10th Annual Jersey Hot Dog Tour - Sept 21th , 2013 - past trip reports

Cool.  Thanks.

There seems to be less recent discussion on this thread as opposed to previous years. With less than a week left until Dog Tour '09 is everybody psyched? I know I am. My wife isn't coming this year (no thats not why I'm psyched...well maybe it is just a little bit) but i'm bringing 2 co workers who have never attended before and thought that I was weird (ok weirder than usual) when I told them about the tour. But yet both of them approached me separately about coming this year so there will be 3 of us from the shore venturing north in search of hot dog fulfillment. Can I get an amen? No? Well how about 2 with chili and slaw?

Dave

Oh, I'm psyched just like every year. The itinerary is on the last page I believe. Let me say again that it would be wise to pace yourself. There will be six stops. If you can't eat 6 dogs I encourage you to share.

Lutz's Pork Store is not a hot dog restaurant but they will be giving out samples. Bring a cooler or use one of ours to buy some of their excellent dogs, brats, sausages, and other meats. You can buy packages or just a single dog or sausage to bring home.

It will be a fun day and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

Hello all ,

An amen out to you buddy !!!
Looking forward to the 6th Annual Jersey Hot Dog Tour , hope everyone is psyched .
Final preparations being made  , cant wait until Saturday
Any questions feel free to email me

Benzee

Indeed, I too am psyched. Just to prime the pump as practice, if time allows I will make the pilgrimage to Charlie's Pool Room later in the week  and flex my taste buds...the gastronomical equivalent of wind sprints and shagging some flies.  It's gonna be great.

   The Bear

I'm absolutely psyched for this- my third trip!  As always, a great itinerary with a mix of the old and new.  Looking forward to seeing everybody again!

Doug

Benzee & John & Company -

Hope you all have a great trip...in the immortal words of Hot Doug..There are no two finer words in the English language than encased meats!

John Fox


Oh, I'm psyched just like every year. The itinerary is on the last page I believe. Let me say again that it would be wise to pace yourself. There will be six stops. If you can't eat 6 dogs I encourage you to share.

Lutz's Pork Store is not a hot dog restaurant but they will be giving out samples. Bring a cooler or use one of ours to buy some of their excellent dogs, brats, sausages, and other meats. You can buy packages or just a single dog or sausage to bring home.

It will be a fun day and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

 
 
Im sorry to say, my wife just cooked a BIG a VERY BIG pot of sauce with meatball's and  Lutz's sweet sausage, we had 10 people over for dinner, 6 had the sausage, 6 very un-happy eaters , yes , we, were all very disappointed........... on my run there, i did pick up there hot dogs, we did find them to be pretty good, and there liverwurst wasn't bad either.
 
to all the tour people eat and enjoy this saturday, i'm sure you'll find some interesting eat's

Chi town Diner ,

Thanks buddy  .

Everyone on the bus can expect a pleasant surprise form our own John Sagi . He has been gracious enough to make everyone Chili , to be given to all at the end of the trip !!!

The first of many pleasant surprises for the 6th  Annual Tour on Saturday

Benzee

FYI  -  Smokers Delight, a nice cigar store with a walk in humidor is located 2 door to the right of the Lutz pork store - Union.

No I do not work there.

Hello all ,

A few seats have opened up at the last minute for the tour . I have tried to contact all on the waiting list in the last few days .
Anyone  that is interested in attending please pm me or email me at benzee95@hotmail.com .

Thanks again to John Sagi for making chili for all to take home after the tour .
Another surprise awaits the arrivals at GHI '
Thanks cavalier for the mention of the cigar store next to Lutz .

We will be departing from the Harriman NY  MTA Commuter Lot  at 1000am with arrival at GHI about 1130am

Departure from GHI High Noon for the tour .

Benzee

Benzee


Chi town Diner ,

Thanks buddy  .

Everyone on the bus can expect a pleasant surprise form our own John Sagi . He has been gracious enough to make everyone Chili , to be given to all at the end of the trip !!!

The first of many pleasant surprises for the 6th  Annual Tour on Saturday

Benzee

I got a chance to sample John's chili at Amazing Dog's.  This WILL be a real treat!

Hello all
Any questions ,
Pm or email me at benzee95@hotmail.com

Benzee

Hello all

The trip is SOLD OUT once again for the 6th annual Jersey Hot Dog Tour that will be commencing  this Saturday Sept 26th

Anyone interested in joining us at GHI or a stop along the way is welcome .

Benzee

Hi everyone ,

On my radio program today " Into the Weekend with Walt and Benzee " on WTBQ we interviewed National Comedian Otto Peterson from Otto and George  fame .
He lives in the area of  GHI and may join us for a dog before we depart  for the tour .
No promises but a possibility

He will be performing at Bananas Comedy Club in Hasbrouck Hts tonite at 930pm and tommorrow night at 1030pm . If you go see him tell him Benzee  said hello . Thats on Rt. 17 south .

Also my cohost Walt will be joining us on the tour this year .

We will be at the Comedy show at the Middletown NY Holiday Inn tonite , so if you are in the area stop in and say hello . Show starts at 9pm .

Looking forward to seeing everyone tommorrow
Feel free to bring coolers to  purchase food and  refreshments , there is plenty of storage room on the motorcoach

Benzee

Hello all ,

Today is the day

6th Annual Jersey Hot Dog Tour

Stop by Galloping Hill Inn betweens 11am and Noon to say hello and ahve a dog even if you are not on the tour .

John Fox , Coney Island Lou , Screenbear , D Puro , Benzee, billyboy , Mr Phil ( no not the one from TV and Radio , )  and John Sagi and his famous chili among the many attendees

Looking forward to it

Stepping off from Harriman NY MTA Commuter Train Lot at 10 am
GHI by 1130 am
Leave GHI Noon

See everyone later

I can't wait. Looks like a beautiful day.

Have a great day,you guys...working...wish I could be there........looking forward to photos and review...Someone have an Italian hot dog for me....and hold the ketchup!!!
                                                                      Lee

Wow!!!!!

What a  fantastic day , just walked in the door from a very fun day !!!!

Another succesful Jersey Hot Dog Tour is in the books !!

Some great posts  and reviews to come form the many new and old friends I'm sure .

To be continued ........

Benzee

we'll, i hope all went well for the DOG TOUR FALL 2009, i wasn't on the bus but did stop at the RAHWAY GRILL and had my share before the bus rolled in.
 
got a quick meet with benzee and baddog(doug), looking forward to other post, from the experiences of the day.
 
