A hot dog story from the "Good Old Days"

In September, Bob Schwartz's book, "Never Put Ketchup on a Hot Dog" was released. Don't let the title mislead you. The book is an insider's view of a love of hot dogs-eating them, selling them, and talking about them. This is a story from the chapter "Gone, but not Forgotten"

"When Mark was still in his teens, he remembers working for a pharmacy on Devon & Crawford, just a few blocks from The Red Hot Ranch on Devon. One day, the druggist asked Mark to deliver a few prescriptions, mail some packages, and pick up lunch at The Ranch. Mark made the requested deliveries and brought back what he thought were lunches, only to have his boss ask Mark where they were. To Mark's horror, he found that he had mailed the lunches and brought back the packages by mistake. In those days, the postmen picked up the mail at the local mailboxes quite often, so chances are that some postman still had warm hot dogs when he went to retrieve the mail."

Mark Reitman

lol CSD.. For shame...

Why it's a salad dog

That put a smile on my face, especially since I grew up near Oakton and Crawford. We grew up at different times, but it's still nice to think about home. CSD, you are the best. You always have something great to contribute.

quote:

Originally posted by jlobough

That put a smile on my face, especially since I grew up near Oakton and Crawford. We grew up at different times, but it's still nice to think about home. CSD, you are the best. You always have something great to contribute.

Thanks! We moved from the west side to Lincolnwood in 56'. My grandparents lived on Kirk, east of Crawford. The three questions Chicagoans always ask when ever they meet a stranger:

1. Where did you go to high school? We don't care about colleges, we're more interested in neighborhoods.
2. What was your parish or synagogue?
3. Which hot dog stand did you go to?

CSD

Born and raised in Chicago
Escaped to Racine, WI in 1990

Wipe the salad off that dog, you lose the meat.

quote:

Originally posted by Baah Ben

Why it's a salad dog

quote:

Originally posted by WarToad

Wipe the salad off that dog, you lose the meat.

Maybe the Hot Dogs in your neck of the woods get lost under those beautiful condiments, but not a Vienna Beef Dog. It has the flavor and the fortitude to to stand up to, and be complimented by those other complex flavors.

As a native Chicagoan who has enjoyed Sabretts slathered in brown mustard and smothered in onion sauce right off the carts on the streets of Manhattan, devoured Coney Islands drenched in chili in Detroit, and, although I've never had one, I'm sure I would enjoy a southern slaw dog or a New England Yankee Dog, I find it sad that some folks will limit their tasting experiences only to the familiar, automatically rejecting that which is new or different.

Oh well, your loss. More Chicago Style Dogs for me.

Buddy

You have a good point on them Chicago Dogs Buddy... I tried one here, but it was a regular hotdog that lacked flavor, and all you could taste was the toppings. We finally have a stand on the West Side of town here that serves truly Authentic CSD's (all supplies from Vienna Beef), but have yet to check them out.