Pets & Their People features ‘how we met’ vignettes of dogs and their humans, uncovering the particulars of this unique relationship, from touching adoption tales to outlandish quirks.
Molly Baz is Bon Appetit’s Senior Food Editor. She lives in a Greenpoint, BK apartment with her husband and their pet dog (not fish), Tuna. Wild One dropped by for lunch to chat about Molly's cookbook-to-be, why she desperately needed a Weiner dog, and the 15+ movie theaters Tuna has visited in her Wild One Carrier.
Wild One: When did you decide you needed a dog?
Molly Baz: The idea really took shape while on my honeymoon in Portugal. I’d wanted a Weenie for a long time and my husband kept suggesting we hold off, worried about how stressful the NYC environment can be. One day, while sitting by the pool, he blurted out “I think we’re ready for a dog.” I’m pretty sure he was just high on life at the time, but I immediately started crying tears of joy. There was no going back. We returned from our honeymoon and immediately began searching.
WO: Why did you want a Weiner dog specifically?
MB: I like a silly, exaggerated looking dog that can only really be considered a cartoon character. They make me giggle. Now that I have one Weenie, I think I want 12 of them, six on each arm. Can’t you picture it?!
WO: How did you land on the name Tuna?
MB: We wanted her name to be food related. My job was part of the inspiration, but mainly my husband and I just really get a kick out of pets named after food. We had a long list of potential names - “omelette” and “kugel” were both contenders. We found ourselves unpacking from the Portugal trip, which involved unloading a suitcase filled with tins of fish because we love canned tuna and they do it well there. It was then that we realized it’s the perfect dog name. We had also conceptualized our dog-to-be on our honeymoon, so it all came together nicely.
WO: How do you guys spend time together?
MB: My husband and I take Tuna everywhere we go. I promise I was not paid to say this, but Wild One’s carrier truly makes that possible for us. Tuna lives in it, and has been living in it since we got her. She treats it like her personal little safe haven. We have it in black, which has a super discreet look, and people simply think it’s a large tote bag. Tuna comes to restaurants with us, goes grocery shopping with us, and has seen 15 movies in theaters. She’s the most mellow little thing!
WO: What are you guys doing for Thanksgiving?
MB: Normally we spend it with my husband’s family, but I’m in the process of writing my first cookbook (out spring 2021) and I really need time to work on it. I’m at the stage where most of the recipes are polished, but I need to finish the written component, which takes an immense amount of focus, so we’re heading to Paris for the holiday to write!
I plan to spend my days sitting in cafes thinking and writing, and my nights eating at all of the incredible restaurants I’ve been eyeing, because lately my evenings have been consumed by recipe developing and I haven’t had the chance to dine out. I need some food world inspiration to push me to the finish line.
Of course Tuna is coming with us! Like I said, she comes everywhere. We’re bringing her in our brand new Travel Carrier. I bought her a red and white striped t-shirt so she’ll fit in with the rest of the Parisian pups, and I do envision needing to get her a little doggy strap so she can carry baguettes on her back as we wander around.
