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From A Hamburger Today
Posted by Matt Jacobs, January 21, 2008 at 3:00 PM
I am a rabid—as in foaming at the mouth—fan of Cook's Illustrated. While it can be pedantic at times, the magazine's quest for perfection reliably yields delicious, easy-to-reproduce recipes.
In a fit of curiosity, I signed up to test out recipes that may or may not appear in the magazine. You're given a recipe and asked to submit your thoughts on the results by a particular date. Typically, the time frame passes before I have a chance to try it out, so I toss the recipe. But when a recipe for the Ultimate Beef Burger came along—a West Coast–style burger no less—I held onto it after the window had closed and thought I'd share the results with you all instead. If you're like me, your quest for the perfect burger continues into your kitchen.
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From A Hamburger Today
Posted by Matt Jacobs, January 5, 2007 at 3:28 PM
Leave it to the brainiacs to ruin a perfectly good thing. Jamais Cascio, author of the blog Open the Future, has determined the carbon footprint of a cheeseburger and you're about to feel really guilty.
At 2.85-3.1 kg of CO2 (equiv) per burger, then, that's 428-465 kg of greenhouse gas per year for an average American's burger consumption.
[...]
...adding in the methane, the overall CO2-equivalent emissions from all the cheeseburgers consumed in the US (assuming the average of 3/person is accurate) roughly equal the greenhouse output of 100,000 SUVs.
Well, that's depressing. Of course, there are well over 100,000 SUVs on the road, so if we could just convince 100k SUV-owners to use public transportation then we can eat with a clear conscience.
From A Hamburger Today
Posted by Matt Jacobs, January 5, 2007 at 1:59 PM
Bauer, who is the Executive Food and Wine Editor for the SF Chronicle and a blogger, weighs in on his five favorite burgers in the Bay. The list is below (and here), but I thought I'd point out the most impressive stat of his post. When he did his original best burger article 10 years ago he made 60 stops and tried 16 burgers in one day. Michael Bauer, you're my hero.
Zuni Cafe. It still tops my list because the chuck is first salted overnight and ground the next day, so the seasonings permeate the beef. Contrary to popular opinion about salt leaching out moisture, it's just the opposite; these burgers are juicy throughout. The thick patty is served on focaccia, with house-pickled onions on the side.
Here are the others that round out my top five:
In-n-Out: if you're going to eat fast food, this is the place for a great burger. Too bad the fries aren't better. It helps if you ask for them extra crispy, but when there are dozens in line behind you, it becomes a little difficult.
Bistro Don Giovanni: This is a close second. It comes with a selection cheese but I like it "Donna or Scott's Way," which means the bun is slathered with aioli and mounded with grilled onions.
Nopa: The juicy, fat burgers are grilled over almond wood, which imparts a subtle smokiness.
Bix: The burger is enhanced with truffles and Picerino and served on toasted rye.
Be sure to check out the rest of the post and all the comments for more burger wisdom.
From A Hamburger Today
Posted by Matt Jacobs, September 5, 2006 at 4:51 PM
Yes, there are dozens if not hundreds of burger cakes out there, but how many come with fries and a side of ketchup? At least one. This was spotted by an astute reader in a Philadelphia grocery store. Looks like we'll need to think of something we need to celebrate.
From A Hamburger Today
Posted by Matt Jacobs, September 1, 2006 at 2:35 PM
Earlier this week, Adam and I stopped by Bamn! to see what their burgers are made of (yes meat, but I was speaking metaphorically). The burger comes in three flavors, but only the teriburger is available via the automat. The teriburger is simply a burger with lettuce, tomato and teriyaki sauce. We gave that a shot first as it was most convenient. The bun was the first item to touch my lips and it was nearly perfect. Soft yet plump and easy to squish. The condiments were also fresh-tasting. While I didn't care for the sweetness of the teriyaki, it fits in with the asian themes of Bamn! As for the meat, it was tough. This was disappointing.
We thought the toughness might be a result of sitting in a little glass house for a while, so we tried a plain cheeseburger made to order. Unfortunately, the result was the same. After some debate, it was decided that the quality of the meat was to blame. Aside from lacking taste, it seemed overworked. While I don't know where they get their meat or exactly what they're using, I think Bamn! should invest in higher quality meat with a coarser grind. They owe this much to the rest of the components as they have the makings of a solid burger.
As for the non-burger fare, most of it was average but we both really enjoyed the fries and the mac & cheese krokets. I put up a less burger-oriented review on my personal site and have a flickr photoset of everything if you're curious.
BAMN!
