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Mary Kate Murray's avatar

This is an excellent read. Which is crazy of me to say, because I’ve read it so many times already - but I just read it again and it is. 🌭❤️🌭❤️🌭❤️

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Pat Handley's avatar

Always up for more hot dog content although title of this book is questionable. LOL! As far as ketchup goes, our August special is going to be a Copenhagen style dog that has not only ketchup but mustard and a curried remoulade. Sounds like much but it works somehow. Keep the hot dog news coming!

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Robert Simonson's avatar

That hot dog sounds yum!

As for the title, that's very much a Jamie Loftus-style language flex.

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Joshua Vissepo's avatar

OOF. What a title! I’ll have to pick this one up at my

local library for a fun & political end of summer read.

side note confession: growing up in Puerto Rico ketchup on hots dogs is totally a sane topping to the wiener. In fact, in almost everything. Spaghetti, Puerto Rican corned beef with rice & ketchup, the list goes on.

I move to chicago for college & all the natives are yelling at me the first time they take me to Portillo’s when I picked up that red bottle. To this day I am not ashamed.

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Robert Simonson's avatar

I respect the mustard absolutists, but it's an elitist stand and one detached from reality. I would bet good money that more Americans put ketchup on their hot dogs than don't. They just don't talk about it all the time.

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Joshua Vissepo's avatar

👏🏼

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Pablo Aguirre's avatar

Now this title really caught my eye because I just saw an ad this weekend for a book titled, "Hot Dog", which turned out to be about a weiner dog. I belong to a FB food group a friend started at the beginning of covid lockdown and ketchup is one the things members tussle (friendly) about.

Speaking of hot dogs, I recently had a turn of events which will put me in the Kingston-Saugerties-Catskill area along the Hudson for one night this weekend (traveling over from Hartford by way of Canaan, CT) (Hemlock is already on the definite list, thanks to you) Is there any hot dog joint, and/or other food/cocktail joint you would recommend? Oh, and mustard RULES!! 🤘🏽😎

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Robert Simonson's avatar

Wm Farmer & Sons in Hudson. The last cocktail program designed by Sasha Petraske.

A&G Texas Wieners in Catskill for hot dogs.

Stockard in Kingston for cocktails.

Eng's in Kingston for old school Chinese. Nothing fancy. But beautiful building and interior.

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Pablo Aguirre's avatar

Great, thank you! And enjoy your time down south.

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Robert Shepherd Barr's avatar

Just signed up for the weekly newsletter on the recommendation of Michael Ruhlman's substack. Really enjoyed this!

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Robert Simonson's avatar

Welcome! Thanks for joining us!

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Jigar Parikh's avatar

I took notes!

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Robert Simonson's avatar

Notes are important!

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Elise's avatar

What an impressively written tribute to hotdogs and the people daring enough to explore their existence. Top notch, really.

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Robert Simonson's avatar

Thanks!

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Ian Lauer's avatar

A fun little interview! We may not have a Simonson book on dogs, but there’s always a tome’s worth of Substack articles : )

Growing up I was a dedicated wielder of the ketchup bottle when having hot dogs, but somewhere along the way my taste changed and I discovered mustard — haven’t gone back since. Think ketchup is just too sweet for me these days…

Another thought: I still sometimes get a craving for the hot dogs from The Varsity in downtown Atlanta (did that make it into the book?). It was right across the highway from my freshman dorm at Georgia Tech — even their plain hot dogs (called “Naked Dogs”) were good. Those (and the onion rings) were a perfect-yet-deadly late night snack for college students…

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Robert Simonson's avatar

yes, the Varsity is in the book!

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Peter Stuart's avatar

I always enjoy the hotdog content, even though that isn’t why is subscribed!

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Robert Simonson's avatar

Bonus content!

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Peter Stuart's avatar

Yes!

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