The Detroit News 10/21/14, 11:27 PM

The Detroit coney war isn't over | The Detroit News 10/21/14, 11:27 PM

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Home Opinion Columnists Neal Rubin Photo gallery AUGUST 31, 2010 AT 4:22 PM A look back at Detroit's coney Neal Rubin rivalry: American vs. Lafayette The Detroit coney war isn't over 'Food Wars' judge gets jeered and sneered over choice of which coney is best NEAL RUBIN 1 COMMENTS

Hot dogs from the kitchen of American Coney Island in downtown Detroit. (Travel Channel photos)

To those people who are questioning Annabel Cohen's sanity and her  Print patriotism, who are asking what the heck she knows about hot dogs, and  A A  who jeered her after the taping or lambasted her on the radio after "Food Wars" finally aired, please be advised: ADVERTISEMENT

She loves Lafayette Coney Island. She had her first date with her future ex- husband there. Compared to rival American Coney Island, she much prefers Lafayette's ambience and attitude, with the sharing of tables and the FEATURED JOBS THIS WEEK obscure code the waiters holler in the general direction of the cook. Zoom

Cohen (Travel Channel Tool & Die Positions Welders/MIG At crunch time, though -- when her teeth snapped through the casings of the photos) Richard Tool & Die wieners, and she had carefully, thoughtfully, expertly considered the merits Detroit , MI Howell, MI of each chili -- she preferred the coneys from neighboring American. See Also http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20100831/OPINION03/8310338 Page 1 of 4 The Detroit coney war isn't over | The Detroit News 10/21/14, 11:27 PM

That's how she voted on the Travel Channel last week, when she broke a 2- Chicago's new import: Coney islands 2 tie and anointed American the grand champion dog on its stretch of Field Service Technician Software Engineer Lafayette Boulevard in downtown Detroit. GT Independance Control-Tec, LLC More columns by Neal Detroit, MI Allen Park, MI Rubin

From the reaction, you would think she had voted to give the United States A look back at back to England. Detroit's coney rivalry: American vs. PREVIOUS NEXT Lafayette "Lafayette is IT!" "Lafayette is the one." "Lafayette all the way." "That's a IN PARTNERSHIP WITH: travesty." And those are the responses on Facebook, from her friends and More Neal Rubin relatives. Air museum to drop Recruiters, showcase your positions here. 'Yankee' as it flies The barest of acquaintances have tracked her down to say, "I can't believe toward new era you did that." A traveling companion reached out from Italy: "You blew it." John Lennon, Warren Zevon — the many "People are acting like I'm a terrorist," says Cohen, 49, of Bloomfield faces of artist, ad Township. Fortunately, she has fully matured senses of humor and self- exec Tom Maniaci worth. But it strikes her that "I was like Michael Vick, practically -- I treated Gov. Snyder as you've dogs bad." never heard him before

A devoted fan 5-year-old teaches Truth is, Cohen would never mistreat a hot dog. Devour it, yes. She's a mother a lesson devoted fan. Powerless and waiting after Detroit area A gourmet chef, food writer and former caterer, she has traveled the world in storm search of adventure and new cuisine. When American-style brunch became After losing son, ex- all the rage in Italy a few years back, a restaurant company whisked her Lions QB Eric Hipple battles against across the Atlantic to teach puzzled cooks the secrets of Belgian waffles and depression, suicide French toast. Neal Rubin: Mark Ridley gets serious Wherever she goes, she says, she eats hot dogs. In Switzerland last about his heart attack October, "all I did was eat these enormous sausages."

Italy, India, Indonesia: "It's never an expensive meal, and every country has their version of it."

Back home, she parks an authentic New York hot dog cart in her garage. "I like them all different ways," she says, with onions or ketchup or Chicago style or with a homemade Brazilian pepper sauce. "Sometimes I eat them naked. I go commando."

Small wonder that when the other judges were deadlocked and the host of "Food Wars" intoned that it would all come down to Cohen, she simply said, "As well it should."

The taste-off The show was taped in March and was every bit as artificial as most reality television. Producers recruited cheering sections for each restaurant, and packed everyone into an upstairs room at a Greektown bar for the taste-off.

Cohen likes to joke that she's 5-foot-3 each way. On a panel with tall, slender WDIV-TV (Channel 4) anchor Carmen Harlan, who was wearing heels, "I looked like I was standing in a hole."

Judges were blindfolded, and only when the show aired did Cohen realize she was the only one who finished both dogs.

Each was splendid, she says, but what turned out to be the American entry had a bit sweeter frank, with slightly spicier and markedly creamier chili.

The choice was as easy, Cohen says, as the response has been emphatic.

If it helps ease the pain of the losing fan base, Lafayette is still where she'd take out-of-towners, just for the show. And for those who aren't mollified, get http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20100831/OPINION03/8310338 Page 2 of 4 The Detroit coney war isn't over | The Detroit News 10/21/14, 11:27 PM

over it.

"I just call 'em as I eat 'em," Cohen says, and at the end of the day -- or at 2:30 a.m., after the bars close -- they're only hot dogs.

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Tom Tom · I.T TROUBLE SHOOTER at Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Worlds best coney is always Flint coney. People come from all over the world for ﬂint coneys Reply · Like · 1 · May 7, 2013 at 12:24am

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