America's Best Selling Condiment???

Did you guess mustard? Perhaps my photo threw you off. While my answer would be mustard, that's net even close.

Did you guess ketchup? Great guess, but ketchup isn't even in second place.

I'll give you a hint...if you order America's best selling condiment on your hot dog, I will reluctantly put it on your dog, but it will go on the bun before the hot dog. Why, because I don't even want to see it (let alone have other customers see it) so I'll hide it as much as possible.

Did you guess it yet?

I dislike this condiment so much, I'm not going to tell you the answer here. You'll have to click this link to find the answer.

If you want this condiment on your hot dog just ask, but please don't ask me to put it on top of the dog. We aim to please (which is why we will put ketchup on a hot dog even if you're more than 8 years old), but we don't have to like it.

Frankly, we serve the BEST mustard!

Have You Eaten At Yank's Franks Lately?

That's what people will be asking their friends when they taste the new toppings at Yank's Franks this year.

Let me back up a little. I have been wanting to find a special, Yank's Franks Sauce to top our hot dogs. People love our Ridge Relish, it's delicious. People love Flo's Relish, but while it's good, it's not for me. People love the Zun Relish at Edgar's Olde Mill Burgers, but that's not what I put on his awesome burgers.

Sometimes I feel a bit frustrated, but searching for just the right combination of flavors that I would call my absolute favorite has been a very tasty mission as well.

That search has finally paid dividends (can you tell I'm an accountant?). I stumbled upon a small creator and purveyor of mustards, relishes and other sassy sauces. W.O. Hesperus Co. Right here in Southern Maine, they create some of the tastiest condiments you'll ever eat. The genius behind these condiments, Dan Stevens has taste buds that were trained on New Orleans cuisine. When he returned to Maine, he soon found that if he wanted truly amazing sauces, he would have to make them himself. That's what he's doing and Yank's Franks will be a beneficiary of that determination.

The local tasting team of Hot Diggity, Double Dog Dennis, The Hot Dog King and I headed out for yet another tasting field trip. We tasted relish (with red chiles and seaweed), and we tasted mustard (with cayenne pepper and Garlic). We tasted Dan's fantastic Canceaux Sauce, that has won so many awards Dan can barely keep up with adding them to his website. And, we tasted his Bar Harbor-Que Sauce, a tangy sweet BBQ sauce that is so well balanced everyone will love it.

After tasting so many unbelievable condiments, my mouth and taste buds were kicked into neutral. Another taste would have been futile. Yet there was one more sauce that I had to try. The Boston Red Sauce is a must for a kid from Boston. I took a bottle to go.

So, here I am sitting at my computer and I am going to the test kitchen to give the Boston Red Sauce a try. I'll be right back.

Okay, I'm back. Hang on, I've got to go get a drink of water.

Back again, holy cow is this sauce hot. I'm trying to tough it out and not leave you for another water or piece of bread, but I had that spoonful of Boston Red Sauce about four minutes ago and I am sweating on my forehead, my upper lip and my lower lip. It is...

I'm sorry, I didn't even warn you, I went for more water and I brought the bottle back with me. No more interuptions.

The Boston Red Sauce is awesome, but it is very hot. We may offer this at Yank's Franks this coming season, and I assure you that anyone requesting it will be told that it is delicious and very hot.

It's been one of the best and most rewarding field trips we have taken and we didn't have to go very far. Now, more than ever, we can't wait until our season begins. The new toppings we select as a result of visiting the W.O. Hesperus Co. are going to be awesome.

Frankly, we serve the BEST dogs...and we serve the best toppings!

Wasses Hot Dogs ~ Rockland, Maine

Our field trip yesterday took us north to Rockland, Maine the home of Wasses Hot Dogs. When we arrived at about 3:00, we were the only people there. Unfortunately for us several customers stopped within minutes. I say unfortunately because I was hoping to have more time to quiz the Wasses people about some of their products.

Anyway, The Hot Dog King gave me his order while he snapped photos. For The HDK it was a dog with mustard and onions (sauteed). I asked one of the Wasses people what their famous dog was. She replied, "a dog with mustard, relish and onions." The other person in the kitchen quickly blurted out, "that's not my favorite, my favorite is bacon, mustard, onions and hot relish." I couldn't resist and that's what I ordered.

Since we had already eaten lunch (at the famous Moody Diner), Hot Diggity and Double Dog Dennis remained in the car while we dined. Well, not so much dined as wolfed down. You see, the temperature was about 10 degrees outside and I wasn't looking forward to wearing this delicious snack so eating in the car wasn't a good option.

The Hot Dog King said his dog was fantastic. As you can see from the photo, both dogs looked amazing. (click on the photo and it should give you a larger view) If you're not hungry after looking at these dogs, what are you doing reading my blog?

