Thumann's

Here we go again. I ranted, some months ago, about the fried dogs I had at Rutt's and other places. I assumed that it was the frying that made them so unpalatable.

A friend of mine gave me a couple of huge dogs, 4's, that she'd been raving about for months. She said her husband bought them at Hay Day, (which by now may be Balducci's) in Westport.

I took them home and grilled them on my old cast-iron skillet. To me, they were awful. I found out that they're Thumann's pork and beef. My taste is for the chewier texture and the stronger seasoning of Kosher dogs.

Another tidbit. My kid, who really knows food, and has a much better palate than I do, had a little picnic two weeks ago. He bought Boar's Head and Sabrett's at the Stop n Shop near his campus. Didn't much care for the Boar's Head, which surprised me, since I'm a big fan of their coldcuts, which nothing comes close to in my opinion. But he loved the Sabrett's, cooked on a charcoal grill. John Fox has noted several times that Katz's deli serves a dog from Sabrett, or, more properly, Marathon, and to me it's about the best dog in town. That's the way we're going to go when we open our place.

So all of you who choose the pork/beef dog, eat hearty and enjoy, with my blessings. And if you want to see the other side of the argument, head up to Yonkers in a couple of months.

And thanks again to John, a voice of reason and knowledge. I tip my cap.

Scallion1,

You hit the nail on the head as far as the main differences go when it comes to hot dogs. Spicier all beef or milder beef and pork. Sabrett and Thumann's are 2 of the best examples of quality hot dogs. Many people I know think that Thumann's is garbage simply because they are used to and grew up on kosher style all beef. They either don't like or are not used to pork in a hot dog. And then there are people who don't like paprika/garlic and can't stomach Sabrett.

I happen to like both styles. Last week I had a frank from a German butcher shop next to a Sabrett. Both cooked on my griddle. Both wonderful. At that particular time I couldn't say which I liked better. At any given time it depends on my mood. I've found that if I eat a lot of one type, I get sick of it and crave the other.

The Thumann's dog you had was more than likely the skinless quarter pounder. In fact, I think that they make a quarter pounder with casing only for Rosco's in Connecticut. The best Thumann's dog, in my opinion, is the natural casing 6 to a lb in the blue package. And the best way of preparing them is on a flat griddle. This method of cooking works well with the soft casing and juicy interior of this particular dog. But again, if you don't care for this style, then you probably won't like this dog.

Sabrett is one of my favorite dogs. I like the smaller ones (10 to a lb) served at Papaya King and Gray's in N.Y. I don't get to the city often, but sometimes I go to Boulevard Drinks in Jersey City which serves a small 12 to a lb Sabrett cooked on the griddle. Katz's has a slightly larger dog, but the casing isn't as taut on this one. And sometimes they are underdone there. If I want the 10's, I buy them at Restaurant Depot and cook them on the griddle. Or boil them if I'm in a hurry. On a charcoal or gas grill, I think Best's natural casing franks taste even better than Sabrett. You might want to consider these dogs. Either way, I'll think you'll do well.

I haven't been to Yonkers, but the closer you are to the city, the more people like and are used to all beef hot dogs.

You might want to check next Wednesday's New York Times Dining Section. Word is that there will be an article about New York Hot Dogs