The Great American Hot Dog Book

I found this book on the Sale Rack at a local Book Store. Regular $14.99 for $6.95. Must not have been a big seller!. The Sub-title is "Recipes & Side Dishes from Across America". Written by Becky Mercuri, whoever she is?? Published by Gibbs Smith Publisher.
 
In the Acknowledgements she recognizes Holly Moore of hollyeats.com, Jane & Michael Stern, roadfood.com. AND our own "Dean of Dogs", JOHN FOX, as major sources of info for the book.
 
So many of the places we've discussed here are in the book along with the regular HIGHLY publicized places like Pinks, Papaya King, Teds, Skyline Chili, The Varsity, Rutts Hut, etc.
 
I found the most interesting part of the book to be Chapter 1. "The Real Story of the American Hot Dog: Debunking the Urban Legands." The author used the research of several Scholars and Food History Experts to make her points. For example- "Tad' Dorgan, a sportswriter & cartoonist is credited with coining the term, "Hot Dog". Not True! It was actually coined by some students at Yale.
 
The book has some good recipes and interesting stories about the history and the growth of the industry. Definitely worth my $6.95, (+Tax) investment!

Thanks for the tip!!!

I snaggged this bio about the author from a website that is supposed to go dark tonight:

Becky Mercuri, has been a contributing editor for Cookbook Collectors Exchange, a nationally distributed newsletter, for seven years. She was the editor of a popular food and travel column for the Wellsville Daily Reporter in western New York. An accomplished cook who has gathered recipes throughout the world, Becky is a contributing member to several organizations and their national newsletters, an avid student of culinary history, a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, and a well-respected food and travel writer based in New York State.

Several of us ordered that book back when John Fox posted about it coming out. Very interesting stuff.

David_NYC


I snaggged this bio about the author from a website that is supposed to go dark tonight:

Becky Mercuri, has been a contributing editor for Cookbook Collectors Exchange, a nationally distributed newsletter, for seven years. She was the editor of a popular food and travel column for the Wellsville Daily Reporter in western New York. An accomplished cook who has gathered recipes throughout the world, Becky is a contributing member to several organizations and their national newsletters, an avid student of culinary history, a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, and a well-respected food and travel writer based in New York State.

THANX! for the info. I should have researched the Author myself, but glad you did it for us. She sounds very credible. 

Foodbme


...I found the most interesting part of the book to be Chapter 1. "The Real Story of the American Hot Dog: Debunking the Urban Legands." The author used the research of several Scholars and Food History Experts to make her points. For example- "Tad' Dorgan, a sportswriter & cartoonist is credited with coining the term, "Hot Dog". Not True! It was actually coined by some students at Yale.
 

Are they responsible too for coining the term "za"  for pizza too???

"Za" made its way into the Official Scrabble Word List and Dictionary a couple of years, back much to my and others surprise and chagrin.

BTW the National Scrabble Tournament is starting today in Dayton OH:

http://www.daytondailynews.com/entertainment/dayton-events-things-to-do/scrabble-tourney-this-weekend-at-convention-center-225426.html

I picked up that book when it first came out and really enjoyed it. It's very well written.

Dave