1. DEE'S HOT TRUCK Roselle Park, nj ( i was there few weeks back ). i give a thumbs up for serving the hot dog nice and "HOT" to get the sabbrett flavors moving (big mistake by many street vendors, dirty water dog's never hot enough). found the roll's ok for steamed (travel partner had two soggy roll's and was turned off). Toppings were average, can be found at most vendors or even stores for that matter, Nothing special. ( out of crushed red pepper, partner was upset. like his spices). HER BIG PLUS WAS THE HOT HOT DOG.
 
2. LUTZ PORK STORE, UNION, NJ.   PICKED up some DOG'S, SAUSAGE AND LIVERWURST.  hot dog's par boiled the grilled on the BBQ, we found them to be good, liverwurst was good, THE sausage we found to be very disappointing.
 
3. Galloping Hill, Union ,nj GREW up with the HILL (Peterson's 5 points) , THIS IS A PLACE THAT I'LL JUST EAT THE DOG WITH JUST MUSTARD. i think that, the dog gets lost in the roll, don't get me wrong, the dog and the roll are good, but need to fill the roll with more HOT DOG. THE GH ROLL IS ALSO A GREAT ROLL FOR MEATBALLS , SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS/ONIONS . What happen to peterson's in Florida? still there? i remember the grandparents being sad in the winter month's, back in the day the Union store closed for the winter. 
 
4. CHARLIES ITALIAN HOT DOG'S, Kenilworth, NJ. Another place with family ties, go out front door of grandmas and we headed to GH, go out the back door , and we headed to Charlies IHD'S on Michagan blvd. opened 1963 this was a big favorite of my grandparents, i know over the years there has been 2 or 3 family members that have run the business, since then, i can't remember having good or even decent hot dog or a IHT. i believe theres been 3 non-family owners.     There's a place down the shore on the rt. 35 s heading towards seaside heights that's called CHARLIES FARM MARKET, my family legend has it as the two were connected back in the sixtys.(my grandfather was connected to the shore location/ family skeleton-mystery thing. back in the day it was more food then farm market stuff.
 
5. JO JO'S IHD'S RT. 37 EAST TOMS RIVER, NJ . i remember them being in  ISELIN (WOODBRIDGE) at OAK TREE ROAD and  CORREJA.( the old movie house)  as kid, eating there dogs , we thought they were great, Fast foward to now, was there a few weeks ago , THERE's nothing to say GOOD. Were happy to get out of there,  hot dog's hamburgers and the IHD'S were a MAJOR  disapointment.
 
6. Rutt's Hut, clifton , nj.   interesting and simple, eat them plain, eat them with the house mustard / relish or even just a drizzle of ketchup. they are what they are. simple eat's that are the same time after time.
 
7. Charlie's Pool Room, ALPHA, NJ  we made our first trip this past thursday, the wife and our 3 yr old in tow, we drove out 58.5 miles to find this legend tucked away in the edge of the state. Yes, we got lost too, like so many other's have. we were welcomed like all other's have said in there posting's, i found the place to be more pleasing to me, then, what i was expecting, i love old structures and there personalties.  I Love Charlies inside stucture. LET'S GET TO The good's of place. we placed our order, we had 5 dog's, 2+2+1 we had a mix. we found the dog's to be ok( honestly) topping's, there special sauce and onions are what CHARLIES POOL ROOM IS ALL ABOUT!!!!! WOW WOW WOW TALK About picture's that don't lie. you get exactly what you see, i have never seen a dog pictured or served that was a DEAD CLONE TO IT'S SELF.we could've ordered 1000 hot dog's that day and everyone of them would've been exactaly the same over and over again. Thank's guy's !!! we  were there for a short time, but we'll be back !!!!! like i said, the dog's were ok, get them together with toppings and now we got something GOOD to EAT.
 
just some of my insite, i have others that i'll talk about down the road,  JOHNNY'S HOT DOG'S, TEXAS WEINER, RED TOWER, JIMMY BUFF'S, AMAZING(RIP), MR. DEE'S(RIP), BEARS, THE PARK SWEET SHOPPE (RIP), FATHER AND SON'S AND SOME MANY STREET VENDORS THAT HAVE NO NAME.

BENZEE, Was good to meet you today, hopefully down the road we can get together and chat some more. keep up with that health diet, that your on, and great luck to you on reaching your goal.

Thanks to everyone who attended and made this a terrific day. I can truly say that I look forward to this day more than any other. We were fortunate to have great weather. It was good to meet old friends and some new ones. Special thanks to Benzee who did an excellent job of coordinating the trip. He handled all the travel arrangements as well as the details that go into planning a trip such as collecting money, keeping track of who registered, who paid, and maintaining a waiting list. He had the hard part. All I did was pick the stops. Special thanks to our driver Dennis who did a great job as always.

Thanks to my wife who surprised me with a birthday cake at our first stop. And thanks to all the hard working people at all of our stops who provided us with excellent service as well as excellent food. Thanks to John Sagi who gave everyone a sample of his fine homemade chili.

I think most would agree with me that all the dogs we sampled were very good. Each of the 6 stops served different dogs and had a variety of chilis and toppings.

Some years one or two places dominate in our informal poll for favorite hot dog. Other years like last year the voting was more even and spread out. This year one place got the big majority of votes. That place was the Rahway Grill. They served a grilled Hatfield all beef frank. This particular hot dog is called "New York Style" and is not available in stores or supermarkets. Made in Pennsylvania especially for the New Jersey and New York market, it was the overwhelming favorite with all but 3 voting it best dog of the day. The chili was also well liked.

I didn't raise my hand for a vote, but here are my thoughts.

The Galloping Hill Inn was solid as always. Tasty beef/pork dog enjoyed with just mustard. I like the bun, but it would be better to get a double as one dog gets lost in there. I should have suggested it.

Dees served a piping hot spicy natural casing Sabrett. Again enjoyed with just mustard. No one serves a better dirty water Sabrett. My favorite hot dog truck. Good solid dog.

Rahway Grill served an outstanding dog with a complex flavor that was spicy and smokey at the same time. Prepared well on the griddle and topped with an outstanding chili. I can see why this dog was as popular as it was. One of my favorites as well.

