Hot Dogs and Baseball

Baseball and hot dogs bring back fond memories to many of us. For me it's a day at Fenway with my Dad and a hot dog with mustard. I can taste it just sitting here thinking about it. It was a simpler time and the only way to go back there is by closing my eyes and tasting that unforgettable taste.

That is why having a hot dog joint is such a great thing to do. Almost everyone that comes through the door has a memorable hot dog experience. Those memories usually take one back to a pleasant time. Often our customers share those memories with us. It's the best part of the job.

Anyway, Yank's Franks is beginning to add a baseball theme to our "joint."  What better way than to hang photos of the original "Yank."  The top photo is Yank in his Philadelphia Athletics uniform in 1942 and below he is in his Chicago White Sox uniform in 1949. In between 1942 and 1949 was WWII, Northeastern University and minor league baseball.

Oh, and the bats and balls above have authentic signatures of Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Frank Robinson and Cal Ripken, Jr.

Frankly, there is nothing more All-American than baseball and hot dogs!

National Hot Dog Month...

...and The Hot Dog Man is traveling New England and stopping at a different hot dog joint each day. The question remains, did he pick July because it means 31 hot dogs (instead of getting gypped with a tiny month like February) or is it really because July is National Hot Dog Month?

It doesn't matter because he is on the move and day 12 (July 12th) he stopped at Yank's Franks.

Last year The Hot Dog Man chowed down on a Yank's Frank. This year, at the suggestion of Hot Diggity, he tried the Wells Beach Dog. He has a new favorite. I think it was the Applewood-Smoked Bacon that got him.

Frankly, It Was Great To See The Hot Dog Man (and Drew, the videographer)!

Keep A Look Out For The Traveling Yank's Frank

The Traveling Yank's Frank made his debut today at Drakes Island Beach. He handed out coupons to hot dog lovers of every age.

Even our Traveling Yank's Frank gets hungry. When he does, you know where he eats...Yank's Franks!

Notice the Relish Green shorts and special kudos for the Mustard Yellow sneakers.

Frankly, does anyone know of a better Traveling Hot Dog? No chance!

Yank's Franks Wins Best Hot Dog

Great news for Yank's Franks! Check out the piece that was run on NECN this morning.

Thanks to all who voted for Yank's Franks.

Frankly, Yank's Franks has the BEST customers and the BEST friends!!!

July is National Hot Dog Month

To pay tribute to the All-American hot dog, The Hot Dog Man is traveling to a different Hot Dog Joint each day during the month of July, National Hot Dog Month. Lucky for him, July is one of those great months with 31 days and that means 31 hot dog stops. I thought I had a great job!!!

That's the Hot Dog Man in the center of the photo along with the owners of the greatest hot dog maker on the planet, Pearl the official hot dog of Yank's Franks.

I hope everyone that reads my blog will stop by Yank's Franks on Tuesday, July 10th and be a part of Hot Dog History. I can't wait for the movie.

Frankly, We Are Honored To Be A Part Of The Hot Dog Tour!

Yank's Franks Gets The Nomination For The 2nd Year In A Row

Last year Yank's Franks was voted 2nd in the NECN Baby You're The Best Hot Dog in New England. Well it's voting time again and we need your help. Please follow this LINK and vote for Yank's Franks. Voting ends this Wednesday evening, June 27th at 8 pm.

We would really love to have the bragging rights to 1st place so please tell your friends and family. It seems that only one vote can be recorded from each computer so don't sit around clicking away.

Remember, voting ends in 2 days so send out the call that Yank's Franks wants your vote for Best New England Hot Dog!

Thank you and keep your fingers crossed.

The Yank's Franks River Dogs Take First Place

The Yank's Franks River Dog's 1st place season wrapped up this evening with a celebration party at Yank's Franks.

The River Dogs were the youngest team in the Wells-Ogunquit Little League and obviously the most talented.

Each member of the 2012 championship team received trophies as well as awesome hot dogs and fries (nothing goes better with baseball than hot dogs).

Great job Coach Soper and congratulations to all the ball players. Get em again next year.

