By Virginia M. Wright
Photographed by Anthony Di Biase
Drawing on her years as a restaurant server and manager, Raymelle Moody devised a hot-dog truck with that family in mind — the one with the fussy kid, the vegan teen, the gluten-shunning mom, and the I’ll-take-two dad. Pork-and-beef dogs and kielbasas are from Maine Family Farms, buns can be gluten-free, and Moody makes her own vegan sausages from beans, root vegetables, and Indian spices. That recipe inspired a recurring special, the Tikka Masala Dog, slathered in curry ketchup and wrapped in naan. Yellow mustard and kraut are on the menu too, of course, but the Moody Dog raises the humble frankfurter to epicurean heights with inventive toppings such as American as Apple Pie (turmeric-spiced apple butter and cheddar) and Moody Blue (crumbled gorgonzola, sautéed onions, and mayo). Since moving into a new production kitchen last year, Moody has also expanded her line of sweets, all tantalizingly unconventional, like double-chocolate cookies made with Marshall Wharf Brewing Co.’s Sexy Chaos Russian Imperial Stout, artfully frosted champagne lemon cupcakes, and black-peppered maple cream pie.
Raymelle Moody’s hot-dog truck is open weekdays mid-May to mid-October at 39 Main St., Belfast. On weekends year-round, she runs a cart at nearby Marshall Wharf Brewing. Her production kitchen offers dogs and baked goods for curbside pickup and local delivery. 207- 322-2353. themoodydog.com.