Chicago Hot Dogs – Daniel Pinkwater

If you don’t know “Chicago Hot Dogs,” this wonderful essay on Chicago dogs, memory, and the role of food, you are in for a treat. And if you don’t know Daniel Pinkwater, get ahold of some of his books; I suggest The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death or Alan Mendelsohn, The Boy from Mars. If you have young kids at home, find Wempires, or The Frankenbagel Monster, which both include some fine--or at least fun--food writing. A man who enjoys food and enjoys writing about it is our author, and you will thank me for turning you on.

The essay begins with a poem:

With rue my heart is laden
For golden fries I had,
For many a Polish sausage
When I was a Chicago lad.

Not Shakespeare, but we can all deeply appreciate the sentiment. I am resisting quoting more because the piece needs to be read as a whole (it’s not long).

It's working like a high-speed deluxe Psychoanalysis, with the option of grilled onions.

Daniel Pinkwater is the best. It is impossible to say too many good things about him. If you have children and you are not reading them his books, or giving them his books to read, you are committing child abuse.

The link above didn't work for me. If it doesn't for you either, other readers, try this:
http://www.pinkwater.com/chicago-hot-dogs/

Pie Lady wrote:The link above didn't work for me. If it doesn't for you either, other readers, try this:
http://www.pinkwater.com/chicago-hot-dogs/

Huh. My link works for me but yours doesn't. Definitely worth trying multiple links in order to read.

The essay can also be found here, in case anyone is having further trouble with the links.

EvA wrote:If you don’t know “Chicago Hot Dogs,” this wonderful essay on Chicago dogs, memory, and the role of food, you are in for a treat.

This link doesn't work.

Pie Lady wrote:The link above didn't work for me. If it doesn't for you either, other readers, try this:
http://www.pinkwater.com/chicago-hot-dogs/

This link works. Makes me wonder whether the first link is subscriber-only.

ASOChicago wrote:The essay can also be found here, in case anyone is having further trouble with the links.

This link also works, though the person who did the site design doesn't understand the concept of eyestrain.

I grew up relishing! the works of Pinkwater. Great to see him getting some recognition on LTH. Not terribly foodcentric, but my favorite is The Worms of Kukumlima; an inquisitive boy, an odd "uncle," and a trip to the wilds of Africa, throw in giant, intelligent earthworms and what's more to like?