Let's Talk Buns, Shall We?

Huntington Weenie Wonk Chris James made the observation in one of his reviews that the essence of a West Virginia Hot Dog is taking really cheap ingredients and making them taste great. I couldn't agree more. And although he was writing about weenies when he said that, I think the same thing applies to the bun the weenie sits in.

Lately we have had a run of HDJs that serve their hot dogs on so-called "English Buns"; those split-top buns that are grilled in butter or toasted until they have a crunchy crust. These buns are especially prevalent in Dairy Queens in our area.

These buns add a lot of bulk to a hot dog, and a lot of calories. When they are grilled in butter they take on a "comfort food" feel usually reserved for Blue Plate Special meat and potato entrees. The bun by itself could be a small meal.

But is an "English Bun" a fitting vessel for real West Virginia Hot Dog? I don't think so, and here's why:

Hello!? It's called an "English" Bun - How can something that claims to be authentically Appalachian have a major component that is completely foreign? But let's be technically correct, though, the English Bun is not English at all. How do I know? I asked the foremost authority on hot dogs in England, Scoffer, who runs the "Sausage and Bread Blog" based in London (not the one just downstream from Montgomery). I sent Scoffer a photo of hot dogs on what we call and English Bun and he said he'd never seen anything that looked like that in jolly old England.

OK, you say, then if it's not from England then it's not foreign. But wait! The crack research team here at WVHotDogs.com has found that "English Bun" is just a corruption of the actual name, "New England Split Top Bun." Trust me, New England is just as foreign to Appalachia as is Old England.

Additionally, we found out that New England Split Top Buns were first made not for hot dogs, but for lobster roll sandwiches. Apparently, that is still their major use in New England. In fact I couldn't find a single hot dog joint web site in New England that uses these buns for hot dogs!

So why, then, should we accept them on a real West Virginia Hot Dog? We shouldn't.

A "real" WVHD is made on what is technically called a "Frankfurter Bun." These buns were made for exactly the purpose we use them for when we put a frankfurter, aka "weenie", on them.

It is standard practice here at WVHotDogs.com to deduct a half point from the Weenie Rating for any hot dog reviewed that is presented on a New England Lobster Roll Bun.

Just because.