Mary Giuliani's charming memoir,
Tiny Hot Dogs,weaves together a collection of hilariously relatable essays detailing her winding path through makeshift kitchens and catering gigs to wind up at the center of the party.
With an easy, natural storytelling sensibility, Mary recounts her path to becoming one of New York City's most high-profile food entrepreneurs, dubbed "Caterer to the Stars" by the press, as she counts gleaming trays of pigs in a blanket as a crucial ingredient in her recipe for success, in building both a business and a family.
Beginning with a totally normal childhood spent with her loving and deeply overprotective Italian family in an all-Jewish enclave on Long Island, we see a self-proclaimed "outsider" trying to fit in. Mary shares the twists and turns that land her in an unexpected catering job, for which she is perfectly suited (even though she has dreams of the stage). Her side gig turns out to be unexpectedly fulfilling, and changes her life.
In growing into her catering career, Mary walks through hilarious celebrity encounters, devastating personal losses, and a hard-scrabble climb to success, through which she maintains a tight hold on her
optimism and entirely relatable nature. Though she easily moves in and out of star-studded circles and has earned the trust and loyalty of New York's high-rolling class, she remains the same self-deprecating Catholic girl from New Jersey who wants nothing more than to have a bat mitzvah like all her friends.
The reader cannot help rooting for "the girl with the tiny hot dogs," excited to see where each shiny, silvery tray of hors d'oeuvres takes her next. As joyful observers, we ultimately revel in her realization that
serving the gang instead of
joining them may just be one of life's greatest recipes.
Industry Reviews
"Celebrity caterer and writer Mary Guiliani's 'memoir in small bites' delivers heartwarming moments and some serious laughs with endearing anecdotes from her life. After reading Guiliani's entire journey, you'll feel like you've made a hilarious new friend-and you'll find yourself craving some of the recipes inside."---Maggie Maloney, Associate Digital Editor, Town & Country
How many culinary memoirs - heck, how many memoirs - frame their narrative through the lens of Steve Martin's The Jerk? If that weren't enough, the rest of Tiny Hot Dogs proves celebrity caterer Mary Giuliani is truly one of a kind... Tiny Hot Dogs is infused with Giuliani's quirky style and humor, as are the recipes peppered throughout.---Tyler Aquilina, for Entertainment Weekly
"'Tiny Hot Dogs: A Memoir in Small Bites' is told with genuine humor and storytelling reminiscent of Nora Ephron....offers the kind of moments that make readers smile, laugh, and most of all, remember what it's like trying to make your way in the world."--Sweet Paul
"Giuliani has chutzpah to spare in these life-filled, rib-sticking (and-tickling) stories."--Booklist
"What makes 'Tiny Hot Dogs' a fun read is her down-to-earth, pinch-me mindset as she brushes shoulders with the rich and famous while feeding them her beloved pigs in a blanket, aka Tiny Hot Dogs."--The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"Giuliani (The Cocktail Party) hilariously recounts her evolution from a girl with 'one eyebrow' in a Long Island household that 'couldn't be more Italian if we tried' into a successful caterer to the stars who appears on television with Rachael Ray and Ina Garten.... Giuliani's entertaining memoir is packed with satisfying stories and recipes that readers will guiltily enjoy."--Publishers Weekly
"Mary Giuliani is not a name: it is a promise. Like a guarantee on the box, her name attached to an event, a book, a menu, a meal, is a golden ticket to good times. Mary makes me smile, laugh, cry happy tears, and she always leaves me hungry for more of her wisdom, her humor, and her stories. I raise my glass in a toast to the hostess with the mostest to celebrate this, her most personal, touching, and delicious work yet!"---Rachael Ray
"No one tells a story like Mary Giuliani and she does it with great recipes, too! To read her deeply personal memoir is to feel that you've connected with a dear friend who's thoughtful, funny, and truly unique. I love this book!"---Ina Garten
