hot dogs

The Ultimate L.A. Street Dog & Big Gay Ice Cream

The snap of a Pink’s hot dog, celebrated by the likes of Jonathan Gold and Calvin Trillin, has never done much for me. In fact, I had one many moons ago when I was visiting L.A. and that was enough for me, thank you very much. I’m a New York street dog devotee: a warm, soft dog straight from the steam bath might be gross to some, but for me it’s heaven. The less it snaps when you bite in the better. I was ready to write L.A. off in the hot dog department until I ran into my friends Doug and Bryan of the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck here outside Lindy & Grundy. They told me their truck would be parked on Sunday in front of a gay bar, Faultline, and next to it would be a woman who makes the best hot dogs they had ever had in their lives. I should swing by and say hello.

The Hot Dog at Katz’s Deli

There was a time in my life when I couldn’t conceive of going to Katz’s Deli and not ordering the pastrami.

That would be like going to France and eating pizza; or going to the world’s best sushi restaurant and asking them to cook your fish. Go to Katz’s and not order pastrami? You’ve got to be kidding! Only the other night, after we saw our friend Cary’s movie “Jane Eyre” (Cary went to film school with Craig), we found ourselves at Katz’s Deli and I was very hungered. And the line for pastrami was oh so long. Reader, I got a hot dog.

Food-Themed Windows at Barney’s & A Hot Dog in Central Park

Confession: this post is just an excuse to share a ton of pictures that I snapped yesterday with my new camera (and new lens) as Craig and I journeyed up to Central Park on one of the most beautiful days I’ve ever experienced in New York. It was just warm enough that I didn’t need to wear my jacket (though I did have it handy for later) and just cool enough that we could walk and walk and walk without getting sweaty. To keep this post food-related, we’ll eat a hot dog from a hot dog cart near the east side of the park and then we’ll see the food-themed windows at Barney’s. But let’s start at the entrance to the park near 81st street as we wander in and behold the autumnal splendor.

My First Chicago-Style Hot Dog

When you travel, it’s difficult to have a perfect first bite.

You arrive at your destination exhausted, famished and cranky, eager to shove the first thing you see down your throat. Which is why my first bite in Paris was an only-slightly-better-than-average eclair, and my first bite in Barcelona was bull intestine. But last week, when I arrived with Lizzie the Photographer to stay with my friends Ben & Andy in Chicago, they took us out for the perfect first bite ever: a Chicago-Style Hot Dog.

The Weiner’s Circle

So one of the friends we’re staying with here in Chicago, Andy, pointed out The Weiner’s Circle tonight as we were walking to dinner (Thai food in Lincoln Park). “There’s a great video I’ve got to show you when we get back about that place,” he said as we walked past it. And the video above, which we just watched, is indeed truly incredible (though very, VERY not safe for work.) It all leads to one question: will I work up the courage before I go to order myself a motherf***ing hot dog? Only time will tell.

Winning Hot Dog Limerick

D1172~Hot-Dogs-Posters.jpgCongrats to KJR, the winner of our Hot Dog limerick contest who gets two free tix to the Serious Eats Hot Dog Hootenanny this Sunday (please e-mail Alaina Browne with your info.) Here’s the winning limerick:

“There once was a hot dog named Frankie / Whose bun was as thin as a hankie / So he rolled up just so / In some crescent roll dough / Now kids call him “Pig-in-a-Blankie.”

Be A Weiner Winner

Serious Eats has generously offered to give away two tickets to Amateur Gourmet readers for its Hot Dog Hootenanny this Sunday at 3 PM at Astor Center. Tickets are $25 but if you want yours free, write a hot dog limerick in the comments (please keep it clean!) and the funniest one will be published here tomorrow, May 1st, at 5 PM and its author and a guest will nosh for free.

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