My hot dog was excellent. I do have just a couple of critiques, but don't let them distract from the fact that it was a really awesome hot dog. The only two things I would change...one, as many of you know, I don't like the soggy steamed buns. Please, take a minute and toast them. And two, the nacho style cheese on top is not a favorite. To me this cheese is neither good nor bad. It has so little flavor that I can't say it distracted from the overall taste of the dog, but a more flavorful cheese would have been spectacular. Having said that I come back to the fact that the dog was excellent, it was grilled to perfection and the other toppings were just right.

The addition of a couple of Chocolate Milks was a nice touch to wash it all down. The Hot Dog King thinks we should add Chocolate Milk to the Yank's Franks menu. You see, this research does pay off.

Now I can't wait for our next trip to Rockland.

Frankly, Yank's Franks has the BEST field trips!

Johnny Rockets ~ Freeport, Maine

Hot Diggity and I stumbled upon a Johnny Rockets this past Sunday. Normally such a find would result in a spirited "Yahoo" from me, but unfortunately we had just finished lunch at a different restaurant. I only had enough room for one of Johnny Rockets awesome milk shakes.

The thought of a Johnny Rockets' burger danced through my hungry brain for the last several days until today, I was able to convince Hot Diggity, Double Dog Dennis and The Hot Dog King to join me for a mini-field trip back up to Freeport.

In addition to our burgers and fries, I ordered the chili dog and we all split an order of rings.

As you may know, my standard by which all hot dog joints are judged is the chili dog. Others often choose the simple plain hot dog or hot dog with yellow mustard, but my sense of taste and ability to discern the subtle variances in spices and flavors is highly sensitive and extremely sophisticated. (are you buying this?) Plus, I love chili dogs.

Well, I will stop slinging the bull and get right down to the review. The burgers were excellent! Everyone agreed, however Hot Diggity ordered the patty melt and was disappointed with the preparation of the bread. The onion rings were unusual in that the coating was made from sourdough breading. Excellent! The chili dog was great... great dog, great chili. I'll definitely get one the next time I go. Now for the "not as good news" The french fries were not that good. Hey Mr. Rocket, if you're listening, it's an easy fix. I noticed your deep fryer is automatically set to cook for 3 minutes. Set that baby to 4 minutes and you'll have some killer fries. Easy peasey, lemon sqeezey.

Frankly, Yank's Franks serves the BEST dogs (and rings and fries)!

Don't let that stop you when you're in Freeport. Johnny Rockets is a great spot.

An Inspirational Hot Dog

The last hot dogs from our Cross-Country Tour were from a spot that Hot Diggity and I used to frequent. We would go there often and get the same Dogs each time. We both got Hot Dogs resting on a bed of bacon, then slathered (is that a word?) in spicy mustard and topped with sauerkraut.

We would always get our dogs to go, drive to the beach and eat them.

Any idea what these memorable hot dogs inspired?

Don't answer...let Max tell everyone. How about it Max, do these dogs remind you of anything at Yank's Franks?

Frankly, we serve the BEST dogs!

My Hot Dog Mission

It's Saturday and Hot Diggity and I found a new relish to try. Have you ever heard of Zucchini Relish. We sampled it at a local Farmers' Market and it was very good. Of course, I had to put it to the hot dog test.

So what you see below is my Zucchini Relish and Kosciusko Mustard Dog (for research purposes) and two Chili Dogs with Cheese (because I was dying for Chili Dogs).

The result...the Zucchini Relish was very good, however it is not different enough from our sweet relish to add to our offerings. We will keep looking and we will invite others to try the Zucchini Relish to get more opinions.

The Chili Dogs were made with Yank's Beantown Chili (as opposed to our regular Chili Dogs that were made with Angus Steak Chili). Whenever and where ever I have Chili, it needs to be topped with shredded cheddar. The Chili Dogs were awesome! Our Beantown Chili is just spectacular. We will likely have it on our menu next Spring.

Now for my problem. I ate these hot dogs a little after 9:30 pm this evening. I could go to bed an hour late, after all we set the clocks back tonight. I'll break even on sleep while most of you get your extra hour, but that's the price I'll pay.

Wait a minute, I have another idea. Maybe if I chase those dogs with a bowl of Ben and Jerry's everything will even out. Yeah, that's what I'll do.

Enjoy your extra hour of sleep. I intend to as well.

Frankly, blah, blah, blah...gotta go to bed!

The Yank's Franks Website Is Up And Running

The new Yank's Franks website went live today. We are thrilled with it. It's clean, crisp and fun, just like Yank's Franks.

Thank you AfterFive by Design, our web developer, for all your great ideas.

Please, take a look and let us know what you think.
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Yank's Franks Opens With A Bang!

We are thrilled with the comments we are getting from our customers. From the local Wells residents, to the travelers from "away," the comments about the hot dogs and about our renovations have been so nice to hear.

The most popular hot dog...The Yank's Frank. It's a hot dog on a toasted bun with Raye's Downeast yellow mustard, sweet relish, raw onions, a slice of tomato, a slice of dill pickle topped with celery salt.

The most popular condiment...mustard, of course.

The surprise (for me) runner up condiment...raw onions. We are going through them like crazy.