Lutz's Pork Store was next. We were in for quite a treat. Patrick Stasolla, the owner of Lutz's treated us to free samples of all of his hot dogs and wursts! They are made on premise and are as fresh and pure as can be. I sampled their excellent German frank as well as their Bavarian brat and fresh (uncooked) brat. Pat gave us a little history of Lutz's and introduced us to his staff. He answered questions and talked about his products. Last year Lutz's franks were named Reserve Grand Champion by the American Association of Meat Processors. Quite an accomplishment! And well deserved judging by their excellent flavor and texture. Many of the attendees bought hot dogs, sausages, and wursts to take home.

Jimmy Buffs served their signature Italian Hot Dog which was ordered and liked by many. They also had a footlong (all beef Best's) and a quarter pounder (beef/pork Schickhaus) available. One nut ordered a hamburger! I had the footlong. I truly enjoyed each and every dog today. Sometimes I enjoy one more than another not necessarily because it's better, but because I may be in the mood for that style or brand on that particular day. Or one dog may stick out for whatever reason. If someone put a gun to my head and made me pick my favorites today it would be the footlong at Buff's by a hair over Rahway Grill for best beef dog and the excellent German style dog at Lutz's Pork Store for the best beef/pork dog. But it's like picking your favorite car. Mercedes or Jaguar? I love the Best Provision 5 to a lb (the old Syd's dog) and the way it is prepared at Buff's. Sauteed in oil and chargrilled. And I love it's spicy flavor profile.

Our last stop was Pappy's Diner in Totowa. Pappy's is known for their classic Texas Weiner. They use a deep fried mild tasting Thumann's and top it with a zesty, spicy chili sauce that is sweet and tangy at the same time. Although opinions are mixed regarding this chili, it is my favorite Texas Weiner chili out of all that I sampled.

Thanks also to the people who covered our Tour. It will be in the Thursday Union County Local Source and in the Morris County Daily Record. The day is not determined but I will post it as soon as I find out.

Looking forward to everyone's posts and comments. Thanks again for making this a great day.

Hello all ,

Could not have said it beeter myself John !!

I was able to post about 40 photos from the tour on my Facebook page but cant seem to do it here .
Go to facebook , go to Erwin Benz, become my friend and see the pictures there .
I will try to post some here if I can .

I will post my insights on the day and tour  soon . All positive , even to that nut eating a Hamburger !!!! My wacky cohost Walt on WTBQ

Benzee

Hey Great Trip.

Benzee is right, saying John Fox said it all.

The only thing I could add is everyone on the bus was great.

I'll be setting up the 6th Annual Jersey Hot Dog Tour page for my site shortly. Then posting it here.

I want to thank in advance all that will be sending photos.

Thanks John Sagi ,

The chili was excellent !!

Post all your comments on  the tours only on this thread , thanks all

Benzee

As always a VERY successful Dog Tour - every stop was amazing in its own way:

The usual great cooperation of GHI in letting us park and use their lot as a pick up point

The GREAT Sabrett dogs of Dees

The amazing chili dogs of Rahway Grill - I had two!

The incredible hospitality of Lutz's Pork Store - and some of the most amazing sausages this sie of John Holmes!

Jimmy Buff's usual great dogs and hospitality - Hot Dog King of New Jersey - no doubt!

And the great folks at Pappy's

Every place was great, and some were greater than others!

Lets also not forget:

John Fox  -  His incredible knowledge used in putting together this and EVERY one of these tours is simply amazing...if not scary!
seriously John, without this simply would not EVER have happened!

John S for the extreme generoisity of giving us a sample of his home made chili

and of course, Benzee, for putting the business end of the tour together  - it simpossible to say how hard it is putting something like this together like Benzee does - and its always done in good spirits!

Here is my album of tour shots!

And YES - there WILL be shirts next year!!!

Hi all,
 
I had a great time on the tour with everyone. John and Benzee - I thank you for putting this all together and making my second tour better than the first one I attended!!!! Thanks John Sagi for the chili, it was excellent today on my all beef Black Bear natural casing 1/4 pound hot dog from Shop Rite. I plan on making the hot dog tour every chance that I can and hope to see all of you again.
I live about a mile from Rahway Grill and never really thought of going there for a dog, but now I will be going there frequently. The dog was very good and their style chili was a great accompaniment to that style dog. Great blend there.
All of the stops that we made were very good and I have to say that Lutz's went over the top with their hospitality and generosity. I will be back there as well. I bought a slab of double smoked bacon and sliced it up today and it is fantastic. Oh and that sauerkraut was awesome.
Jimmy Buff's also was a great stop and I will never tire of their double Italian hot dog. The best around nowadays. The only better that I've ever had was at Dee's on Springfield Road in Union some 20 years ago but they are no longer there. Jimmy Buff's people did a great job taking care of all of us.
I work in Paterson and I have to say that I have driven to Roselle Park to Dee's hut on numerous occasions on my lunch hour for a great dog.  I have been going to Dee's truck for a long time and her chili dogs are one of the best I have had in a long time. The only other one that I would put above hers was Toby's hot dogs back many years ago on the corner of Inman and Wood Avenues in Colonia where I grew up. They were right in front of the long gone pony rides. Three dogs for a buck or something like that...Long time ago...LOL . It's just what kind of chili you grow up liking that becomes the "benchmark".
Pappy's was a good stop for the last one. I thought that the dog was good but the chili was like alot of the chili in North Jersey, it has that cinnamin or nutmeg kinda flavor to it and is not my preferred chili for a hot dog. It might be good on meatloaf or something.
And The Galloping Hill is as it always is. Good dog for the lunch crowd, but too much bun and not enough meat for the tour crowd. I would have to agree that a double dog or a cheese steak on that bread would be awesome.
I hope the link for my pics works. This is my first attempt and just click on the link below. If I've failed I will try again!!!!
 
