Hamburger Story
A burger, also known as a hamburger, is a dish made of a ground meat patty placed between sliced buns or bread rolls. It is often served with toppings like cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and condiments such as ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise. When topped with cheese, it is referred to as a cheeseburger.
The concept of a burger can extend to only the meat patty in various English-speaking countries beyond the US such as the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. For example, a chicken breast served on a bun would be termed a chicken burger in these countries while Americans would likely refer to it as a chicken sandwich. In conventional British English, a sandwich is typically made with sliced bread, with anything on a bun classified as a burger.
The meal has been served in various forms for more than a century, but its exact beginnings are unclear. The 1758 version of Hannah Glasse's cookbook included a recipe for "Hamburgh sausage," proposing that it be served roasted with toast underneath. This dish possibly included roasted beefsteak rather than Frikadelle. It has also been suggested that the term "Hamburg steak" originated from a meal enjoyed by Jewish passengers traveling from Hamburg to New York on Hamburg America Line vessels, which began operating in 1847. A reference to a "Hamburg steak" as early as 1884 can be found in the Boston Journal.
The origins of the hamburger are often linked to figures like Charlie Nagreen, Frank and Charles Menches, Oscar Weber Bilby, Fletcher Davis, or Louis Lassen. There are also references to a recipe for "Hamburgh sausages" on toasted bread in a cookbook from 1758. Hamburgers became widely known in the U.S. during the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. A myth attributed the creation of the first American hamburger to Louis Lassen, who supposedly served it at Louis' Lunch in New Haven in 1895. However, this claim was refuted by The Washington Post. Despite the lack of concrete historical evidence, the hamburger's popularity grew, and it was even dubbed "the innovation of a food vendor" in a newspaper article.
Many American hamburgers are circular, yet some fast-food chains, like Wendy's, serve square-shaped burgers. These burgers are typically cooked on a flat top grill in fast-food establishments, while Burger King utilizes a gas flame grilling method. Generally, fancy hamburger variations are not found in fast food establishments, but some restaurants offer upscale options with premium meat cuts, cheeses, and sauces. Hamburgers are popular as a quick meal, for outdoor gatherings or parties, and are often prepared on barbecue grills. A high-quality hamburger consists of ground beef and seasonings, distinguishing it from cheaper versions that may contain fillers like flour, textured vegetable protein, or ammonia-treated beef trimmings. These premium patties are often termed "all-beef hamburger" to highlight their superior quality.
