Cheeseburgers!!!

It's Tuesday - that means people here, there and everywhere.  In and out, and a meal is just about impossible to prepare for all to eat at the same time.  So I have bowed to overwhelming requests and am making cheeseburgers for dinner.  I am making them from scratch, so I know exactly what is going in them.

When I started researching the history of the Hamburger I was actually quite surprised.  I thought, American - Fast Food - easy!!  Well not so.  Apparently the "hamburger" in many differing forms has been around for a very long time.

Ghengis Khan's army, it appears, travelled around with scrapings of raw meat, such as lamb and mutton, that was formed into patties, under their saddles (yum!).  When they stopped they ate the patties raw (it had been tenderised from all that riding!!) - The beginnings of Steak Tartar!!!  Perfect food to eat from the hand!!

Later during the 18th Century in the ports of Hamburg a "burger" which was salted and slightly smoked, and often "stretched" with breadcrumbs, onion and spices was being being offered to sailors as they visited port.  It's from here we see the migration of the Burger to America.

Early immigrants to America bought German concept of the Burger with them, and here is where the story starts to turn into a bit of a "I found it first".

There are the Menches brothers from Ohio who, in 1885, claim to have served the first burger at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg New York.  You can see where this is going can't you??

Apparently they ran out of pork for their pork patty sandwich, and the local butchers - always out for a quick sale, suggested that they use beef.  They then ground the beef with brown sugar, coffe, and other spices.... and served it between two pieces of bread!!!  The year was 1885!  They were unsure what to call this new invention - so they looked up at the banner advertising the fair -  -The Erie Fair in Hamburg - and the "Hamburger" was born!

The Mendes continued to serve their "hamburger", ..........but then there are others that say that in 1891 Oscar Weber Bilby was the first to serve the "hamburger" on a bun!! and that this was the real birth of the "hamburger"  Semantics!!!

It goes on and on ...... let's just suffice to say that though the origins may be murky.... the Americans refined it!!!

Which gets me to tonight's dinner.....

One of "The Darlings" came and spied the patties on a tray and proclaimed with indignation in his voice ...."Why didn't you make real burgers???"   "These are real burgers Darling, mummy made them herself!!" "But they have green stuff in it!!"  Really, good luck picking that out then!!!

I say this because the previous night's meal was a chicken rollup thingy - I thought it was pretty good - didn't add any vegies to theirs - so what did they find to pick out???? The onions of course!!!  So good luck with the parsley tonight boys!!!

Cheeseburgers

Makes 6

500g pork mince
500g veal mince
2 tbs chopped continental parsley
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 tbs dried minced onion flakes
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper



Place all the above ingredients into a bowl, and get in and get your hands dirty!!  Mix well, then form into 5-6 patties, depending on how many you have to feed.

Allow to rest in the fridge for approximately 20 minutes - or until you need them

Preheat the BBQ and cook those little puppies until they are done to your liking.

To those cooked burgers add:

sliced cheese (of choice) - I have some swiss and cheddar

baby rocket leaves

sliced cucumber pickles

sliced tomato

beetroot......

whatever you like on your burger

Serve on gourmet bread rolls - I am using pane de case rolls that I will crisp up in the oven for 5 minutes.

Got to love the burger!!!  Whatever it's origins - it's a meal you can eat from your hand!!!

So Dear Readers, what do you love on your burgers??  Do you love the works?  Pickles?  Beetroot?? (that's for the Aussies), Fancy Mustard???  Do tell.





Thank you to all my lovely readers who emailed me or made comments on my last post.

I did not write this post to elicit sympathy.  I hoped that by writing the post, if I could help but one person, in one small way, then I had done some good.  

I am just a person who is doing the best they can with a life they cannot change.


Hamburger facts from whatscookingamerica.net.