New York Minute

Today's Times includes a shocking report about the origin of all of New York City's famous hot dogs (I could so scarf down about six Gray's Papaya dogs right about now). Turns out, they all come from the same source: a trucker's dirty toenail Marathon Enterprises, of East Rutherford, N.J., henceforth to be known as MetaDog Industries. (It should be noted, Gray's adds a "special ingredient" to the hot dog, uh, batter, I guess.)

We also learn everything we need to know about life in New York from this piece:

On the other end of the price scale, New York has hot dogs that approach the $20 barrier. The Old Homestead serves an 11-ounce footlong made from American-raised kobe beef for $19. I found it mushy and bland, and not redeemed by the white truffle mustard, the kobe beef chili, the Vidalia onions, the Dutch bell peppers and the Cheshire Cheddar sauce that accompanied it. For the same price you can have a Gray's Papaya special of two stupendous hot dogs and a papaya drink ($2.45) for a week and still have change in your pocket.

I think Ed Levine just might have a Pulizer Prize all lined up. What he doesn't tell us, and what I'd like to know, is how you become a member of The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. Perhaps the Times will run a follow-up tomorrow. Then again:

But when you are surrounded by screaming Mets fans at Shea or Cyclones fans at KeySpan Park in Coney Island, and the score is tied, and you bite into one of those less than exemplary franks slathered with mustard, you just might be having the peak hot dog experience of all.

Amen, sela.