“They were really something!” They all agreed that the largest number of foreigners were from France and Germany, exemplified by the two couples who came in during our conversation, one each from those countries. But there are also “lots of Japanese” and “busloads of English.” Mel chuckled as he recalled a group of English tourists boarding their bus, “This guy said to me, ‘I can’t understand your government.’” Mel shook his head, “I just said, ‘well neither can we.’” The Waldmires have lost count of the articles that have been written about the Cozy Dog. There was a recent one in National Geographic Magazine. And, “Oh, yeah, there was that one from Finland not too long ago.”
Cameras and recording equipment aren’t unfamiliar either. But when the Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food” crew came, it was a new level. “We’ve had a lot of independent filmmakers here,” says Josh. “But these guys were the most organized I’ve ever seen. And there were too many of them to count.”
When I first saw the show’s advertisements, I thought they were tacky. “Hey, Bourdain — mine are bigger!!” shouts the show’s star, Adam Richman. “Bourdain” is Anthony Bourdain, who in his highly acclaimed “No Reservation” show explores food customs in the U.S. and around the world. (My interview with Bourdain is in the 5/30/07 IT issue, available online).
“Mine are bigger” refers to each episode’s climax, in which Richman eats gargantuan quantities. It’s an exercise in excess that I find off-putting. In a recent episode he attempted to down a 12 lb. hamburger (plus several pounds of fries) — a step up from an earlier show which featured only a 7½ lb. burger.
That said, I appreciate “Man v. Food” showcasing American “iconic eateries,” of which the Cozy Dog is surely one. Fortunately at the Cozy Dog, the show focused on its legendary status; the climax was seeing how many bowls of “Firebrand Chili” Richman could consume at Joe Roger’s. The Cozy Dog filming lasted from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It was a tiring day, but the Waldmires agreed with the show’s crew that Richman was “one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.”
The Route 66 tourists are an important reason that The Cozy Dog continues to flourish. But the Cozy Dog isn’t a tourist trap. The Route 66 connection isn’t merely superficial: Bob Waldmire (Ed’s other son) is an historian and artist who’s made recording America’s national highway in words and drawing his life’s work, which can be seen and purchased there. Though he now mostly lives in Arizona, if you’re as lucky as I was recently, he’ll be back home (“in my office”), ready with a tale — or two or three — about the road he loves.
The other reason the Cozy Dog has stood the test of time is that it’s remained true to itself. For the most part, the food is the same as at Ed Waldmire’s first Cozy Dog in the 1940s: It’s not fancy, but the “crusty curs” are as I remember from childhood. They mix their own chilli spices, and cook the meat and the beans traditionally: separately. They even still spell it with two ‘ll’s, an even more exclusively Springfield tradition that has sadly been abandoned by even Joe Roger’s. The fries are cut in house from fresh, skin-on potatoes, and sprinkled with a specially-made seasoned salt. The salt, chilli powder, and cornmeal batter mix are all available for purchase.
That’s what keeps the regulars regular. “I’m here at least twice a day,” says Mel. “It’s the best food in Springfield,” nods Claude in agreement.
Contact Julianne Glatz at [email protected].
