Our adventure this Saturday brought us antiquing along Route 1 in southern Maine. We had a specific goal in mind: a 1950s style juice pitcher just like one I had broken the night of Lorna's Tuscan Birthday Feast. (Note to self: If you put a pitcher of water in the freezer to chill, set the oven timer so you don't forget it!)

We had been in this area many times, but we typically stayed along the scenic roads out along the shore, ME 102, ME 9, and other byways. This time our mission kept us to Route 1, where so many antiques shops are, and where we finally got to the iconic Flo's Hot Dogs.

It's not really hard to get to Flo's. The problem for us is that we usually are beyond during the brief 11am to 3pm open time, or we are looking for breakfast, not a hot dog, or we just had breakfast. But in this case the timing was right.

I like Hot Dogs, especially steamed ones, so I was glad to get back to Flo's. Flo's Hot Dogs is a tiny yellow shack on the east side of Rte 1 in York, not far inland from Nubble Light and York Beach. Hot dogs have been sold here since 1959 and it looks it. The inside has a lunch counter with maybe a dozen stools, but on a good day there might be 20 people standing in a queue behind the stools waiting for hot dogs.  Saturday was a good day, cool but sunny, so the place was packed at about 1pm when we arrived, 20 strangers amiably chatting and waiting for dogs.

There is a protocol to ordering dogs, and it is clearly posted above the counter. The whole thing was done in batches: First the hot dog lady asked each person in line "How many?". That number became our name for the next 10 minutes.  After everyone in the current batch had given a count, then we went back to the start of the line and she asked "What kind?" The common choices are the House Special (Flo's Relish, mayo, and celery salt) and Loaded (the same plus mustard, green relish, and onions). You can get other styles, too, but those are the two that are most common. All come properly nestled in a fluffy white warmed Sunbeam New England-style hot dog bun. I ordered a House Special and a sauerkraut dog.

Now I will admit that there are many, many foodies who have little interest in hot dogs (I know one who has an uncontrollable antipathy toward them) and maybe even more who think it bizarre to put mayonnaise and celery salt on a hot dog. These worthies are wondering with alarm "What could he have been thinking?"

That brings up an important point about being a foodie that I explore in Fishcakes and Madeleines. Do please read that and offer your thoughts!