Thanks again all!!! It was a great tour!!!
 
http://s627.photobucket.com/albums/tt357/KM68Galaxie/

I was at charlies pool room on Sat about 12pm with my wife and a couple of friends and I cant believe I forgot about the tour!! We went to the bloomsbury craft festival and I took them to meet JOe and JOhn> I even saw the sign he put up but Didnt think it was that day!!! Thats wehat I get for not frequenting the site more often!! Really dissapointed And Joe never mentioned that you guys were on your way!!!! He talked about John fox and screen Bear and Benzee and all about the site and the new site but never said you guys were coming!!! Oh well I really hope to meet you all one day!! hope you had a great tour!!
 I just realized you didnt go there!!!!! he had a sign up must of been last years!! no wonder he didnt mention it!!!!!!! lololol

It was a nice day and great to meat all the nice people on the 6th annual Hot Dog Tour.  If I were to rate my favorites in order, it would be as follows:
Rahway Grill - I will be back there for more of those dogs.  they were fantastic.
Pappy's diner - Good Dog and a nice chili
Dee's Truck - I had mustard and suerkraut on mine and it was real good.  However, I was standing next to someone who had onions as their topping and they smelled very good.
Lutz's Pork Store - I had the house made german dog which was very good.  The sauerkraut was outstanding.  When I heard they would give us samples, I thught it would be little bites of product on a toothpick.  WRONG!  They had full samples of their products.  It was very generous of them.  I will be back there. 
By the way, they introduced us to their award winning Wurstmeister.  He  looked so young, I thought he was around 12 years old.
Jimmy Buff's - I had a single Italian Dog with everything.  I thought the bread was a little "bready" and it fell apart while I ate it.  At Buff's I had the opportunity to sit next to the "nut" that ordered the hamburger.  There is always one in every group.  Walt was actually a lot of fun to talk to.  I hope to listen to his talk radio show on Friday.
Galloping Hills - The hot dog was ok.  I like a spicier dog, so this was my least favorite.  The bread did overpower the dog, but it was an excellent roll.
It was a pleasure to meet John Fox, Benzee,  John Sagi ( and the chili was great.  Hope to see it in my local supermarket soon) and others (I am very bad at remembering names).
See you all next year for the 7th tour.  I am sure John will find us some new spots to try.

John Fox and Benzee, thanks so much for putting this whole thing together!!  I had a great time.  And thanks to all who posted with train/bus directions!  Made my journey much easier. 

Screenbear, glad we got to meet and chew the fat (as well as plenty of hot dogs) all day. 

I know there were many others I had the privilege of meeting throughout the day and their names are lost to my foggy memory.  So glad I had the chance to chat with all of you as well. 

Not too much to say here yet about the stops as I'm still working on the report to come hopefully soon...

Hello all ,

The 6th Annual New Jersey Hot Dog Tour was a resounding success . Thanks to everyone who was involved .
I was unable to enjoy the eats at most places due to my restricted lap band so I will leave the foodie thoughts to everyone else
Thanks everyone for the well wishes I'm down about 160 pounds since the surgery in March of 08 . Look back at past tour photos , I'm the big guy !!

Why do I continue to organize this trip every year I was asked by one of the four newspapers covering the tour this year  when I cant eat ?

I love the camraderie , the friendships , and the fun we all have being together sharing the day . I'm experienced running bus trips for different organizations over the past ten yrs so I handle the logistics , bus , payments etc. and the following outstanding person handles the intinerary
That being ...

Mr John Fox who I call  New Jerseys foremost Authority on Hot Dogs .
John handles picking the stops , the order of the intinerary and day of giving a report on each stop , style of dogs , suggested eats , and history of each place .
There is a reason each place is picked ,  or not picked for a particular yr and he handles it like no one else can . Great job once again by , my friend , and everyones buddy John Fox !!!!!
I'm truly amazed every year how much he knows , it is a joy to watch and gets better and better .

The stops were all good

GHI as our starting point , centrally located off of Exit #138 of the Garden state Parkway , plenty of parking for our group , indoor and outdoor seating and the starting point every tour so far .  One of my favorite dogs with chili in the past , love the bun .

Dees Truck - On the tour once again Dee does a good job taking care of our large group , good chili , sabretts dog . Not one of my favorite stops because we have mostly Sabrett  trucks in Upstate NY , but it is a good dog and great atmosphere  of the park nearby

Rahway Grill was one of the favorites of our group . Took a bite out of John Sagis chili with mustard dog , very good . Got us in and out , very friendly bunch . Dog Boss stopped by to say hello nice to meet him and his son . 

My favorite  co favorite was next Lutzs Pork Store . Wow !!!! Owner and childhood friend Pat Stasolla greeted us at the door and had parking set for our 55 passenger motorcoach right in front of store . Sign out front welcoming the tour , and when we entered Pat and his staff had three trays of Hot Dogs , Sausages  , Knockwirsts , brats , you name it . All for FREE .
Pat  spoke on the history of Lutzs , the recent awards , style of each to be served and introduced each and every member of his staff including the Wurstmaster !!
I did try a  couple bites of one of their signature dogs and the homemade saurkraut , Excellent !!
Many of our attendees also bought extras for home and it
Thank you Pat and the staff of Lutzs

Part #2 with the rest of the stops coming soon

Benzee

Thank you

Benzee, ConeyIslandLou and HotRodFord for posting the pictures.

This will help me in creating the 6th Annual NJ Hot Dog Tour webpage.

It will take a few days to complete.

If anyone wants to send me a picture of themself,  I'll be adding it to the webpage so we'll have a better idea what name goes with the picture.

Anyone who don't want their picture posted, let me know.

I also have trouble remembering names so put your name and/or screen name with the photo.

johnsagi@sbcglobal.net

Dog Boss

John Fox


Oh, I'm psyched just like every year. The itinerary is on the last page I believe. Let me say again that it would be wise to pace yourself. There will be six stops. If you can't eat 6 dogs I encourage you to share.

Lutz's Pork Store is not a hot dog restaurant but they will be giving out samples. Bring a cooler or use one of ours to buy some of their excellent dogs, brats, sausages, and other meats. You can buy packages or just a single dog or sausage to bring home.

It will be a fun day and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

 
 
Im sorry to say, my wife just cooked a BIG a VERY BIG pot of sauce with meatball's and  Lutz's sweet sausage, we had 10 people over for dinner, 6 had the sausage, 6 very un-happy eaters , yes , we, were all very disappointed........... on my run there, i did pick up there hot dogs, we did find them to be pretty good, and there liverwurst wasn't bad either.
 
to all the tour people eat and enjoy this saturday, i'm sure you'll find some interesting eat's

 
Dear Dog Boss, 
 
I'm very sorry you and your family did not enjoy our sausage....please accept my apologies.   You are the first person that I've ever gotten a complaint from with regard to our sausage.  Please feel free to come by the store for a refund or a retry on me.
 
All the best,
Pat S.

To the Hot Dog Mafia,

I would like to thank all of you for visiting Lutz Pork Store this past Saturday as part of your annual pilgramage.  You are always welcome to the store.  I would especially like to thank John Fox and Erwin Benz for their support and leadership.   Lastly, I will be creating Official "Hot Dog Mafia" membership/discount cards available at Lutz Pork Store, which will entitle the member to discounts and rewards for purchases at the store.

All the best,
Pat S.

