Our office staff had a cookout on the patio today, and we noticed something strange... our hot dog rolls were specifically called "New England Style" hot dog rolls. Did that mean that ours are different from the ones people get in other parts of the country?

30 minutes and 20 Wikipedia pages later...

Yup, they're different!

We had no idea that "New England Style" rolls are different from most other types, and that they're rarely available outside of our part of the country (if you believe Wikipedia!)

According to the article, New England Style rolls are split in half at the top of the bun, rather than along the side.

They were invented in Maine by the JJ Nissen company in the 1940s by bakers and restauranteurs who wanted a bun that would stand up straight and be easier to prepare, serve, and eat. Outside of New England, these top-split rolls are associated with uniquely New England-type foods, like lobster rolls and clam rolls.

I'm still not sure what's stranger... the fact that we have a specific style of hot dog roll, or the fact that it has its very own Wikipedia page.

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