Ode to Sabrett's

The "street dog" rivals the pizza slice as the ideal, on-the-go snack or meal. One dog is a snack, two is a meal, and three...well, you better not have any plans for the next hour or so.

In New York, a hot dog from a street vendor is a quick, inexpensive, tasty and nutritious dining option. (OK, it's probably not nutritious). But many people do eat them. I used to get mine on Park Avenue and 48th Street, on the west side of the avenue. Operating a hot dog wagon is a busy business. Out here on the West Coast, I assume that it would be a lonely business. If anyone knows of any wagons out here, please let me know.

Kevin Morrow, long lost Brother (Phi Alpha) and friend of David Gewant's, turned me on to the following site, bringing the Lower East Side to your own home. http://www.foodsofnewyork.com/index.html

Get your Sabrett's right here! A great idea for when you have friends over to watch the Yankees play in the World Series (oh, like they won't be in it?) Nothing like a nice knish to balance out the meal. Cold beer as the required beverage.

Sabrett's, for those of you who don't know, are the quintessential New York street hot dog. They are pretty thin, pretty long, and nice and meaty. There's a bit of a snap when you bite in, and they are moderately seasoned. They are boiled, cooking for hours in a curious seasoned broth (OK, let's not go there). I prefer them with mustard, ketchup and relish, but that's a very personal thing.

I don't know from knishes. I've had about five or ten in my life. The first bite is tasty, but it gets heavy quickly. But what does a WASP know about knishes? I assume the ones offered on the above website are to knishes what Sabrett's are to hot dogs: the real deal.