I can't believe I FINALLY made on of the NJ Hot Dog tours!!  It certainly did not disappoint.  With much help from my fellow Roadfooders, I took a NJ Transit train from New York Penn Station to Newark Penn Station, then another train to Roselle Park and after a very short bus ride, I arrived at the first stop of the tour, (GHI) Galloping Hill Inn.  
Exterior of Galloping Hill Inn. The bus was already there so I said hello to John Fox and Benzee and made my way to the counter to place my order. GHI logo on the window Part of the GHI menu. I went for a dog with mustard, chili and onions. After the first bite, I realized that I don't like chili and mustard together. It feels like a battle of wills to me and they're both working against each other. I'll echo the comments of others about the bun. It was a good bun, but I thought it better suited for a sausage and peppers sandwich or a nice Italian cold cuts sandwich. The dog couldn't stand up to it. The chili reminded me of Hormel although I don't think that it was, it just didn't "pop" for me". The dog was okay, but didn't really stand out. Not a favorite stop for a number of people, but I'm always glad to try something new! I'm not sure who this couple is, but I asked if they would pose with their burgers and they were happy to oblige. It was also John Fox's birthday and his wife brought a cake and we all sang to him! Happy Birthday John! Our Starship Enterprise for the day. Our Captain Kirk was a gent named Dennis and he did a fine job maneuvering through the streets on this lovely day. Our second stop was at Dee's Hut, a small truck on the mean streets of Roselle Park. Here we see the line of hot dog heads awaiting a Sabrett's dog with some of Dee's homemade onion sauce, or perhaps some of her chili. I have to tell you that Benzee and John Fox complement each other so well on this tour. Benzee is like Morgan Freeman in "Shawshank Redemption". He's a man who knows how to get things! The organization with the bus, payments, getting the info out to everybody, doing the head counts, etc... Thanks a million, Benzee! And John Fox, just an incredible encyclopedic knowledge of hot dogs, their history and the people who make and sell them. He gave us a Cliff Notes rundown of what was available at each place before we arrived, which I found to be very helpful in choosing what I would eat! Thanks, man! Such a small truck, but some outstanding food. Dee hard at work in the truck. She knew we were coming, but I can only imagine the look on her face when our bus pulled up! Dee's menu. St. Theresa sign. Now I don't know about y'all, but I don't come across this at a street truck or cart in NYC very often! I had mine with her homemade onion sauce and homemade chili. I really liked this whole package. The bun was soft, the dog had a nice snap to it. The onions in the sauce were soft and had a nice tomato flavor to it. The chili was similar to a bolognese sauce, which John Fox mentioned a few places made it that way. And a nice cold cream soda to wash it down. Our 3rd stop was at the Rahway Grill. Tucked away on a small side street, this was worth seeking out. Rahway dogs in the window. I love that I can see my food cooking and being prepared right on the street. Rahway grill, exterior. I liked this place from the moment I stepped inside. It has been around since the 1920s and it looks like not too much has changed. One thing that caught my eye was a man having a bowl of ice cream at his table and the bowl was the same pattern that my mom had at home when I was a kid. They weren't going for restaurant decor, but just for whatever works. Rahway menu. jukebox and Christmas decoration. Not so much about celeb photos, but pics of people they know, family and friends. Walt, I know you had a hamburger today, but no, definitely no pancakes! Put down the syrup pitcher and step away! Dressing the dogs, my stomach started to grumble. Feed me! Self serve onions, I like their style. This was just pure and simple. An all beef dog with an assertive flavor and snap. Their finely chopped onions went quite well with the thick, rich chili. I was liking that chili more and more with each bite. I though I detected a graininess in it like cornmeal, but I'm not sure. I can't exactly put my finger on the taste, but I'd make a detour for more. Pennsylvania dutch red birch beer. This is what I grew up with, although I now prefer Foxon Park white style after fellow Roadfooders Ayersian (Chris & Amy) got me hooked on it at Blackie's and Frank Pepe's. I was hoping to find some off-the-beaten-path drinks today, but this was as far as the beverages veered off course. Stop number 4, Lutz's Pork Store. This was an interesting stop to say the least. The moment I walked in, I was beguiled by a smoky perfume. John has known the owner, Patrick, for a while and has tasted many of their products. Benzee to school with Patrick from elementary through high school! Pat took some time to tell us about the store and introduce us to his staff who make the sausages, wursts, coleslaw, sauerkraut, you name it. Finally, some recognition. Pat, I think you should build an overhead, lighted marquee for our arrival next year! Pat from Lutz's and his staff. John Fox had told us that Pat and the guys would have samples for us. Little did we know that he had put out a whole spread! Grand Reserve award. A pretty awesome honor in the meat world. Although I wonder how a Grand Champion would lose their title: Unkind photos from Playboy surfacing years later? Plagiarizing an article from Smoked Meat Aficionado Magazine? Lutz's banner Meats on here I have never even heard of before! Lutz's specialty sign They had a tray of Lutz's footlongs and custom dogs as well as Lutz's italian sausages and brats I went in for a Half sausage/half hot dog Same shot but with dog dressed in mustard and kraut. Lemme tell ya, the combo of the Martin's potato roll, that homemade sauerkraut, the smoked dog and that extra hot mustard was just heavenly. If we weren't stopping anywhere else, I might have downed a couple of these. The sausage was good as well, but It felt kinda naked without the peppers and onions. That's why we could buy them to go! I could always take or leave sauerkraut. It always seemed to like a condiment for a hot dog or one of the building blocks of a pastrami reuben. This was the first time I ever imagined it as a stand alone side dish. It was sweet and sour with a good speckling of caraway seeds. I ended up buying a container of this along with 3lbs of pork chops to cook up this week. This jalapeno mustard had a nice tang to it and a very bold pepper flavor that kicked in immediately. Loved it! Benzee and Fox with Pat from Lutz's Next on the hit parade was Jimmy Buff's, home of the Italian Hot Dog. Italian Hot Dog, in repose. Jane and Michael & Jane, I think they liked your write-up in the recent edition of Roadfood. Billyboy and Jimmy Buff. Mr. Racioppi was kind enough to take a picture with me. Being a viideo game freak from way back, I was very excited to see that this game exists. Yippee-ki-yay!!! My single italian hot dog. I really loved this hot dog! I am glad I didn't order a full size as I would not have been up for the task on this day. Like a Pan Bagnat sandwich or a Muffaletta, this "pizza bread" is the perfect vehicle for this style of hot dog. I found it to be soft yet chewy with a fresh flavor and it held up nicely to the naughty greasy filling. I like how the mustard is on the bottom and ketchup can be applied to the top so that hot dog lovers of both camps (ketchup lovers & ketchup haters: the Montagues & Capulets of the hot dog world) can live in peace! Potatoes on a sandwich just makes sense to me. I've been putting fries on sandwiches for years and Primanti Bros. goes back even further. The peppers and onions worked well with the dog which had a good, slight crunch and snap as well as flavor. Beverages were on the house and Mr. Racioppi and his staff were most kind. Tank burger: Has anyone ever finished one of these? Buff mobile. That name just makes me laugh! Ahh, a 13 year old mind trapped in a 38-year old body. The last stop of the day was Pappy's Diner. I really dig this old-fashioned sign. Rumor has it a few people were obsessed with this clock. Sorry folks, I cam by with a Ryder truck the next day and it is MINE! All mine! My Texas hot. My Texas hot-Part 2. This shot really shows the onions. There was something green on them that I could not identify. I was not a fan of this dog at all. The dog was a bit bland, I was put off by the mystery flavor in the onions and the flavor of the chili really reminded me of Campbell's Vegetable soup. I know that wasn't it, but that is what immediately popped into my head. The gang at the end of a most tasty day! Billyboy with Benzee and John Fox. I was proud to have my photo taken with two great Roadfooders and great hot dog enthusiasts. 