The Yank's Franks Angry Sauce Is Ready

W O Hesperus Bottling Department

With the Yank's Franks Opening Day fast approaching we ordered our special recipe, Yank's Angry Sauce from Captain Mowatt's (aka, W O Hesperus Co.).

Hot Diggity and I ventured north to Portland's Eastern Promenade, the worldwide headquarters of Captain Mowatt's. Overlooking Portland's Casco Bay, we were given a tour of their offices, the production kitchen, the bottling department and the storage room.

We were given a gastronomic tour of Captain Mowatt's amazing sauces, including their new Captain Mowatt's Hot Pink which earns a Heat Level rating of 7 out of 10.

We sampled the Captain's new Old Salt, an awesome combination of Sea Salt, Habanero & Cayenne Chiles, and a little Maine Seaweed. At a Heat Level of 4 out of 10, it was just the right kick while still being able to appreciate the taste buds.

Storage Department

We were sent off with a bottle of the Old Salt to keep at Yank's Franks. Anyone wanting a bit of a kick to their burger, fries or onion rings, please ask. I can't wait to try it myself.

Frankly, Some Like It Hot!!! 

Baseball and Hot Dogs!

Nothing goes together better than baseball and hot dogs (not even chocolate and peanut butter, but that's debatable).

Yank's Franks served up Hot Dogs at Opening Day of the Wells-Ogunquit Little League this past Saturday. What a great turn out, but boy-o'- boy was it windy and cold.

Overall, it was a very entertaining day and the players and the parents couldn't have been nicer. Almost all of the parents thanked us for our contribution, but the truth is, we were very delighted and honored to be a part of this All-American event.

This is Grant, one of the great athletes on the Yank's Franks, Riverdogs

Hot Diggity is serving them up.

Yank's Franks on the Green Monster??

Good job, Matt!

Well, maybe not on the Green Monster, but we will be on the "home run wall" at the Wells-Ogunquit Little League Stadium.

Opening day for the 2012 season is this Saturday, April 28th and Yank's Franks will be there again grilling up hot dogs.

Whether for breakfast or lunch, stop by the Yank's Franks stand and pick up an awesome dog. And remember, all proceeds are donated back to the Little League.

Frankly, nothing goes better with baseball than hot dogs!

The AGAR Food Show ~ Mmmm Good!

The entire Northeast branch of the Yank's Franks tasting team met at the crack of dawn this morning (okay, it wasn't so much the "crack of dawn" but it was well before noon) to travel to Gillette Stadium to attend one of my favorite events of the year...The Food Show.

Yes, it's totally true, they actually have these events called Food Shows. And I can't think of a better person to invite than me because I love food.

Hot Diggity, Double Dog Dennis, The French Fry King and I sampled several varieties of hot dogs, French fries (including an interesting Maine company's product), chicken tenders and lots of desserts. I ate more kinds of bacon today than I had during my entire life until now. For the ride home we headed for the coffee station where I came across my favorite coffee, Douwe Egberts (sorry Dunkies). It was amazing.

My only suggestion...I really think we need more Food Shows!

Frankly, I can't think of a better pairing of two words than Food and Show. Food Show!

Maine Hot Dog Stands (Joints)

Maine is a beautiful state, but best of all, Maine has some great Hot Dog Stands (or Joints as I prefer to call them).

I have sampled some of them and I have put the Joints I have yet to sample on my "to do" list.

I am listing the Hot Dog Joints of Maine in alphabetical order. I am certain I have missed some so please feel free to post a comment or email me to let me know the Joints I have left out.

The Joints I have had the pleasure of visiting I am rating on a scale of one * to five *****. I wish I could do something more clever than *, but I'm not a computer guy, I'm a hot dog guy.

If you see your favorite and I have rated it less than you would have, don't be upset, it's just a matter of taste. Also, for those that have not noticed, this blog is the Yank's Franks blog so, of course, Yank's gets a *****. Hey, it's a matter of taste.

