace else in the country, according to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. For the street-cart type, top the dog with mustard, sauerkraut and that red, zesty onion sauce, and sometimes relish. For the deli style, grill the dog and top it with sauerkraut and mustard.

Boyd Adelman, executive vice president of East Coast giant Sabrett Hot Dogs, joins with the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council and many Chicago vendors in calling ketchup a sacrilegious hot-dog condiment. He says condiment preference can vary widely, even within one metropolis. "They're like fingerprints: No two people are the same."

The South: If you're hankering to put some South in your mouth, start by piling on coleslaw, sometimes atop chili and onions. Jamie Deen, son of Food Network star and Southern chef Paula Deen, says he's fond of slaw dogs, especially when the hot-dog buns have been buttered and toasted in a cast-iron skillet. He also suggests "smash dogs": Fill a hot-dog bun with a dog and cheese of your liking, then butter the sides of the bun and smash it with your spatula like you're making a grilled-cheese sandwich.

Los Angeles: Many Angelenos swear by Dodger Dogs, skinny, foot-long pork hot dogs that for years have ranked among the top-selling ballpark hot dogs. But hot dogs topped with chili, onions and a slice of American cheese are the top seller at Pink's, L.A.'s venerable hot-dog stand to the stars, says restaurant manager Luz Acosta.

Seattle: Though he says the Emerald City isn't much of a traditional hot-dog town (folks in the Northwest are just as likely to toss vegetarian or salmon dogs on the grill), Matt's Famous Hot Dogs owner Matt Jones has an offering on his menu deemed the Seattle Dog, with mustard, onions, tomatoes and Tillamook cheddar cheese.

"The Seattle Dog is just a dog people would ask for a lot," Jones said. "We made it up because we have the authority to do that."

He's also noticed a steady stream of locals asking for hot dogs with, of all things, cream cheese, sometimes with mustard and onion as well.

"Some people just swear by it," he said.

Karen Gaudette: 206-515-5618 or kgaudette@seattletimes.com