Screenbear, thanks for being my bus partner and for some great conversation AND the ride to the train station!
 

John Sagi, thanks for the chili. I haven't tried it yet, but I think there is a cheese & chili stuffed burger in its future!
 

I look forward to next year!


"Eating is an adventure, enjoy the ride!"- billyboy, 2009

Lutz


To the Hot Dog Mafia,

I would like to thank all of you for visiting Lutz Pork Store this past Saturday as part of your annual pilgramage.  You are always welcome to the store.  I would especially like to thank John Fox and Erwin Benz for their support and leadership.   Lastly, I will be creating Official "Hot Dog Mafia" membership/discount cards available at Lutz Pork Store, which will entitle the member to discounts and rewards for purchases at the store.

All the best,
Pat S.

 
Thank you Pat, for your generosity. And for having us. We all enjoyed visiting Lutz's and sampling your fine franks, wursts, brats, sausages and other meats. Many expected samples on toothpicks. We were surprised at the spread you put out. I knew everyone would like your products because I've had them before although Saturday was the first time I've had the bratwurst as I thought it had onions in it and avoided it in the past. I loved both the fresh and the Bavarian style. I think the Bavarian (cooked) style is my favorite. I sampled both as well as your delicious German style frank. Definitely worthy of the award as best in the nation. I've never had a fresher more tender hot dog anywhere!
 
Great name, Hot Dog Mafia. I want to be Godfather! Get those cards ready as I will be in later in the week when I have a day off. It's great that you can buy as little as 2 hot dogs or brats loose for lunch. Not many places in Jersey where you can do that. My only dilema is what to have for lunch Thursday when I'm off. Dogs or brats? Maybe a weisswurst? I'll see what I'm in the mood for. And whatever it is will go well with your coleslaw Just know that your generosity was appreciated and we loved your products. I heard attendees raving about what they ate and planning on returning soon. Thanks again.

Billyboy,
               Nice post and pictures. It was great to finally meet you.

Wow !!!

I have always loved Billyboys trip reports , and felt like I was right there with him . Now I can say I was and it is one perfect way to describe the day . Great pics and one of  my wifes favorite movies of all time is Shawsank Redemption so I'm honored to be compared to Morgan Freeman in that movie .Thank you

To finish off my report

part #2

Jimmy Buffs was fantastic like it is every year . Jimmy the owner was there taking orders himself with his son and staff taking care of  everything . Once again all the refreshments were on the house . A Big Thank You  also to Jimmy because we knew he had another appointment and he stayed until  we were gone . We were in the back party room and that can be seen on the Travel Channels Hot Dog Paradise show seen pretty often these days . Jimmy Buffs was picked , deservingly so as one of the best in the country and our own John Fox was interviewed and is on that show . Pretty cool being in the same place they filmed the show .

Jimmy picked out the winning raffle ticket and Coney Island Lou was the big winner . Second prize was a seat on next years tour to a member of John Hughes group . Congrats!!!  The remaining money went to our Bus Driver Dennis who once again got rave reviews , navigating the streets of New Jersey .

Next up was the final stop of the day Pappys Diner .  The staff was excellent , good service , and reports are a pretty good dog . The best part  was taking the group photos in front of with the owners , and then  they wanted us to take a second group pic in front of the clock . The official Pappys Diner clock , all I heard  was the  "  the big clock , the big clock " and pointing . So we headed over to the end of the rather large parking lot and took a second photo . Dennis our driver had about six or seven cameras lined up  on the ground and he went right down the line . How cool is that !!! 

When we returned to GHI , John Sagi handed out samples of his chili to all on the bus . Thanks John and also for the special gift . !!!

From my end of the trip I consider it one of  the smoothest yet , reservations , payments ,  bus parking , friendships on the bus , and the motorcoach , first class all the way .

Thanks again to

GHI for allowing us to start the tour and leave vehicles there

Lutzs for the buffet  of food gratis - Thanks again Pat!!

Jimmy Buffs for the use of party room and refreshments - Thanks James

John Sagi for the wonderful samples of chili for everyone

Billyboy for  the best trip report yet !!

To returnees like Screenbear , Coney Island Lou , Dave Puro , Mr Phil , Bad Dog , Natalie her Dad and friend , Rich Pawlak , John Hughes , Bill M., Fontaine , Kenneth MC  , Jimmy from the PO  and all in their groups
and newbies Bossa Nova , The Brysons, David Millers group , J Buff combos , Billyboy ,Applecheeks , Michael Kroe , The Mahers ,  and my radio show cohost " Hamburger " Walt  and all in their groups

.... and of course my partner Mr John Fox , truly Fantastic !!!!!!!!!!


Benzee

Wow...what a day you guys had...and what food...Jimmy Buff's Italian hotdog was a picture of perfection...I'm drooling...those potatoes,my God, look perfect!!!!

BILLY BOY,  you have a great advantage..................... penn station to THE RAHWAY GRILL !!!!!!!!  i don't know if you noticed, but the train station was right out to left of the GRILL. you can hop the train have lunch and continue to the JERSEY SHORE or head towards  TRENTON and PHILLY..............................
 
