Hot Dawg!

Hot dogs are a sure crowd pleaser - conjuring up memories of summer barbeques and ball games and spurring impassioned debates on what goes on a dog. So, what makes the perfect hot dog? Chicagoans eat their dogs on a poppy seed bun with mustard, onions, sweet relish, dill pickle, tomatoes, hot peppers and celery salt (absolutely no ketchup!). New Yorkers love their hot dogs - Coney Island's famous Nathan's hot dogs, Gray's Papayas snappy-skinned dogs and "dirty water dogs" eaten at 4 in the morning. Being an Angeleno, my idea of the perfect dog is queuing up at Pink's for a chili dog with sauerkraut or eating an unadulterated foot-long Dodger dog with mustard and relish.

I recently visited Maine and stopped by Wasses Hot Dogs in Belfast where I had a life-altering hot dog experience. Sure, Maine is known for its lobsters and blueberries, but hot dogs? Wasses starts with a frank, fried on a griddle in peanut oil, which sits inside a fluffy, steamed New England-style split top bun (split on top, not the side with no side crusts). The menu is small and the toppings are minimal - grilled onions and mustard and your choice of sauerkraut, cheese, chili or bacon. I prefer sauerkraut on my dog whose tartness compliments the sweet grilled onions and relish, tangy mustard, savory pork and beef Kirshner frank, and just enough spongy bun. Wasses has been making hot dogs this way since 1972 when Keith Wass bought a tiny stand in Rockland, Maine (locations also include Belfast and Thomaston). Maine prides itself on its culinary traditions and Wasses is no exception. Known across Maine, Wasses hot dogs are another reason to visit the gastronomic-rich state. Spotting a Wasses stand and biting into all Maine-made dog will immediately put a smile on your face and have you wanting more.

Wasses Hot Dogs - 2 North Main Street Rockland, Maine