Ah, summer. A time when families and friends gather outdoors in backyards, parks, rooftops, and (in NYC) on fire escapes to enjoy the culinary delights of grilling. For those of the vegetarian persuasion, there is much to be said for the grill's transformation of an Amy's veggie burger, properly marinated vegetables, Portobello mushrooms, and tofu. But sometimes one wants to share in that old tradition of hot dogs and buns. What to do?

As a vegetarian, I enjoy a well-made seitan, but I'm not one who has a particular fondness for ersatz meats. Nevertheless, I'll make occasional forays into this niche of veggie foods as part of my curiosity about all things epicurean. As soon as I saw the packaging for Field Roast Grain Meat Co.'s "Vegetarian Grain Meat Sausages" in my local health-foods store, my veg-foods Geiger counter went off the scale.

The package that caught my eye was the "Smoked Apple Sage" variety, which features delectable ingredients like Yukon gold potatoes, dried apples, rubbed sage (yes, rubbed sage), and fresh garlic melded together with wheat gluten. The commingling of these flavors and proteins results in one very satisfying brat, as though a vegetarian Jean-Georges Vongerichten had applied his sensibility to the veggie dog.

These franks are so good that they can be eaten straight from the package, without cooking. Indeed, if you do choose to grill them, or warm them up in the toaster, or whatever, you might opt to lay off the usual toppings-and the bun for that matter-so you can fully appreciate their taste, texture, and seasoning. I found that they were also delicious if I cut them into smaller chunks and sautéed them in a little bit of grapeseed oil (olive oil will do just as well). The sausages browned beautifully but quickly, so be careful that you don't sauté them for too long. They can be added to salads or used in stir-frys, stews, and jambalayas.

Field Roast touts its meatless sausages as "artisan," and they live up to the billing. The packaging design, the carefully thought-out ingredients, and the sausages themselves convey the feeling that these grain meats were crafted in small batches by a home gourmet. "Mexican Chipotle" and "Italian," the other two varieties of Field Roast sausages, are tasty but not transcendent-they have a certain spiciness that tends to overwhelm the other flavors at play. It's hard to beat the exquisite medley of flavor, substance, and aroma in the Smoked Apple Sage brats.

There are several other companies that make meatless sausages, but I haven't found any of them nearly as compelling as Field Roast's foodie-centric delights. I'd be curious to try their other interpretations of veggie meats.

Field Roast Vegetarian Grain Meat Sausages

Cost: $4.29 (in New York)

Where to Buy: Your local health foods store or grocery

Image: Field Roast Grain Meat Co.