Eight years ago my husband and I spent our honeymoon in York, Maine. While there we travelled to Cape Neddick (Wells, Maine) and ate at Flo’s Steamed Hot Dogs on Rt. 1. Flo’s is literally a hole-in-the-wall! The little red building is so small that tall people (like my husband) can not even stand up straight on the inside. But the “gourmet” hot dogs you get at Flo’s are simply amazing. Yes, Flo’s has even been featured in Gourmet Magazine.
Flo’s Hot Dog is best enjoyed with the “works”. The “works” includes a steamed hot dog, mayonaisse (YES! Mayonaisse! Don’t knock it til you try it), Flo’s sweet and spicy onion relish, and a sprinkling of celery salt all served on the traditional New England Style hot dog bun.
Of course Flo’s relish recipe is a closely guarded secret but I just had to try my hand at it. Here is my version of Flo’s Hot Dog Relish!
2 to 3 Large Onions – finely chopped (I use a food processor)
1 stalk of celery – finely chopped
1/4 cup of dark molasses
1/8 cup of dark brown sugar
1 tbs. chili powder
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (adjust to your preference)
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
Splash of Frank’s Hot Sauce
1/3 cup cider vinegar
Pour all ingredients into a sauce pan. Simmer the sauce for at least 2 hours to allow the onion to cook and the flavors to marry. If the sauce is a little thin you can thicken it with tomato paste to achieve a thicker consistency. When sauce is done pour into a jar. Any unused sauce can be refrigerated about a month or so.
NOTE: The New England Style Hot Dog Buns can be purchased online at www.mapleandmore.com where you can also purchase Fluff!!!