Ava's Hot Dog Stand, Oakland
Bolley's Famous Franks, Hallowell ***
Chicago Dogs, Scarborough ****
Danny's Hot Dogs, Brunswick
The Dog House, Kittery ***
Don's Famous Franks, Augusta **
Dunton's Doghouse, Boothbay Harbor
Flo's Hot Dogs, York *
Hot Diggity Dogs, Kennebunk ****
Perry's Sidewalk Cafe/Almost Famous Since 1994!, Portland
Rapid Ray's, Saco *
Red's Eats, Wiscasset ****
Rosie's Hot Dogs, Eastport
Simone's, Lewiston
Upie's Take Out, Port Clyde
Wasses Hot Dogs, Rockland *****
Yank's Franks, Wells (I told you *****)
That's my list so far.
Let me know if you have a favorite or if you want to weigh in with your ratings.

Hot Dog ~ I Got A Winter Gig!

Wow, Yank's Franks International?

It has a nice ring to it.

Hot Diggity captured this image of Yank serving up hot dogs at Crane Beach in Barbados. Sweet!!!

Now, if we could just serve Rum Punch at Yank's Franks in Wells. Some of you may remember the Smoothie of the Day for awhile last summer was Piña Colada. That's about as close as we will get.

Opening Day this year is May 19. We can't wait.

Frankly, there's no place like home!

Pearl's of Wisdom...

Hot Diggity and I were excited when we received an invitation from Pearl Meat Packing Co. to visit their Massachusetts headquarters.

The Yank's Franks tasting team showed up this morning anticipating a fun and educational (get it...Pearl's of wisdom) tour of Pearl's facilities. We were greeted by Bud Lazaro, Vice President of Sales as well as, Bob Camelio, President and CEO. We were very impressed by the facility's cleanliness, efficiency and the friendliness of the people.

Hot Diggity and I were treated to All-Beef hot dogs of various sizes, including a new Pearl Hot Dog spiced with Jalapeno peppers (ay chiwawa). We tried Pearl's beef and pork hot dogs as well as their Italian sausages. We sampled breakfast sandwiches, and even a wonderful Reuben sandwich made with Pearl's lean smoked Pastrami (absolutely delicious).

Of all the terrific offerings, the thing that kept us going back time and time again was the Jalapeno dog, it was delicious and unique.

What a great way to spend the day!

Frankly, Pearl makes awesome Hot Dogs (and more)!

East End Cupcakes ~ Awesome!!

As an addict of the Food Network, there's nothing better than seeing a local establishment represented on one of the shows. Imagine my excitement (okay, I'm a Foodie Nerd) when I tuned into an episode of Cupcake Wars and discovered a Portland, Maine cupcake eatery was one of the contestants.

East End Cupcakes, on Fore Street in Portland was competing with three other cupcake bakeries. For those of you that have yet to see the episode, I don't want to totally spoil the ending. However, I will say that their final display which was to honor I Love Lucy's 60th Anniversary, complete with the polka dotted skirt around the table, was just amazing.

Fresh off the excitement of seeing the show Monday evening, Hot Diggity and I (two of the Yank's Franks tasting team) headed to Portland on Tuesday afternoon.

We were greeted with a friendly "hello" and the sweet smell of wonderful cupcakes.We had several other choices, but Hot Diggity went straight for the Chocolate with Salted Caramel icing. For me, I couldn't resist the Fanfetti with American Buttercream. It wasn't the Fanfetti that got me, but the Buttercream was irresistable. We both agreed to split an Apple Cider cupcake as well.

We actually shared each of the cupcakes. Both Hot Diggity and I decided that we chose the cupcakes that were right for us. I enjoyed her cupcake, but I was wild about my selection and vice versa. And we both loved the Apple Cider Cupcake.

This place is amazing. If you're in Portland, don't miss trying East End Cupcake. They are located just down and across Fore Street from Five Guys. Be warned, don't go to Five Guys and fill up, you need plenty of room for East End Cupcakes.

Frankly, the Yank's Franks tasting team loves cupcakes!

