Good News, Chicago Fans

I don't know why it took me 12 years of living away from Chicago to figure this one out. Little did I realize, when I first moved to Pittsburgh, that outside of the Chicagoland area, poppy seed buns do not exist except by mail order. As anyone from Chi-town knows, poppy seed buns are essential to a good Chicago style hot dog, along with the neon relish, celery salt, etc.

After lamenting this for so long, I finally figured it out. What's missing from a regular bun? Poppy seeds. How do you get poppy seeds to stick to a regular bun? Try brushing them lightly with some milk or 1/2 & 1/2, sprinkle on the seeds, and toast the tops in a toaster oven for a minute or two. Steam, fill, and be transported back to the Windy City.