Does A Meal Of Beans and Franks Best Represent Maine?
In some ways, Maine has gone from a food afterthought about a decade ago to a complete food destination right now. It's not just Portland either, places up and down Maine's coastline are growing larger reputations as places you need to grab a bite at. So while Maine may be a food destination, someone on Reddit posed a very interesting question, what dish best represents the State of Maine?
The most common answer on the Reddit thread was beans and franks aka red snappers. Add in a side of delicious brown bread and you have a classic Maine feast that is extremely budget friendly. But with all of the seafood Maine has in its grasp, does a can of beans and some red hot dogs really represent Maine?
Naturally, lobster and lobster rolls is the argument. But as several commenters pointed out, Mainers do love their lobster, but lobster rolls feel like a seasonal item where beans and franks feel like a year-round thing. Other items people suggested included desserts like blueberry pie and whoopie pies and while those are traditional Maine items, they aren't necessarily a meal. Oh, and there were a bunch of suggestions for Allen's Coffee Brandy. When mixed with milk, it can certainly feel like a meal, but it's definitely not.
So what do you think? Does a meal of beans and franks best represent Maine?