It's Finally Here.

pub day for The Hot Dog Cookbook.

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Hard to believe this book is finally out in the world. It feels like I’ve been working on it forever…and at the same time, I still want to add more. I’ll be honest, I’ve had some anxiety around it, mostly because everyone has an opinion about hot dogs.

Which is also what makes them great.

Everyone has their go-to spot, their preferred toppings, even their favorite kind of dog. That’s what I love—and what I tried to capture here. The book dives into all of that, but at its core, it’s really a celebration of the many styles you can find around the world.

Take the choripán in Argentina: chorizo on grilled, crusty bread with tomato salsa and chimichurri, usually eaten ahead of an asado. Or the corn dog, which traces back to Rockaway Beach, Oregon, where it started with more of a pancake-like batter before evolving into the cornmeal version we know and love from fairs and boardwalks.

There are also a few recipes where I let my imagination run a bit, like a Chesapeake Bay–style dog inspired by a crab boil (jumbo lump crab, apple cider vinegar, Old Bay), or a sausage sizzle dog, a nod to my time in New Zealand, served on white bread with marmite-y onions.

I geek out about different types of sausages and hot dogs, the history of buns, even where the name “hot dog” comes from.

It’s a fun book, and I’m really happy to finally share it, even if part of me already wants to add a hundred more styles, stands, and stories.

I hope you’ll celebrate the beauty of the hot dog with me. Grab a copy for yourself, and maybe one for a friend.

Also, it’s Tuesday, which for many means tacos (I know, I know). But since there is a hot dog taco in the book, it felt only right to share it here.

Recipe below. And if you haven’t picked up a copy yet, now’s the time. If you already have, thank you.

Honestly, I might as well rename this newsletter: You Are the Best.

TACO TUESDAY DOGS

Forget the old “is a hot dog a sandwich?” debate. I dare to ask, could a hot dog be a taco? (It’s not so crazy: In Guatemala, they serve their hot dogs in corn tortillas, where they’re known as mixtas.) Here we top dogs with a spiced ground beef mixture and the Taco Tuesday fixings of your dreams.

for the ground beef filling:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound (450 grams) ground beef
1½ teaspoons garlic salt
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons onion powder
1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

for the tacos and hot dogs:
8 hard taco shells
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1 can (16 ounces/453 grams) refried beans
8 hot dogs
8 ounces (225 grams) shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 cup (90 grams) shredded iceberg lettuce (about ¼ head)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
½ cup (120 grams) sour cream

1. Make the filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the pieces with the back of a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic salt, cumin, onion powder, paprika, coriander, and cayenne and cook for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup (120 ml) of water and bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes more, then season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

2. Make the tacos and hot dogs: Heat the oven to 325°F. Place the hard taco shells in one layer on a sheet pan. Wrap the flour tortillas in aluminum foil. Place the sheet pan and wrapped tortillas in the oven and bake until the hard shells are crisp, 6 to 7 minutes, and the flour tortillas are warmed through. Keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, warm the refried beans over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 8 minutes. Keep warm.

4. Make the hot dogs: Cook the hot dogs using whatever method you choose.

5. To assemble, spread about 2 tablespoons of the refried beans onto one side of each flour tortilla. Place the hot dog in the hard shell and place it on one half of the flour tortilla. Fold the other half over the exposed side of the hard shell (the refried beans act as a glue to hold the two shells together). Top the hot dog with the ground beef mixture, then sprinkle with some of the shredded cheese. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream, and serve.