RAHWAY  Station is a top 5 stop on NJ TRANSIT LINES as ridership go's !!!!

Great reporting on what was obviously a tremendous tour of some seriously good food.  If Lutz's ever offers the "Hot Dog Mafia" cards for mail orders of their goods, I'd want to be part of that.  Thanks for sharing this report.

Hey Buffalo TH ,

i think that would be a great idea and will pass along the suggestion to Pat the owner

Benzee

Great trip. I agree that Pappy's has great chili.

Rahway also has excellent cole slaw, and they will make a Carolina Dog for you (a dog with cole slaw)

I'd like to post thoughts about the next visit to Charlie's Pool Room, mentioning other places nearby:

Jimmy's on the Delaware changed hands again. The menu is smaller and I don't even know if they deep fry their dogs anymore, but the new owners make a fantastic homemade onion sauce.

Jimmy's Hot Dogs in 25th Street in Easton is an original - featuring a long pickle with every dog.

Pete's in Southside Bethlehem has been in business since the twenties. They have had a rivalry with another hot dog place right across the street for years. Bethlehem is about 13 miles from Easton, PA, which is across the Delaware from Alpha.

The guy mentioned in this recent newspaper article is down the street from Pete's in Bethlehem. Great hot dogs, but you better hurry to try them:

"A man in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley says he's not taking his hot dog cart away from a Bethlehem parking space despite city officials refusing to extend a parking permit.

Edwin Padilla got a 10-day permit to place his hot dog cart all day in a south Bethlehem parking space that's normally limited to two-hour parking. But after complaints came from nearby restaurants, the city refused to extend the permit and it expired Saturday.

Padilla got a $10 parking ticket Monday afternoon for having his vehicle there longer than the two hours allowed. Bethlehem parking director Hector Nemes says as long as Padilla pays his tickets, there's nothing the city can do to stop him."

And there is the long battle of Potts's vs. Yocco's. Potts's is in Bethlehem, Yocco's is nearby.

And Dad's Hot Dogs, with two kinds of chili and thirty or so different toppings.

As always, great trip report billyboy!  Just wonderful photos and descriptions.  It looks like another first class event for you guys.  Congrats to Benzee, John Fox and all the others.  I would love to attend one of your hot dog tours someday.

Billyboy
What great photos. Makes me want to do the tour all over again.

Have added videos at You Tube.........

Hey Lou ,
First 40 seconds is pretty good , than you get a good view of the parking lot at Galloping Hill Inn

Thanks buffetmaster would love to have you aboard one of these  tours !!

Benzee

Benzee


Hey Lou ,
First 40 seconds is pretty good , than you get a good view of the parking lot at Galloping Hill Inn

Thanks buffetmaster would love to have you aboard one of these  tours !!

Benzee

There's more..just click on 'more from exapno'.....

Wife and i went to the Rahway Grill today , wife's first trip, wife like the dog, so that's a good thing !!! 
 
Fran the owner really expressed her thanks for such warm and great greeting she received from the 2009 NJHDT, over heard her telling 3 or 4 customers that they did real well with the Hot Dog Tour. i told her from the post i had read, that the Rahway Grill was TOP'S with the group.

This was my first hot dog tour and it was a real treat.  As much as I enjoyed tasting the hot dogs at some places that were new to me, the most enjoyable part was the fellowship with everyone on the tour.  It's a great group of people and was a fun day.  Many thanks to Benzee and John Fox for planning and organizing an interesting and well run tour.
 
My impressions of the 6 stops from best to worst:
 
#1  Rahway Grill   The best of the bunch and a place I will definitely return to.  The hot dog was excellent with nice snap and a good spicy taste.  It was nicely prepared on a flattop grill.  I had it with a very good chili and raw onions and loved it.  I understand from John Fox that these hot dogs are sold at Restaurant Depot and I will be picking some up to make at home.
 
#2 Lutz's Pork Store  Wow, what a spread they put out for us.  I had their award winning frank which was excellent and tasted my wife's kielbasa frank which was also fantastic.  Their home made sauerkraut was the best I've had.  We bought a bunch of stuff to take home and I can attest to the fact the the karbanosy and liverwurst are excellent.  We also bought some smoked ham hocks which my wife used in a split pea soup and both the soup and ham were excellent.
 
#3 Jimmy Buffs  I had the "Syd's" Dog which was well prepared and tasty as always.  I tried it with their "bolognese" chili sauce which tasted great but totally overwhelmed the flimsy standard hot dog bun requiring  a knife and fork to be used to eat it.  I'd just get mustard next time.  My wife had the single italian hot dog and while the pizza bread was excellent, I prefer the potatoes sliced thinner and the peppers and onions cooked longer (like at Frankly Burgers).
 
#4 Dees  A nice Sabrett served hot enough with excellent home made onion sauce was tasty and prepared just right.   She handled the 50 of us very quickly.
 
#5 Galloping Hill  The hot dog got lost in the large and excellent roll.  I'd get a double next time, there's just too much roll for a single small dog.  I had it with mustard and kraut and could barely taste the hot dog.  Fast efficient service and nice of them to let us park there all day.
 
#6 Pappy's Diner  This was my least favorite of the day.  I would have preferred the hot dog cooked longer.  It was both not hot enough and not cooked long enough for my taste.  This may have been due to the long line of 50 of us getting hot dogs at the same time but I was among the first 10 to be served so I don't know.  I also preferred the chili at both Rahway Grill and Jimmy Buffs but that's a matter of individual taste. I did think the woman running place was a great character though.
 
All in all a really wonderful and enjoyable day and I'm already looking forward to next year.  If only we had folks like John and Benzee to put together a pizza tour and an ice cream tour!  Thanks again to John and Benzee for putting it all together and to my fellow travelers for a great day.

Bossa Nova,

Good to finally meet you. I've enjoyed your posts here and on other forums.

The article from the Local Source is online. See here:

http://www.unionnavigator.com/profiles/blogs/hot-dog-lovers-taste-the-best

Only thing is they cut off the last 2 sentences which read, Sherwood said he hoped to sample hot dogs at all six restaurants. "The mission is to taste all the best hot dogs in this area of New Jersey," Sherwood said.

Editor's note: Be sure to check out an exclusive media package on the Hot Dog Tour online at unionnavigator.com under the videos tab.

I did, but I guess they aren't up yet.

