In a blog post which asks the question "What foods suit your favorite crime writers?" I mentioned that for Nero Wolfe it would have to be saucisse minuit (referenced in Too Many Cooks). The following exchange of comments then occurred:
Peter (the blogger): "I would expect Archie to have contemplated suggesting a street-corner hot dog just to see Wolfe's reaction.Linkmeister: Now that's interesting, Peter. I don't think a street vendor appears anywhere in the Wolfe stories. Was NYC that much different in the 40s and 50s, I wonder, or did Stout just enjoy having Archie always try to make it home for Fritz's lunches? AG often appears in diners eating pie, but I don't recall a grab n' go hot dog or pretzel at all.
So my question is, when did street food carts first start appearing in NYC?
Posted by Linkmeister at May 4, 2009 09:31 AM | TrackBackI have a copy of the Rex Stout Cookbook, which has a recipe for saucisse minuit (something I've wanted to try since I first read Too Many Cooks). Sadly, I never seem to have the requisite cold roast pheasant in my refrigerator to start the recipe.
There were certainly hot dog carts in the sixties ("Let's dine al fresco" - Max Bialystock). and I'm pretty sure they were around a long time before that. Plus Archie probably had hot dogs at the Polo Grounds going back to the thirties.
The thing Archie usually seems to order when he's on his own are sandwiches (ham or corned beef) and a glass of mike.
Posted by: DXMachina at May 4, 2009 11:06 AM