A Yank's Franks Restaurant Review ~ Smashburger

Hot Diggity and I passed by Smashburger on a trip to Texas in November. While we didn't have time to try them out then, the thought of this new burger joint has been swirling around in my head ever since.

Today I was sporting a smile almost as big as the guy who, when asked how often he has sex, replied "once a year" Then why the big smile? "Because tonight's the night!"

Well, tonight's the night for Smashburger. Pictured here is Hot Diggity's Smashburger Classic with American Cheese on an egg bun. The Smashfries are shoe string russet potatoes tossed with olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Hot Diggity also had a Haagen-Daz milkshake as did I, but more on that later.

Joining in our review today were Spicy Salsa Marjan and The Hot Dog Cowboy. Spicy Salsa Marjan had the exact same lunch as Hot Diggity, but The Hot Dog Cowboy preferred the Smashburger Kid's meal with Veggie Frites (flash fried carrot sticks and green beans).

For me, it was a Create Your Own Burger. It had cheddar cheese and a bunch of other stuff. I opted for the Chili Cheese Fries (surprise, surprise).

We all had Haagen-Daz Vanilla Milkshakes. I haven't had a milkshake that was that good in many, many years.

As for the food...Hot Diggity, Spicy Salsa Marjan and I all agreed that these were spectacular burgers and amazing fries. The Hot Dog Cowboy let his empty plate do the talking. He loved the burger and really appreciated the Veggie Frites.

Smashburger received eight thumbs up on this trip! If you have the opportunity to visit a Smashburger it's worth the trip.

Frankly, Yank loves hamburgers and chili cheese fries!

A Yank's Franks Restaurant Review ~ Einstein's Bagels

Einstein's Bagels??? Has Yank gone crazy? Doesn't he have anything else to write about?

The truth is, I love bagels. Believe it or not, I even eat those sesame "rolls with a hole" in the middle that Dunkies sells. I don't love those, but I'll occasionally eat them. The best bagels I've ever eaten are, hands down from The Bagel King in Fairfield, Connecticut. The worst, that's easy, Lender's bagels.

Einstein's falls somewhere in the middle. Certainly a cut above Dunkin Donuts "rolls with a hole" but with a first name like Einstein's and a last name like Bagels, they should be much better.

Having said all that, this isn't so much about the bagels at Einstein's as much as it is about their Bagel Dogs. Yesterday's breakfast was an Asiago Bagel Dog. I had every intention of enjoying one of Einstein's toasted sesame bagels with plain cream cheese, but I spotted those bagel dogs. Even at 9:00 in the morning those dogs were screaming my name.

A hot dog surrounded by an Asiago Cheese bagel roll! Maybe you could resist, but I didn't have a chance.

The Asiago bagel roll was a little soft. It was packed in a foil bag to keep it warm and that lends itself to steaming the bun. Not a big issue as the taste of the bun was still very good. If I had eaten it at Einstein's perhaps the roll (bagel) would have been crispier. No biggie.

The hot dog was split, but I was unable to tell if it was griddled or heated in an oven. I suspect it was the oven, but again, no big deal either way. The only issue I had (and it is a big one) was the taste of the dog. It was very strong and heavily seasoned. I don't mind an all-beef strong hot dog (in fact, I like them), but their seasonings were over the top for me. Not a bad flavor, just a whole lot of it. In all fairness, it was breakfast time and perhaps my taste buds were not fully awake.

All-in-all, I would say I wouldn't have it again, but I did eat the whole dog. If someone bought one for me, I'd eat it, but this time I'd put mustard on it. I should have added mustard for this one, but heck there are times I don't even get a photo because I'm so anxious to eat.

Frankly, isn't it amazing that hot dogs are showing up everywhere?

A Yank's Franks Restaurant Review ~ The Maine Diner

One of the great things about living in the Wells, Maine area is access to an amazing place to eat called, The Maine Diner.

Hot Diggity and I were out Christmas shopping and were getting pretty hungry. In spite of the amazing Chili Dog fix I got at Hoss & Mary's last Friday, I was still jonesin' for more. A stop at the great Maine Diner was the answer.