I'd also like to thank everyone for their opinions. Tatse; especially when it comes to chili is personal and subjective. I've noticed that opinion is mixed on Pappy's. It is my favorite chili in N.J. But I like this style. I also like the hot chili at Father & Son, but can only have one dog with it. I like the bolognese style at Buff's and Dee's as well as the tomatoey chili at Tony's and many other trucks around the state. I appreciate everyone's honesty when it comes to what you like and don't like. The feedback is important to me in picking the next year's itinerary.

There will be another article that will run this Sunday in the Morris County Daily Record. It will be the lead story in the People section.

The video is up.

http://www.unionnavigator.com/video/hot-dog-tour-movie

I really have to scmooze a little more with the media on these  tours , so darn busy day of , think one of the reporters talked to me  at one stop . Oh well it is good publicity for the tour

Benzee

The article this Sunday will be a little more comprehensive.

The Daily Record article:

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20091004/LIFE/90930043/1005/NEWS01/Group-enjoys-quirky-celebration-of-one-of-America-s-most-popular-foods--the-hot-dog

In addition to the picture shown there was also a picture of Jimmy Buff's son preparing an Italian Hot Dog as well as a smaller picture of Jimmy. Screenbear, Benzee, John Sagi, and other memebers of the Hot Dog Mafia are quoted.

I can’t believe I finished my 3^rd Hot Dog Tour!  I enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones.  For me, it’s as much fun watching us all as it is enjoying the dogs themselves.  Everyone has already said everything that should be said  but that never stopped me from expressing my opinion!
 
Galloping Hill Inn:  The first year I attended the tour, this was my least favorite dog- mainly because the roll didn’t seem fresh.  Last year, GHI redeemed itself and put out a respectable dog.  This year they continued on the path of redemption with a nice dog in a fresh bun.  I made the mistake of ordering one with hot relish.  The dog got overwhelmed with the spicy peppers- this was a bad choice I made not GHI.  As always the birch beer is a terrific companion to the dog.
 
Dee’s Truck:  I’m not a fan of a dirty water dog but Dee’s is at the top of the list for this method of cooking.  As others have said before me- cooked to the right temp without sitting in the water too long.  I had mine with chili which was a nice add to flavor of the dog without smothering it.  If I was in the neighborhood, I’d stop for one.
 
Rahway Grill:  My favorite dog of the hot dog joints on this trip.  The dog was perfectly done with good snap.  The chili was my favorite of the trip too (other than John Sagi’s).  This place is the quintessential hole-in-the-wall which supplies the perfect atmosphere for what you’re eating.  Friendly staff and I loved that the grill is right in the front window so you can’t help but see what’s cooking as you walk by.
 
Lutz Pork Store:  My favorite encased meats of the day.  Everything I tried was excellent, forcing me to buy stuff to bring home. I’m not a sauerkraut lover but this stuff was like heroin.  I had to have more so I bought some to go.  Pat and his staff were over-the-top friendly to our group and their generosity with the samples they prepared was great.  I WILL be back as a customer!
 
Jimmy Buff’s:  Last year I had a single Italian Dog and vowed that I would get a double this year.  The double is the only way to go on this beast!  Perfect potatoes, onions and great dogs stuffed into that delicious pizza bread.  Jimmy’s hospitality by opening up the party room supplying the drinks and taking the orders himself just underscored why the place is a legend.
 
Pappy’s Diner:  This place just proves my point about the fun of people watching as well as eating the dogs.  I thought it was a good dog but the chili didn’t have enough bite for me- different strokes.  I loved watching the lady who took our orders and rang us up.  Too bad Seinfeld is over.  As far as the clock goes…another 5 minutes of that music and I wouldn’t have been responsible for my actions!
 
Thanks to Benzee, John Fox and everyone else that made the trip possible.  You guys are the best!  Thanks also to John Sagi for going to all the trouble of cooking, lugging and passing out his homemade chili.  I love that stuff!
 
I’m already psyched for next year!
 
Doug

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to write a quick post about the tour, hey it's only a month late! I've been working rediculous hours (promotion good, crazy hours and awful commute bad). The tour was wonderful, it was my 4th one and my friend's 1st and we both had a great time. Nice to see everyone both old friends and new. The dogs were all good, I think this was my first tour where I ate at every stop. GHI is what it is. It's grown on me since my first tour and I finally like it even if the roll is too big and bulky for the dog. You also have to love Briar's birch beer on tap which is always a plus. Dee's truck was my favorite as I love my Sabrett dirty water dogs. Rahway Grill was ok. I don't think I loved the chili but the dog was good. I was of the opinion that Lutz's was handing out samples on toothpicks so I initially stayed on the bus. Boy am I glad I decided to go inside and see for myself. They were excellent dogs and such a huge spread for us... thank you Pat! Jimmy Buff's is always excellent, my mistake was getting the double Italian! I barely finished it. Pappy's Diner was good, I forget if I liked it or not though...doh I should have written this sooner. I did feel bad for the waitress who had to make about 100 milkshakes one after another. My friend and I tossed her a few bucks though. All in all another great tour. John Fox with his encyclopedic hot dog knowledge and for the itinerary, thank you. Benzee, thank you for your organization of the tour year after year, especially now that you really can't eat any dogs. How's retirement treating you? John Sagi, the chili was delicious, forget about the website...open up a dog stand! If I'm forgetting anyone I apologize. It was nice to see everyone again and I'll hopefully see everyone next year.

Dave

Hello all ,

Great to see you posting Dave , and the kind words thank you .

Next up is a Benefit for a worker at Jimmy Buffs East Hanover .
Monday Nov 16th 4 - 8 pm
$10 bucks all the dogs you can eat
The worker is dying of cancer and his one wish is to go home to his family in  South America .
Jimmy has asked all of us Hot Dog lovers to join him in the fundrasier .
John Fox and I will be there .

After that is a Holiday Meet at Coney Island Rest. in Middletown NY , sometime Christmas week date TBA

We are planning a Hudson Valley Hot Dog Tour for April or May , possibly with a school bus or motorcoach . CI Lou will be assisiting in this endeavor

And of course the 7th Annual Jersey Hot Dog Tour will be in Sept next yr .

I'm sure we will also make another trek over to Charlies in the spring or summer also !!

Benzee

WOW! Wish I could've been on the tour! If you ever want to hit the hot dog stands of Chicago, let me know. Here's my top 5. I've not had time to write up the scores of others.
http://amazingribs.com/re...st_hot_dog_stands.html

For more about hot dogs
http://amazingribs.com/re...nd_sausages/index.html


Remember, no rules in the bedrom or kitchen,
Craig "Meathead" Goldwyn