An Homage to That Glorious Food...The Burger!

    So I would think that if I asked you to name an All-American food that the burger would be at or near the top of just about everyone's list. But why is this? Why has this grilled ground beef sandwich taken such a top spot in our collective culinary hearts? I guess it would have to be first that they're freakin delicious, and second is that they are so customizable and each individual can you his/her own favorite ingredients to make it as fun, boring, delicious, adventurous, spicy, or any other adjective you can think of. It's the perfect food with which to express one's own culinary viewpoint.
    So what makes a good burger? Well you give me 10 chefs and i'll give you 10 opinions, however there are some things that make a better burger. First of all is the meat. The meat that restaurants (and many chefs) tend to use is 80/20 ground chuck. That's 80% beef and 20% fat. I actually prefer 85/15 because it's not as greasy while still being fatty enough to stay in patty form and be delicious. If you can, get ground sirloin, I know it's a little more expensive but you get what you pay for. Pay for better meat, get a better burger. The most underrated thing in constructing a burger is the bun. Everybody's different, but you need a bun that can hold the burger without getting soggy as well as keeping the good bread taste. For store bought buns I like Sara Lee's bakery buns, and for bakery buns or home made I like yeast  buns or nice thick whole grain bun. The third thing you need is a HOT grill, frying pan, or flat top. The hot grill will give the burger that crust that everyone loves. Now you don't want to burn the meat, so after you get the crust you will want to turn it down to medium/ medium-high heat to get the burger to cook to your wanted temperature. Other than that pick and choose your favorite ingredients, that's the fun part. It's like when you were a kid and imagined crazy things to put together. Now you're an adult and nobody can tell you what to do. You want a fried egg on your burger? Go for it! You like pepper and onions and chile sauce? Knock yourself out! Have fun and try some new things. Here's my favorite burger: 1/2 lb ground sirloin with gruyere cheese melted on top, crisp applewood smoked bacon, a piece of Bibb lettuce, and sauteed mushrooms tossed in a red wine reduction. Sound a little ridiculous? Maybe, but it is so good when it's done right.
    As this isn't just a cooking, but also a travel blog I would be remiss if I didn't give you some great places to find a great burger, and first up is a place in Fairhope, Alabama (a suburb of Mobile) called Panini Pete's. They just do it right. They have around six burgers on their menu, and each one is just awesome. My favorite (and the burger that my wife talks about all the time) is the black and blue burger, which is 100% angus beef rubbed with a good cajun spice and topped with a gorgonzola cheese. I can't promise good breath afterwards, but your taste buds will love you forever. If you're up in the Nashville, TN area and you don't mind going to a dive/diner then you absolutely have to go to Brown's Diner in the Vanderbilt/Belmont area. Now this place isn't upscale by any means (basically it's a double wide trailer) but they serve the best diner style burger anywhere. It's wonderfully greasy and comes with perfect shoestring fries that make you just feel like a "real American." Do yourself a favor and get there. A third burger, and the one that inspired my favorite toppings is the restaurant at the Hilton Golf Resort in Sedona, AZ. I know it's a hotel restaurant, and I can't give an opinion on any other thing on their menu, but they do a great burger. They use Kobe beef and grill it to perfection. Mine came topped with Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions and mushrooms tossed in a port wine reduction that was sweet, sticky and wonderful. Their golf course is one of the prettiest I have ever seen, and there is nothing better than a great burger.
    So that's pretty much it for this week. So as always, I encourage you to go out there and try new things, even if that new thing is an old comfort food like burgers. Try new toppings, new cheeses, and even new breads, and you might find a culinary voice that expresses your individuality that you can then share with with your friends. You might even make someone else's favorite burger. Bon appétit and Bon Voyage!