Burger Boy

Burger Boy

234 Sweden St

Caribou, Maine 04736

207-498-2329

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On my honeymoon the wife and I traveled to Northern Maine cutting in and out of Canada along the way from Fort Kent down to Bar Harbor.  Along the way we took in many historical sights and places of natural beauty.

I located Burger Boy on the internet and it was a must stop as I love old school drive in style eateries and Burger Boy is just that.  Opened in 1968 with a classic drive in decor and a large menu beyond the realm of just burgers and dogs.

One item in particular stood out to me on the menu and that was something called The Whistler.  It's an Old Tyme brand natural casing red hot dog stuffed with America cheese, wrapped in bacon and deep fried served on a toasted New England style stop split bun, yes please!

This was so good!  The dog had a snap to it, the bacon crisp, and the cheese was gooey! I had the dog with no addition toppings as well.

I also had a one of their signature cheeseburgers, they grind their own beef almost daily for fresh never frozen hamburger patties.  The burger was juicy cooked to perfection, living up to their Burger Boy name.

Kate had a Pizza Burger which is a hamburger topped with pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese.  We'd never heard of them before but saw them advertised all over the place in the area and curiosity got the better of her.

If we are ever back in the area I will definitely be stopping in for another Whistler!

Pineland Farms Cheese

 Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine is more than just cheese, but that’s what we are going to talk about here.  I’d seen Pineland Farms in Hannaford for many years with their lines of cheddar, jack, and feta cheeses.  Somewhere along the way I tried their 1 year aged cheddar and found it to be quite good and very sharp.

Recently I discovered their new line of deli style cheese at Hannaford and they have become my favorite go to cheese at the deli.  They have 6 month aged cheddar, Three Pepper Jack, and Monterey Jack Cheese.  I’ve had all three of them and they very flavorful, the cheddar is the finest slicing cheddars I’ve ever had. 

I use it for burgers as it melts well and stays rich and creamy, sandwiches, and snacking, it’s quite a universal cheddar.  Like all slicing cheddars though the thinner you get it sliced the more likely it’s going to crumble apart as you try to separate the slices.  If getting at Hannaford I recommend you ask them to slice it at a 2.5 – 3. 

 On a drive one day the wife and I totally by accidently stumbled upon the actual Pineland Farms farm.  There they have a wonderful market full of local goods from their cheese, to meats, beer, produce and other sundries.  They also have a café and bakery on sight.  It’s well worth checking out if you’re in the neighborhood or are looking for a nice drive.

Besides cheese Pineland Farms also offers natural meats and potatoes which you can check out on the links below.

http://www.pinelandfarms.org/

http://www.pinelandnaturalmeats.com/

http://naturallypotatoes.com/

 

Harman's Cheese & Country Store

1400 NH Route 117

Sugar Hill, New Hampshire  03586

(603) 823-8000

Website / Facebook

Harman’s Cheddar Cheese could very well be the best Cheddar Cheese that I have ever had in my life.  I first discovered them 2007 while in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire on vacation.  I was fortunate enough to be there when they had just cut their really, really aged cheddar, 4 years.  The cheese is so creamy and flavorful unlike any cheddar I had, had before.  I have sampled their other cheese, but I have only purchased their really really aged cheddar. 

On average twice a year they wire cut this 4 year cheddar and it will only be available for about a month.  I have ordered it through the mail a couple times since then and they ship it very fast.  The cheese is priced very reasonably at $9.25 a pound. 

 

I just recently when back this year, June 2014, and bought 2 pounds of the “World’s Best Cheddar”.

Other cheese’s they offer is a; 3 year old cheddar, 2 year old cheddar, and a hickory smoked cheddar.  They also offer cheese from other local cheese makers and many other items as well through mail order and by going to their store. 

Check out Harman’s website, order some cheese or if you’re in the area stop in you won’t regret it!

If you are in Sugar Hill make an effort to check out Polly’s Pancake Parlor, just 1.5 miles down the road, the best pancakes I have ever had!

http://www.harmanscheese.com/

Polly's Pancake Parlor

672 Route 16

Sugar Hill, New Hampshire 03585

(603) 823-5575

Website / Facebook / Instagram

Located in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire is Polly’s Pancake Parlor, home of the finest pancakes I have ever had.  So good in fact that it has ruined me from ordering pancakes at any other restaurant because, so far, they have all failed in comparison to Polly’s. 

I first discovered Polly’s on You Tube when I stumbled across a video someone made of them.  I decided that I had to try them.  That summer in July 2007 vacation had to be taken because daycare was closed so I specifically planned a vacation around going to Polly’s.  It was well worth it.  

Recently, June 2014, I returned to Polly’s and they did not fail me with their awesomeness.  Kate and I called ahead for seating and was told an hour, 45 minutes later when we arrived we still had to wait over an hour to get seated. 

Polly’s did not disappoint, living up to the hype, and delivered the finest pancakes in the land.  Kate and I both got the combo of 6 3.5 inch pancakes with meat on the side.  We got bacon and sausage; they make their own sausage, it was good by the maple cured bacon was better.

On the pancake side you can choose what you want for batter and get mix-ins or not, they bring you three and then when you done they bring the other three to keep them fresh and warm.  I got Oatmeal Buttermilk, Buckwheat, and Whole Wheat.  Kate got Original, Cornmeal, & Buckwheat.  I gave her one of my whole wheat, she gave me an original.  Then we each shared a bite or the oatmeal and cornmeal.  My favorite is the Oatmeal Buttermilk, with cornmeal and close second. Kate loved the cornmeal.

At the table they bring you a tray with cream, sugar, maple sugar, maple spread, and pure maple syrup, no fake stuff! 

Check out their website for more info and if you’re in the Sugar Hill area drive another 1.5 miles and experience the World’s Best Cheddar at Harman’s Country Store.

http://pollyspancakeparlor.com/

Fat Boy Drive In

111 Bath Road

Brunswick, Maine  04011

(207) 729 - 9431

Website

UPDATE: In May 2020 the Burton Family sold the drive in to Mike Jerome.  While Jerome has made some changes, including a disastrous move of changing the onion recipe for one season before switching it back, they have kept the majority the same.  You still get that classic whoper burger with special sauce and that lights on for service carhop.  

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!!

Nathan's Famous Franks

Nathan's Famous Franks

Original Location: corner of Stillwell & Surf Ave

http://www.nathansfamous.com/

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!!