Frank Furter

Franklyn David Furter, yes, that's his real name, is a food-o-phile. A man who is especially fond of wurst, hot dogs, weiners and sausage. He grew up in the Midwest enjoying ballpark-style franks dressed with a squiggle of school-bus yellow mustard, and sometimes at church, chunked hot dogs set in a strawberry Jello mold. Then came a stint in the U.S. Army and travel to other parts of the country and to Europe. The diverse locations he visited exposed him to a wide variety of common hot dogs, stirring his soul and his imagination. He dutifully started collecting recipes, eventually compiling his 101 Hot Dog Recipes book. In a recent interview Mr. Furter explained how it was his dream to someday open a hot dog stand offering the multitude of varieties of franks the world has to offer. Some simple. Some exotic. And some everday, plump hot dogs like his mom, Helen used to make.