Take me out to the ball game.
On second thought, just take me out to Heid's. I can't drive through the village of Liverpool without going there, especially on a nice spring day.
Heid's is a Central New York landmark and tradition, in business since 1917. I remember going there as a kid growing up in these parts. Back then, the only condiment they served with franks and coneys was German-style mustard.
Things have changed a little there, but not too much. The calling cards there are still Hofmann franks and coneys, made in Syracuse by the Hofmann Sausage Company, and served in soft, white New England-type rolls. You can get French fries on the side, or potato salad, macaroni salad, baked beans or a pickle.
Some Heid's devotees insist that grilled dogs and franks go down best with an ice-cold milk or chocolate milk. I'll take mine with a Saranac root beer or ginger beer.
Dessert? You really don't need any, but cookies and brownies are available. And Sweet Treats, an ice cream parlor, is right next door. It reopened earlier April, thanks to a run of sunny days and warm temperatures.
Whatever you eat, don't feel too guilty. Heid's is an institution and a bite there is a treat. Walk some of it all off across the road, on the walking/biking/skating trails at Onondaga Lake Park. Whatever the season or weather, there's always a line out the door at Heid's. Some say the secret to the success of the place is the blend of meat and spices in the Hofmann products; others say it's the way the dogs are grilled.
There's no debating that one of the best aromas in all of Central New York is the smell of dogs and coneys lined up and cooking on the grill at Heid's.
Make mine slightly charred, with just a thin stream of mustard.
Some people who haven't lived here in years make Heid's one of their first stops when they return to the area for a visit.
If you know someone in a distant corner of the country or world in need of a Heid's hot dog fix, check out the Hofmann Sausage Co. Web site. They ship franks and coneys all over the place.
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