Sunday, May 5, 2013

Fat Boy Drive In



111 Bath Road
Brunswick, Maine  04011
(207) 729 - 9431

This is one of my favorite places to eat in Maine and the home of my all time favorite burger the Whoper Burger!  Opening in 1955 in Fat Boy is known for their Canadian Bacon BLT, Onion Rings, Frappes, affordable prices, and car hop service.

One of the last places I know in Maine that offers car hop service, just turn your headlights on!  The only two other I can think of is Val's in Lewiston and Hit Hat in Farmingdale.

The Whoper Burger is the Fat Boy signature burger was originally spelled Whopper, however, when Burger King created their Whopper Burger in 1957, two years after Fat Boy, they threatened a lawsuit over copyright infringement, so Fat Boy just dropped a P.

The Whoper Burger comes with or with out cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a signature sauce.  You can add anything else that you want to it.


Only open seasonally from March to October Fat Boy is consistently busy with a full parking lot.  If you need to you can go inside and eat in one of the 4 booths, buy a t-shirt, or watch in wonder how busy the kitchen is and how they keep it running so smoothly.


One thing I just can't stand is when someone parks right up against the building and goes inside to eat!!

The collection of pictures included I have taken through-out the years and you'll notice the original sign as since been replaced with a new one.  I prefer the older one.



The menu is broad with traditional drive in fare, seafood, chicken, and homemade frappes. 








The world famous Canadian Bacon BLT

You should check it out yourself!!

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Nathan's Famous Franks


Nathan's Famous Franks
Original Location: corner of Stillwell & Surf Ave

There's nothing that I can tell you about the history of Nathan's Famous Franks that you can't readily find on the Internet.  They are the probably the world's most known hot dog brand thanks to the Annual 4th of July Hot Dog eating contest. 


I've had Nathan's other places before including official Nathan's franchise locations in Las Vegas and Massachusetts, but I had to go to the original stand on Coney Island that opened in 1916 and is located on the corner of Stillwell and Surf Avenues. 

Finally on June 1, 2012 myself and my buddy Jay made it down en route to the Pro Wrestling Syndicate 5th Anniversary show in Rahway, NJ. It was glorious! 

We got parked right near Nathan's and feed the meter.  The line was long and it took 45 minutes to order and get out food.
 

They tasted the best of any Nathan's frank that I had previously!




While we were their we took in the Coney Island Sideshow and rode the Coney Island Cyclone.  I have no need to ride a roller coaster again!






I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to go again.  But for historical purposes I had to go at least once!

Jordan's, Kirschner, and more!




 The bulk of my research for this section is from the internet and a booklet produced by the Newcomen Society in 1992 entitled “Jordan’s Meats: A Thriving Business in its Third Generation…Built Primarily on Hot Dogs.

It was in this booklet that I discovered that there was numerous small sausage making company’s through-out the state that either went out of business or were acquired by larger companies and as you will read almost all of them were bought out by the same company.

I’ve included what I like to think are the major players and those that remain in production today.  In the first section you will learn the reason why we have red natural casing hot dogs in Maine.  During the course of my research I asked current manufactures Old Neighborhood, Kayem, and W.A. Bean & Sons Meats and none of them new why but they all had their guesses.    

Schonland Brothers
Charles and Richard Schonland Brothers started Schonland Brothers in 1891 on Fore Street and later moved to Union St in 1895.  They originated the Red Natural Casing Hot Dogs to differentiate their product from the competition. 

In 1935 Joseph Jordan purchased Schonland Brothers and the Schonland Brothers Brand continued as a separate product line until 1943 when the WWII meat shortage forced operations to be merged.
Not to be confused with their father’s company Schonland’s Franks and Sausages that was opened in 1883 in Lawrence, Massachusetts and sold to Kayem Foods Incorporated in 1987.  Kayem continues to produce natural casing hot dogs with the Schonland original recipe. 

For more information about Schonland's Franks and Sausages follow this link to Cow Hampshire.

Jordan’s Meats

Jordan’s Meats founded by Joseph F. Jordan in Portland, Maine

Joseph started working for the Schonland Brothers as a sausage maker in 1919 and in 1925 he and Max Ruelke opened a sausage plant at 131 – 133 Commercial St Portland the Jordan & Ruelke Company.   The company failed after only a year.

In 1927 Joseph and his wife Emma opened Jordan’s Ready-To-Eat-Meats.  Business thrived to the point where in 1935 they purchased the Schonland Brothers.   The Schonland Brothers Brand continued as a separate product line until 1943 when the WWII meat shortage forced operations to be merged.  Jordan’s continued the Schonland tradition of producing the Red Hot Dog due to popular demand.

Also because of the war Sheep intestines, used as the natural casings for sausage products could not be imported from New Zealand and Australia so Jordan’s turned to making skinless hot dogs.
In 1949 Joseph F. Jordan passed away unexpectedly and his son at age 22 Joseph “Chet” Jordan took over the company.

In 1962 Jordan’s Meats moved to their most modern facility on India Street in Portland also that same year they purchase hot dog competitor C.H. Rice Company of Bangor building them a new plant in Bangor and keeping the company running. 
In June 1992 Jordan’s purchased long-time rival the Joseph Kirschner Company of Augusta and Shultz Brand Products in New Hampshire.  Kirschner was maintained as a separate entity from Jordan’s.

Jordan’s along with the Kirchner brand were sold in to Tyson Foods in 2001.
The Jordan’s Meat plant in Portland was closed on February 1, 2005 although Tyson continued to produce the Jordan’s line of meats.

A press release dated May 20, 2008 stated that Kayem Foods Incorporated purchased Jordan’s, & Kirschner brands as well as several others from Tyson Foods and continue to manufacture Jordan’s Meats brand.

On May 6, 2010 during remodeling of the old plant it caught fire and was destroyed.
Joseph Kirschner Company

Joseph Kirschner opened his first meat market and sausage shop on Cony Hill in Augusta in 1916 and moved it to Water Street in 1917. 

In June 1992 The Joseph Kirschner Company purchased long-time rival Jordan’s Meats in Portland who continued the brand as a separate entity.  The Kirschner brand was then sold to Tyson Foods in February 2001. 

A press release dated May 20, 2008 stated that Kayem Foods Incorporated purchased Jordan’s, & Kirschner brands as well as several others from Tyson Foods and continue to manufacture Jordan’s Meats brand.

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Later Readers!!

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