The hot wiener or New York System wiener, also commonly hot weiner, is a staple of the food culture of Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

. It is typically made from a small, thin frankfurter

Hot dog

A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...

 made of veal and pork, thus giving it a different taste from a traditional hot dog made of beef. Once placed in a steamed bun, the wiener is topped with a meat sauce seasoned with a myriad of spices like cumin

Cumin

Cumin is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to India. Its seeds are used in the cuisines of many different cultures, in both whole and ground form.-Etymology:...

, paprika

Paprika

Paprika is a spice made from the grinding of dried fruits of Capsicum annuum . In many European languages, the word paprika refers to bell peppers themselves. The seasoning is used in many cuisines to add color and flavor to dishes. Paprika can range from mild to hot...

, chili powder and allspice

Allspice

Allspice, also called Jamaica pepper, pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, or newspice, is a spice that is the dried unripe fruit of Pimenta dioica , a mid-canopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America, now cultivated in many warm parts of the world...

, which is itself covered in finely chopped onions, celery salt

Celery salt

Celery salt is a flavored salt used as a food seasoning, made from ground seeds, which may come from celery or its relative lovage. These ground seeds are mixed with salt, either table salt or sea salt....

 and yellow mustard.

The term New York System originated in the early 1900s, when hot dogs began appearing in Rhode Island but were still associated primarily with New York. Although now referred to exclusively as wieners, "New York System" is still used to advertise the distinct style of preparation refined by Providence's Greek immigrant

Greek American

Greek Americans are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent...

 community in the 1940s.

Preparation

Because of their size, patrons will often order three or four wieners at once. Wieners with all of the standard toppings are ordered "all the way."

Famous locations

Olneyville New York System, in Providence's Olneyville neighborhood, is often cited as the "definitive" or "quintessential" vendor and dates to its opening by Greek immigrant Anthony Stevens in 1946. Stevens' cousin Gust Pappas ran Original New York System in the Smith Hill neighborhood, which claims its own founding as 1927. Still another institution, Coney Island System, claims an earlier date of 1915. There are dozens of establishments across the state that offer wieners, and the question of which is "best" is often contentious among residents.