When it comes to dips and sauces, Alabama may be best known for its namesake white barbecue sauce, but there’s a contender vying for unofficial state dip status: Chef Frank Stitt’s charred onion dip. At his causal Italian trattoria, Bottega Café, the celebrated Birmingham chef crafts a sweet and tangy dip to serve with potato chips and pair with aperitifs. Red onions are grilled, then charred in the wood-burning oven, then chopped and blended with sour cream, Worcestershire, Tabasco and freshly ground pepper until creamy. The smoky, addictive dip is served in a grilled onion ring with a topping of freshly snipped chives and a side of house-made potato chips for scooping.