NY System Hot Wiener
is not just a hot dog, but a taste of RI
Gail CiampaJennifer Borresen
Providence Journal
• New York
System Hot Wieners are a famous regional food specific to Rhode Island, not New
York.
• It is
typically ordered "all the way" with mustard, meat sauce, chopped
onions, and celery salt.
• The
"New York System" name originated as a tribute to New York City by a
Greek immigrant founder.
New York System Hot Wieners are local to Rhode Island, not
New York, and they are not hot dogs.
That may confuse those who didn't grow up eating hot
wieners. But it makes perfect sense to those who did. No frank in Rhode Island
is more famous or craved than the hot wiener. It tells a story of the history
of Rhode Island.
There's even a James Beard Foundation American Classic
medallion from 2014 to prove it.
But awards are not why the hot wiener is iconic.
It's a taste of home and one that holds a lot of memories.
That's why a hungry R.I. National Guard unit stationed in
Iraq sent a photo to a Providence New York System joint asking for hot wieners
for 120. It's what brought a bride, her groom and wedding party to show up at
Olneyville New York System at 2 a.m., still dressed in their gowns and tuxes.
What is a New York System dog?
Hot wiener dogs are a mix of smoked pork, beef and veal.
Traditionally, they start in a natural casing on a continuous rope that's about
20 feet long and must be cut into bun size at the restaurant by hand. Today,
some arrive packaged the proper length. Either way, the meat is put in a
split-top hot dog bun.
Order it "all the way." First the wiener is
slapped with mustard. Then it's covered in a spicy, ground beef sauce that may
or may not include tomato sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, chili powder and
cinnamon. (Every New York System has its own recipe.) Finally, it is topped
with finely chopped onions and a sprinkle of celery salt.
What goes with a wiener? Only one thing will do and that is
coffee milk, another iconic R.I. treat.
Bruce Kraig, a food historian and author of "Hot Dog: A
Global History" and "Man Bites Dog: Hot Dog Culture in America"
says it's what you put on the hot dogs that attracts people. That's how America
came to have regional styles of hot dogs.
“You can tell the story of America through hot dogs. There
are probably other things you could use, other objects or icons, but I think
hot dog is a really good one.”
More: How the sausage is made: History of hot dogs from
pushcart to ballpark
The history
Ninety-nine years ago, the Original New York System
introduced the hot wiener at 424 Smith St., in Providence, staking its claim as
Rhode Island's signature fast food. Gust Pappas founded New York System first
from a cart, then the Smith Hill spot, and was succeeded by his son Ernie, then
grandson Gus.
As for how the name "New York System" came to
represent a strictly Rhode Island phenomenon of hot wieners, Gus Pappas said
that it was a homage to the city from his grandfather. When he migrated from
Greece, he went through Ellis Island. The fast pace appealed to him."
"He was in such awe of New York City, he just wanted to
keep a part of it with him," he said. "You can imagine him coming
from a small Greek town into the city.
They started spelling wieners as weiners, a more authentic
German spelling, said Pappas. But he believes it got Americanized to wiener.
How there came to be more than one New York System was
explained by a 1940 photo. It pictured five men, including Ernie Pappas, who
all worked together at New York System that summer. One by one, the other four
went out and opened their own New York Systems. Trademark protection was not
considered back then.
Diners came in for lunch, dinner and early morning bites
after a night of dancing.
The restaurant on Smith Hill is now under different owners
and closed, though they say it's temporary.
There's a similar origin story for Olneyville New York
System, which has been in the Providence square since 1946. That's when Anthony
Stavrianakos, a Greek immigrant, opened the restaurant with his son Nicholas
serving hot wieners and a luncheon menu. In 1953, it moved to its present
location at 20 Plainfield St. The family anglicized their name along the line.
Its served mill workers. Olneyville was said to be as busy
as Times Square thanks to the mills that produced jewelry. People ate when they
had lunch and dinner breaks, and then they returned to socialize after work.
Today, new owners Heritage Restaurant operate both the
Olneyville restaurant and the Cranston location at 1012 Reservoir Ave.
Fourth-generation owners Greg Stevens and Stephanie Turini retired.
The stories
In 2014, the James Beard Foundation recognized Olneyville
New York System as one of America's Classics, which honors "restaurants
that have timeless appeal and are beloved for quality food that reflects the
character of their community."
"A lot of restaurants change with time and keep up with
trends," Stevens said at the time. "Here, we work with keeping it the
same. When I ask someone if it tastes like they remember, yes is the best
answer I can get."
After her 2021 wedding reception at Harbor Lights in Warwick
ended, Chantelle Ward ordered three hot wieners, all the way, as is her habit.
Only this time, she dined in her wedding dress and with her groom, Seth Oyler,
by her side. It was 1 a.m.
"It was a beautiful day that ended in a beautiful
way," said the bride, who grew up in Pawtucket. "Those wieners bring
back so many memories," she said. "Because my father brought me there
every week growing up, just like his father brought him."
Ward's memories were made all the more poignant because her
father, Michael Ward, died unexpectedly just months before her wedding. Hot
wieners connected her to him that day.
There may be no more epic hot wiener story of craving than
2003's "The Dogs of War." It started with a letter sent to Gus Pappas
at the Original New York System.
"I'm Staff Sergeant Robert Taylor of the 115th Military
Police Company, Rhode Island National Guard. We are currently doing duty in
Iraq and have been here since February. One of our members had a copy of the
ProJo, dated July 2, sent to him and it was noticed in the food section, an
article about the New York System Restaurant. As you may imagine, there were
about 120 native Rhode Islanders that became totally hungry for a taste of
home.
"It is my fondest wish and hope, that if you could find
it in your hearts, if possible, to send some wieners to some soldiers, in order
to remind of us of home and to keep our morale up during this difficult time.
If there is anything we can do for you, please respond via letter to the below
address.
"Thank you in advance, SSG Robert Taylor."
Along with the letter, Taylor sent a photo from Iraq of the
Providence Journal Food section taped to a military vehicle and picturing the
much-desired hot wieners. He and Specialist Scott McCain are also in the
picture.
Pappas was ready to ship 500 to the base, but could not do
so logistically. Dry ice, in which Pappas would have packed the wieners,
couldn't protect the perishable food for the estimated three-week trip from the
U.S. to Iraq. Though cargo planes regularly leave from bases around the U.S,
food and mail can't be the first priority.
But the soldiers had all-beef hotdogs and buns, as well as
ground beef, onions and cooking oil. So Pappas sent the spice blend, which was
dry and nonperishable, and the soldiers mixed up their own fresh batches. And
when they came back to R.I., they were all invited to the restaurant for fresh
hot wieners.
That taste of home is now available nationwide as Olneyville
New York System ships Hot Wiener Kits on Goldbelly, the online marketplace.
Jennifer Borresen contributed the interactive graphic to
this story. She is a graphic journalist at USA TODAY, specializing in
explanatory graphics and illustrations in various fields, including politics,
science, weather and entertainment.