Friday, October 20, 2006

Everything I Love: Cheeseburgers

I’ve sampled cheeseburgers from racetracks and vending machines to roadhouses and bistros, and I’ve concluded that debates about the world’s best are irresolvable. I know it’s on a soft white bun that squishes and that it’s so laden with grease that it turns a brown paper bag a translucent grey. Garnished carefully, it's dabbed with relish and mustard, sprinkled with shredded lettuce and chopped onions, and crowned with a slice or two of dill pickle. With a nod to intemperance, gobs of cheese ooze from a melting plank of cheddar and bubbles of fat gurgle to the surface on each bite. It’s set apart from the crowd by an understated twist – barbecue or chili sauce replacing ketchup. Wherever this holiest of junk food grails is served, be it at a truck stop, a drive-in, or from a backyard charcoal grill, I am quite sure of how it tastes.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have to argue with the relish part. There is no place for relish on a cheeseburger.

David said...

Yes, I forgot that you like to prepare your own burger... something I deplore.

Anonymous said...

Not really... just relish is not a common staple of a good cheeseburger. Most places do not put it on with the usual mustard, ketchup, etc...

Anonymous said...

its better when the meat is rare enough that the bun turns bloody. without ketchup. yumm!