From awkward schoolgirl to Caterer to the Stars, Mary Giuliani weaves together a collection of hilarious memories, from professional growing pains to her long journey to motherhood, never losing her sense of humor and her love for everyone's favorite party food, pigs in a blanket. Mary's utterly unremarkable childhood was everything she didn't want: hailing from a deeply loving yet overprotective Italian family in an all-Jewish enclave on Long Island. All she wanted was to fit in (be Jewish) and become famous (specifically a cast member on Saturday Night Live). With an easy, natural storytelling sensibility, Mary shares her journey from a cosseted childhood home to the stage and finally to the party, accidentally landing what she now refers to as "the breakthrough role of a lifetime" catering to a glittery list of stars she once hoped to be part of herself. Fresh, personal, and full of Mary's humorous, self-deprecating, and can-do attitude against all odds, you'll want to see where each shiny silver tray of hors d'oeuvres takes her next. You never know when the humble hot dog will be a crucial ingredient in the recipe for success, in building a business or simply making life more delicious.

Musa has the perfect idea for his special Jummah treat, but things don't go according to plan. Will Musa be able to get a yummy Jummah treat for his family? Every Friday after Jummah prayer at the masjid, Musa's family has a special Jummah treat. They take turns picking out what the treat will be, but recently the choices have been . . . interesting. Week one, Mama made molokhia. It's perfect for sharing, but gives us molokhia teeth for days! Week two, Baba burned the kufte kebabs on the grill. Week three, Seedi made his favorite riz b'haleeb-creamy rice pudding with pistachio sprinkled on top with an unexpected ingredient. Last week, Maryam brought jellybeans. . . . Finally, it's Musa's turn to pick, and he picks his favorite-halal hot dogs! But actually getting to eat this deliciousness turns into a journey riddled with obstacles. Will he ever get his favorite tasty treat?

Char-grilled or boiled? Sauerkraut or chili? Mustard or ketchup? Vienna Beef or Sabrett? Only these questions could be raised about one of the world’s favorite backyard, picnic, ballgame, and street foods—the hotdog. Though nearly two billion hot dogs are consumed by Americans annually in the month of July alone, there is absolutely no consensus on which is the right way to serve up a hotdog. In Hot Dog, well known food historian Bruce Kraig recounts the history of this popular “tube steak” from the origin of the sausage 20,000 years ago to its central place in American culture today. Kraig discusses the many brands, including Hebrew National, Pearl, Sabrett, and Vienna Beef, and the regional variations that go along with them—like kosher-style New York dogs loaded with mustard and sauerkraut, New England dogs with Boston Baked Beans, and fully-loaded Chicago style hotdogs, complete with mustard, onion, relish, sport peppers, a dill pickle spear, a dash of celery salt, and tomato slices (but never, ever ketchup). Hot Dog covers the other international sausages, like bologna and bockwurst, as well, and explores some of the apocryphal tales of the hotdog in history—like the origin of its name and whether Queen Elizabeth II was truly served hotdogs on a visit to the White House. Packed with tasty facts and recipes, Hot Dog reveals the rich history and passionate opinions about this seemingly ordinary food.

In June 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were the guests of Franklin D. Roosevelt at his country estate in Hyde Park, New York State. The meeting, coming at a time when Britain desperately needed American help in the looming conflict with Germany, was front-page news on both sides of the Atlantic and imbued with huge political significance.The royal visit - which culminated in the picnic the President hosted for his guests in the grounds of his home - saw the King sipping cocktails and sampling that most "e;democratic"e; of foods, the humble hot dog, to the fascination of American newspapers. In his new book, Peter Conradi recreates the backdrop to this event, analysing its political context, the media's reaction and the colourful personal life of its protagonists. The result is a lively and riveting account of a defining moment in recent world history.

When the Saulnier sisters suffer one disappointment too many in their native France, they decide to pack up and try their luck in America. As journalists they have the run of the country, following stories that take them to places where most Americans have never been—from the back roads of Appalachia to an underground village of homeless people in the New York City subway system. Tight on time, and even tighter on budget, the Saulnier sisters slid easily into a drive-thru diet. Along the way they dined on: • Nathan’s Famous hot dogs at the annual hot dog eating contest in Coney Island • Snapping Turtle Soup as prepared by the Native American elders of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe • Cheesy Grits from the Armadillo Diner in Texas • And Burgers, burgers, burgers everywhere! As the Saulnier sisters adopted the American way of eating, their relationship to food shortly changes; they soon gain weight—and lose their self-esteem. This new diet is especially hard on Victorine, who temporarily abandons her vegetarianism. It’s not until they meet a couple running an organic farm in upstate New York that they realize how far they’ve strayed from their native food values—and learn that you can eat well in America, too.

From the creator of the bestselling series The Last Kids on Earth! In this second installment of Cosmoe’s wild space adventures, the fearless hot-dog-selling crew take their wares to the circus only to discover things are not as they seem! Nothing goes better with the circus than a good wiener! So, when Neon Wiener is offered a position as the official food cart for Crostini’s Cosmic Carnival and Wonder Circus Train, Humphree is over the moon. Cosmoe feels more skeptical that the offer may be too good to be true, but after he unexpectedly demonstrates incredible monster-taming skills in a heroic display, he’s hooked. The circus-goers can’t get enough Galactic Hot Dogs, and between the death-defying acts and highly unusual employees, the carnival offers endless entertainment for Cosmoe, Humphree, and Princess Dagger. But they soon discover there’s more to the glitz and showmanship than meets the eye—in fact, the hot-dog-loving crew may be in more danger than ever before. And getting to the bottom of the circus’s secrets may mean confronting Cosmoe’s troubled past.

From the creator of the bestselling series The Last Kids on Earth! Cosmoe, Princess Dagger, Humphree, and the gang are back for another swashbuckling space adventure in this third book in the Galactic Hot Dog series. It’s like deja vu all over again (and again and again) when Cosmoe is taken hostage by a space pirate with links to the hot dog seller’s early days in space. Humphree’s past also comes to light as the events of two friends’ first days on the Neon Wiener are revealed. And the farther they go down memory lane, the more apparent it becomes that this pirate has landed them in a galaxy of danger.