Talk to Focus on Hot Dog Culture

Though best known as a professor, Bruce C. Kraig could arguably be called the utmost expert on hot dogs in the country—if not the world.
His latest book on the quintessential American snack is “Man Bites Dog,” and he will be speaking on the topic at the Palisades Branch Library at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. Hot dog lovers of all ages are welcome.
Kraig’s earlier book, “Hot Dog: A Global History,” provided a broad view; “Man Bites Dog” focuses more on the pop culture aspect.
The Chicago resident is professor emeritus of history at Roosevelt University and has written 13 books, including cookbooks.
A pre-history expert, Kraig says that the earliest encased meat can be traced back to the Paleolithic era. “Native people routinely buried food,” he told the Palisadian-Post.
According to Kraig, “Hot dogs descend from several kinds of German sausages,” which were popular before the rise of the hot dog, and began to garnish attention in the early part of the 20th century at baseball parks, street carts and other locations.
Kraig spoke about his earliest hot dog memory. “It was after World War II, and there was a big crowd at Nathan’s” on Coney Island. He had a simple dog with mustard. He later learned that Nathan Handwerker “would go to Long Island and pick out potatoes himself,” and created the crinkle-cut fries that are now widely popular.
Kraig notes that the love of hot dogs cuts across socioeconomic distinctions, and that people always seem happy when they’re standing around a hot dog stand. Eating hot dogs is “a communal thing,” he says.
Despite the moniker as one of the most health-conscious cities anywhere, Los Angeles ranks as number-one in hot dogs consumed in the nation. Americans eat more hot dogs than anyone else.
While plain hot dogs remain popular, other favorites include the classic New York (mustard, chopped onions, sauerkraut, red-onion sauce); Chicago (natural casing, steamed bun, neon-green relish, pickle spears, chopped onions, sport peppers); and Coney, which is not from Coney Island, but Detroit (also called a chili dog).
Kraig prefers the Chicago, but admits that his hot dog-eating days are mostly behind him. “I really like them, but I rarely eat them. There’s just so much salt you want to have in your diet, and they really are filling.”
“Man Bites Dog” features photographs by Patty Carroll, some of which will be shown at the library lecture, which is presented by the Culinary Historians of Southern California.