Beech Tree News Network

Cookouts are synonymous with summertime.  When you think cookouts, two meats come to mind: hamburgers and hot dogs. Have you ever wondered where the burger originated? It started out simple, as is explained from www.spoonuniversity.com  From a humble piece of meat sandwiched between two slices of white bread to booming with all kinds of creative and delicious twists on the classic sandwich. 

It all began in 1921 when the first White Castle opened in Kansas.  They sold their originals sliders, which most would buy by the sack because they were so tiny.  They were 100% beef patties with onions and a pickle.  Many say the first cheeseburger was invented in the late 1920’s.  Others claim its foundation as being in the 30’s.  According to burger legend, a homeless man suggested to a chef in passing and, voila-the cheeseburger was born.

The first ever In-N-Out burger stand was established in 1948 in California.  It was the first drive-through burger restaurant ever.  Now, let’s get to what we all know.  The first McDonald’s restaurant was established in 1955, claiming fast food and delicious burgers.  The company has since taken off and is the most popular fast food chain in the world.  Burger King was founded around the same time and released its famous Whopper sandwich.  The feud between the two fast food restaurants has grown exponentially and many other burger chains are trying to get in on the competition.

The bacon cheeseburger was born in 1963 when Dale Mulder of A&W Restaurants decided to put some beautiful strips of meat onto a cheeseburger.  The 1970’s saw the advent of Hamburger Helper.  Because buns were getting boring, Betty Crocker introduced this item to the world in 1971.  It quickly became the staple of the decade. 

The meat-free veggie burger was originally created in London but made popular by Paul Wenner(an Oregon gourmet vegetarian chef)when he created and branded the Gardenburger.  In the 1990’s, McDonald’s tried a new promotional campaign dubbed “The Burger of the Month”.  Each month, they would release a funky burger for a limited time only.  For instance, the McCheddar.  This burger was loaded up with cheddar cheese sauce and onions. 

The gourmet burger was introduced in the 2000’s with restaurants like Red Robin(yum), which became famous for exorbitant toppings and wildly delicious creations.  Chefs piled up their burgers with guac, crispy onion straws, crazy sauces and fancy cheeses.  The 2010’s saw buns that aren’t buns.  That is, a burger with a donut as a bun(this certainly would be a Joey Tribbiani favorite), grilled cheese buns, anything but plain buns.  These different buns made burgers beautifully bizarre. 

I’ve been known to go off the beaten burger path from time to time.  Anywhere I can get it, I love a good barbeque burger.  It’s messy to be sure.  That’s how you know it’s good.  Bun, beef patty, cheese. A couple strips of bacon and some barbeque sauce-tell me that doesn’t sound good!

Honorable mention(because I read it’s no longer in business) is Kaelin’s in Louisville, KY.  They have more than burgers but they have several types of burgers.  For instance: a Hot Brown burger, a Strip burger(NY Strip steak), slow pork burger(slow cooked pork belly Vidalia onion and white cheddar on a pretzel bun), Bratwurst Burger, Black Bean burger(vegan offering), and their 80/20 burger-5 cut blend, ghost pepper bacon, local lettuce, grilled pickled onion, tomato, 80/20 sauce and white cheddar on a pretzel bun.  Barbeque bacon burger is as modified as I get. 

While you’re remembering the reasons for our freedom this July 4 week, have a burger for me.  Put a little barbeque sauce on it.  Trust me.  It’s good.