In search of the perfect burger
Wine, beer, cheese, chocolate, bourbon, pizza, dessert, ice cream, barbecue and hamburgers. What do they all have in common?
Foodies love culinary exploration, and these category trails offer unique experiences, allowing us to venture, sample and savor the best of the best of their favorite foods and beverages.
While the trails above are more common and available in more locations, here are some specific trails to check out:
• West Virginia Pepperoni Roll (it’s the official state food) https://bit.ly/4d92mp6
• Pennsylvania Fermented Foods (called “pickled”) https://bit.ly/3zRCyzv
• South Carolina Pimento Cheese (download “passport”) https://bit.ly/3LAYscZ
• Northern California Taco (40+ stops!) https://bit.ly/3YcpkaV
• North Carolina Surry Sonker… (so what is a surry sonker? A cross between a cobbler and a deep dish pie) https://bit.ly/3WAZHPU. And the state also has an oyster trail https://bit.ly/3LCR4xS
• Ohio Donut Trail (visit all the shops on the trail and win a prize) https://bit.ly/4bVECE0
• Buffalo, NY Buffalo Wing (of course, The Anchor Bar, birthplace of the Buffalo chicken wing, is one of the stops) https://bit.ly/3Wht4VR
I would be remiss if I didn’t include a few burger trails.
• Mystic Burger Run (CT) https://bit.ly/4fdrDR5
• Lawrence County Hamburger Trail (Pennsylvania) https://bit.ly/46gLzyi
Hamburgers, also known as burgers, are very popular this time of year. Many consider them to be the quintessential American food, along with their “cousin,” the hot dog. Yes, there is a trail for the latter, too, especially in Connecticut, where I live. In Mark Kotlinski’s film, “A Connecticut Hot Dog Tour,” he takes you on a road trip to the best hot dog stands in the Nutmeg State.
But for now, back to hamburgers. FYI, Louis’ Lunch, of New Haven, Connecticut, claims to have originated the hamburger.
The Lassen family has been running this restaurant since 1895. Visitors to Connecticut have put this burger joint on their “must-try” lists. But remember, at Louis’ Lunch, “no ketchup allowed!”
Now, speaking of lists or should I say books, burger connoisseurs will appreciate “Hamburger America: A State-By-State Guide to 200 Great Burger Joints,” by George Motz (2018, Running Press, $20.00). The cover of this 400-plus page book quotes the late Anthony Bourdain: “A great overview of the best practitioners of burger science.”
The book spotlights the best drive-ins, concession stands, diners, and favorite restaurants in college towns across America. Whether you’re an armchair traveler or on a burger adventure, Motz’s photos and detailed information about family-owned establishments take readers to new places from east to west and north to south to find the perfect burger.
He writes: “As you savor your delicious handful of fatty goodness, take a moment to think about the history of the place you’re eating. It’s why that burger tastes so good.”
Recipes are not the main focus of the book, although a few are scattered throughout the title. Two of them are reproduced below, taken from the book and commented on by the author.
Did you know:
• There is a Hamburger Hall of Fame located in Seymour, Wisconsin.
• White Castle is America’s oldest hamburger chain, founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas.
• The Big Mac was launched in 1958 and sold for 49 cents.
• A “Luther Burger” is a burger whose bun is a glazed donut.
• Burger & Lobster serves the “Beast Burger,” a ground beef steak topped with lobster meat, Swiss cheese, lettuce, and tarragon-truffle mayonnaise. Another take on surf & turf. It’s pretty good.
• Check this out, the world’s most expensive hamburger…$6,000! https://bit.ly/3SkRMU3.
Coleslaw Bitten by a Bobcat
(Served at Santa Fe Bite, formerly called Bobcat Bite, Santa Fe, New Mexico)
Makes a lot of coleslaw (that’s a day’s worth of Bobcat)
1 head of cabbage, grated
1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup distilled white vinegar
¼ cup canola oil
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon ground mustard
In a large bowl, place the shredded cabbage and chopped bell pepper. Pour the sugar over the cabbage and bell pepper. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, oil, salt, black pepper, celery seed and mustard to a boil.
Bonnie says the smell of the boiling vinegar mixture will get you out of the kitchen. Boil for 5 minutes, then pour the hot mixture over the cabbage and peppers. Don’t stir yet! Let it cool before stirring. It may seem like there isn’t enough liquid to turn all that cabbage into the savory coleslaw of your dreams, but trust me, it will work.
Once the bowl of coleslaw and dressing has cooled, toss the contents together, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Bonnie suggests letting the coleslaw marinate overnight for optimal flavor.
GOOP SAUCE
(Served at Eastside Big Tom, Olympia, Washington)
The post’s headline reads: “Goop is a sauce that has made its way into many Pacific Northwest burger joints, especially classic old-school burgers. Every Goop I’ve ever had tastes pretty much the same, and all are protected by their respective burger institutions and contain top-secret ingredients.”
But to legitimately call your sauce Goop, you have to be Chuck Fritsch at Eastside Big Tom in Olympia, Washington. That’s because Chuck trademarked the name and arguably makes some of the best Goop in the area. I can see why he keeps his recipe a secret: Goop is addictive. It adorns not only Big Tom’s burgers, but also fries and tater tots (tots ‘n’ Goop = heaven). I once asked Chuck for the recipe, and he said, “What’s the saying? If I told you, would I have to kill you?” So he didn’t give me the recipe. But I’ve done a few tests and I think I’m pretty close. When I wrote this years ago, I read it back and pictured Chuck laughing.
Makes 12 quarter-pound burgers
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup Miracle Whip whipped cream
2 tablespoons sweet relish
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
Whisk together mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, relish and mustard in a bowl and serve over your favorite burgers. The color should resemble a 1971 Plymouth Barracuda in Curious Yellow. Tell your friends it’s not the real thing, but it’s pretty close.
Stephen Fries is a professor emeritus and former coordinator of the hospitality management programs at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Connecticut. He has been a food and restaurant columnist for 17 years and is the co-founder and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven, Connecticut, and three-day culinary adventures throughout the United States. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at Stephen@stephenfries.com. For more information, visit stephenfries.com
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