Tom Junod Is a Waffle House Regular

"He was famous for it. It was, 'Oh my god, Dad's gonna make his spaghetti and clam sauce. Have you ever tasted Dad's spaghetti and clam sauce?' It wasn't until later, though, that he realized it was actually 'made' by tossing two cans of Progresso clam sauce into spaghetti. When Junod was finally able to say, 'Hey Dad, this is just canned clam sauce,' his father responded without missing a beat: 'Better than homemade.'"

"He had a way of dressing, had a way of talking, had a way of eating, had a way of everything that was his own. It's that kind of gangster-movie-inspired charisma that made Junod want to write about him."

"While in the city on his press tour, his friends convinced him to meet at the type of steakhouse that Lou likely frequented back when 52nd Street was full of jazz clubs. He overindulged in steak and drinks, in a way that felt fitting for the process of understanding his father: 'Utterly delicious, but sort of nauseating.'"

Magazine writer Tom Junod recalls his father Lou's famous spaghetti and clam sauce, which was actually made from two cans of Progresso sauce. When Junod confronted his father about this, Lou confidently claimed it was better than homemade, displaying the charisma and confidence that inspired Junod to write about him. Junod's reported memoir, In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man, explores his relationship with his late, beloved but complicated father. The memoir details Lou's distinctive style and personality. During his press tour, Junod visited a steakhouse reminiscent of places his father frequented, indulging in food and drinks as part of understanding his father's influence.

Read at Grub Street