One of Hot Diggity's favorite things to have for lunch (and for dinner) is breakfast. One of my favorite things to have for lunch (and for breakfast...and for dinner) is a Chili Dog. We knew what would satisfy both of our cravings.


Over the course of the last 30 years for me and the last XX years for Hot Diggity (I removed the number because Hot Diggity looks too young to go back that far) The Maine Diner has been a favorite with us.

Hot Diggity had her predictable breakfast selection. For me it was the bowl of Chili with 2 hot dogs. Being the clever foodie that I am, I not only turned these ingredients into chili dogs (I should be on the Food Channel), I accepted Hot Diggity's offer to choose French Fries with her meal and I was clever enough to turn her Fries into my Chili Fries. I am so creative.

The Maine Diner is awesome and consistent. We have dined there so many times, and have never had anything other than excellent meals.

Don't let the line of people bother you. There is a reason people are waiting...it's that good!!!

Frankly, Wells, Maine is fortunate to have such a great place to eat!

A Yank's Franks Restaurant Review ~ When Pigs Fly

I have reviewed several Hot Dog Joints and now I have decided to branch out and review other great restaurants. This is the first of these reviews, but won't be the last.

When Hot Diggity and I relocated to Maine ten years ago, she asked me, "when will Southern Maine get a great pizza joint?" I told her, "when pigs fly!" Well, as it turns out, I was correct (it doesn't happen that often).

Hot Diggity and I decided to have lunch today at When Pigs Fly. We headed south on route 1 and took note that at 11:55 am, the Flo's Hot Dogs parking lot had 2 cars out front. A little further south, one of my favorite hamburger joints, Wild Willy's had just 6 cars (2 of which were likely employees) at just about 12:00 noon. A little further south and we drove out of York and into Kittery, straight to When Pigs Fly and their parking lot was nearly full. I'd guess about 25-30 cars.

When Pigs Fly has a retail store where you can purchase a variety of items including their artisan breads. Warning~~if you are on a diet or simply watching your calories, do not go into this part of the building. Their breads are just ridiculous! I'm not lying, they are crazy good.

The majority of the building is the restaurant and today, Hot Diggity and I had pizza on our minds. While one pizza may have been enough for the two of us, we had different ideas as to or toppings of choice.

Hot Diggity selected their Four Cheese pizza (pictured on the right in the photo). In addition to Mozzarella, Fontina, Provolone and Pecorino Romano her pie had Spanish style salami, Peppadew (what the heck is that?) and blah, blah, blah a few other things.

My pizza was the House-Made Chirizo Sausage with Chopped Jalapenos (pictured on the left). It had other stuff, but when you have Chirizo and Jalapenos, the other stuff doesn't matter that much. It was delicious! I also had a piece of Hot Diggity's pizza and it was amazing as well.

The menu at When Pigs Fly had plenty of other offering like soups, salads and sandwiches that sounded really good, but don't pass by the pizza. It's made with fresh, tasty ingredients and it's baked in a wood-fired oven.

The When Pigs Fly restaurant is a must, but don't go into the retail store unless you are trying to bulk up.

Frankly, Hot Diggity and Yank love good food (and we love sharing it with you)!

I Found the Perfect Dessert Recipe ~ Whoopie (Pie)

The official Yank's Franks Whoopie Pie has been found. After trial and error (well, maybe not error so much as "less than perfect" ) we have created an awesome, authentic-Maine, 100% made in the USA, delicious Whoopie Pie.

The three Whoopies pictured here (the top Whoopie filling is colored with red food coloring) were part of a batch of 24 that were finished at 4:00 this afternoon. Now, here I am at 8:30 this evening and there are exactly none left.

According to Hot Diggity, "these are the absolute best Whoopie Pies I have ever had!"

The other two taste-testers, The French Fry King and Double Dog Dennis had similar comments which lead me to announce, Yank's Franks Whoopie Pies are the winner of the Best Dessert on the east coast.

I love when we win an award...even when I am the only judge.

Franlky, we serve the BEST Whoopie Pies!