There you go, three days down and we're doing great.

Frankly, we serve the BEST dogs!

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The History of Sauerkraut

Around 300BC, the Chinese and the Mongolians pickled cabbage to preserve it. Pickled cabbage was used to feed the workers as they built The Great Wall of China.

It was over 1000 years later that it arrived in Europe having been carried by the Huns and the Mongol cavalcades.

Sauerkraut arrived in the United States in the mid-1800's being brought by German immigrants.

During World War I, due to fears that German products would be rejected by American consumers, makers of sauerkraut in the U.S. re-named the product "Liberty Cabbage."

As near as we can tell (although it is disputed) the hot dog was first created in the late 1400's.

The obvious question...What did they do with all that sauerkraut (for nearly 2000 years) until the hot dog finally came along?

I have no answer, I can't imagine. The important thing is you'll have to remember to try the Bacon and Kraut Dog at Yank's Franks. It'll be served with spicy mustard and it will leave you with only one regret. You will wish you ordered two of them.

Frankly, we (will) serve the BEST dogs!

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The Mustard War is Over ~ Hot Dog!...Who Won?

The French used to crush up these spicy seeds and mix them with the unfermented juice of wine grapes which was known as Must. The Latin term from which the name mustard is derived is mustum ardens which translates to burning must.

Mustard was first used for medicinal purposes. Pythagoras (remember his theorem) used mustard to cure scorpion stings. One hundred years later Hippocrates used mustard for a variety of ailments including as a cure for toothaches. And, Pope John XXII was such a fan of mustard as a condiment that he created a new Vatican position, Grand Moutardier du Pape or Mustard Maker to the Pope. (this history of mustard is courtesy of About.com, check it out there are more interesting facts)

Back to the Yank's Franks mustard war. While I expected Yellow Mustard (like French's) and Spicy Brown Mustard (like Gulden's) to be the leading candidates, I didn't think they'd end up in a tie.

No need for concern, Yank's Franks will have both types of mustard on hand to satisfy the tastes of all you Hot Doggers out there.

My favorite? ~~ it depends on the hot dog. On the Yank's Franks version of the Chicago Dog, I'll take Yellow Mustard. On my current favorite hot dog (I change favorites quite often), a hot dog with bacon, and griddled sauerkraut, I like the spicy mustard. This hot dog is soooo gooood!

I gotta go, I'm getting hungry. Don't forget to vote in the current poll.

Frankly, we (will) serve the BEST dogs!

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Help Yank's Franks Select the King of Mustard

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Your votes are in for your favorite Potato Chips. Plain old Salt took the cup by a nose (today is the Kentucky Derby and I'm getting in the mood), but close behind in the place position is the Salt & Vinegar chips. Several furlongs behind finishing in the show position is Sour Cream.

Not surprising results. I suspect if we had more "Mainers" voting, Salt & Vinegar would have been the odds on favorite. The true Mainers put vinegar on their French Fries.

Okay, time to move on to a very important subject, Mustard. Make your choice to take the ribbon. Undoubtedly, this race will be down to the wire.

Place your bets (please).

Frankly, we (will) serve the BEST dogs!

International Hot Dogs in Wells, Maine ~ Stop at Yank's Franks

Hot Diggity and I are hard at work. Tonight we tested hot dogs topped with Raye's Top Dog Mustard and Belveder kapusta kwaszona straight from Poland.

The side dish to accompany this evening's international hot dogs were onion rings coated with Panko Breading (what's Panko?? I needed to know too) and sea salt. A delicious meal, but the rings still need some more testing. They're just not good enough for the customers of Yank's Franks (that didn't stop me from eating every single one of them).

The hot dogs, on the other hand, were bardzo dobra. Next we'll add some bacon and fried onions to this same combination. I can't wait!

Frankly, we (will) serve the BEST dogs!

Yank's Franks and Raye's Mustard of Maine

Yank's Franks is searching for the very best toppings for our customers' hot dogs. We didn't have far to go to find some fantastic mustards.

Raye's Mustard is America's only stone ground mustard. As luck would have it, Raye's is located right here in Down East Maine.

In the photo are two of their more than twenty varieties of award winning-mustards (on a couple of pretty great hot dogs).

The Sweet & Spicy lives up to its name. It changes the hot dog into an awesome taste sensation. For me, the sweetness was a pleasant surprise for my hot dog and the spice made it oh so nice.

Top Dog is specifically meant for topping your dog. Raye's bills this mustard as "a dog's best friend," I say it's a hot dog lover's best friend. Nice and spicy.

Not included in the photo is the variety I sampled last evening, Down East Schooner. Raye's has been grinding this yellow mustard since 1900. It has won Blue Ribbons at the FDM International Mustard Competition and The Napa Valley Mustard Competition.

Who the heck ever thought there was a Mustard Competition, let alone two of them? This job is really hard work. I'm popping a Nexium and heading off to bed.

Frankly, we (will) serve the BEST dogs!

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