Website: bamnfood.com
Phone: 646-638-0771
Location: 37 St. Mark's Place (Between 2nd and 3rd Ave.), Manhattan [map]
Price: $4 for two burgers (cheese or teriyaki treatment is free)
From A Hamburger Today
Posted by Matt Jacobs, August 14, 2006 at 1:52 PM
This morning's Strong Buzz newsletter brought us information on an addition to the NYC burger landscape:
Some of you may remember Chris Russell from his days at Moomba, then Tantra, which became Sage and then closed. Chris is a good guy, but his restaurants post-Moomba sadly quickly shuttered. His latest project, set to open in November, focuses on a simple food group that has a more of a proven track record than celebrity-dusted tuna tartare—the hamburger. His joint, called brgr, will serve fresh made-to-order burgers — beef, turkey and veggie — all from all-natural, locally supplied meat and produce. You choose whether your burger is charbroiled or hot off the griddle. Beer and wine will be served, along with hand-cut fries, beer-battered onion rings and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Rockwell Group is designing the two-story space, which has 60 seats and is designed to put guests inside the kitchen, offering an all-access view to burger prep and cooking. Brgr will be located at 287 Seventh Avenue (btwn 26 & 27).
If the description proves to be true, I'll be there the first day it's open. I love exposed kitchens.
From A Hamburger Today
Posted by Matt Jacobs, July 28, 2006 at 10:18 AM
Awful news coming in from Eater this morning: The Madison Ave. location of Soup Burg is closing on Sunday. For me, this is heartbreak. It's one of my top three burgers in the city and it will be sorely missed. Yes, there is another location, but it doesn't have a griddle that's been seasoned for over 50 years.
I'll be making my final pilgrimage at lunch today and I'll be sure to take photos.
From A Hamburger Today
Posted by Matt Jacobs, July 25, 2006 at 8:49 AM
NY Magazine's Cheap Eats issue is out this week and they've included their top five burger joints in the city. Can't really argue, although I haven't made it to Donovan's Pub yet. Here's the list for your perusal.
SHAKE SHACK
A stinging slap in the face of the Great Gourmet Burger Movement from a few years back, the Shack Burger is a thing of simple beauty, made from a freshly ground mix of sirloin and brisket, loosely packed and served on a squishy bun that quickly becomes one with the crisp-edged meat.
BLUE SMOKE
This is the second-best burger in town, and it’s no surprise that, like the Shack Burger above (to say nothing of the great burger at Union Square Cafe), it comes from a Danny Meyer kitchen. Meyer is known as a groundbreaking restaurateur, but his greatest legacy might be his contribution to the burger pantheon.
BURGER JOINT
A no-frills char-grilled burger, well proportioned and modestly accoutred, that never fails to hit the spot.
DONOVAN’S PUB
The city’s premier bar burger. Order it with grilled onions and American cheese, and have it at the bar, a room thick with history and the occasional impenetrable brogue.
SCHNÄCK
You can order up to four 1-ounce Schnäckie patties stuffed into a single house-made mini-bun. But it’s more fun to order a whole pile of singles as if you were training for a competitive-eating contest.
From A Hamburger Today
Posted by Matt Jacobs, June 5, 2006 at 3:28 PM
BUY TICKETS HERE!!!
A Hamburger Today is proud to announce our first food event. With warmer weather in the air and juicy summertime hamburgers on our minds, the event will be at
Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City. Sand, a great view of Manhattan, and burgers -- how can you go wrong? The party, which takes place on Saturday, June 24, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., has been dubbed the "QBQ BBQ Burger Bash at Water Taxi Beach" (QBQ = "Quality Before Quantity"). Tickets are priced at either $9 for 2 burgers or $16 for 4 burgers.
These are the different burgers available:
The Guber Burger: A Missouri specialty topped with hot, melted smooth peanut butter
The Butter Burger: A Wisconsin fave served with a large dollop of soft, pure butter
The Green-Chile Cheeseburger: Made with hot green chiles, indigenous to New Mexico
The Motz Burger: Named for acclaimed hamburger documentarian George Motz, it’s the quintessential quarter-pound patty served on a white squishy bun with spectacular “Schnack” sauce, originated at the Brooklyn eatery of the same name
Elk Burger: Elk meat from Lone Hawk Farms in Idaho served with Schnack sauce and tomato
Harry's will also have his regular menu available. It should be noted that having a ticket is substantially cheaper than buying the food a la cart and that those without tickets may not be able to try every burger. And please note that the event is Quality Before Quantity for a reason. Harry and crew have pointed out that, while you should come hungry, just be aware that they're going to take their time to cook the burgers properly -- not just zing them out half-ass. So you might have to wait as they griddle them up hot and fresh for you.
As a special bonus to the burger lovers in attendance, there will be a screening of George Motz's film Hamburger America at dusk. If that's not enough burger goodness for you, then I don't know what is. Here are all the details. We can't wait to see you there.
GOTHAMIST-A HAMBURGER TODAY BEACH BURGER PARTY
When: 6 p.m., Saturday, June 24
Where: Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City, Queens (closest address is 2-03 Borden Ave
Getting There: Water Taxis depart from East 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan on a varied schedule (visit nywatertaxi.com). Subway riders should take the No. 7 train to Vernon Avenue/Jackson. Walk along Vernon Avenue to Borden Avenue, turn right. Look for signs for Water Taxi Beach. For more travel options, visit the beach's site.
Cost: $16 for any four burgers; $9 for any two burgers
Getting Tickets: You can purchase tickets directly from ticketweb. You can also buy burgers without tickets, but ticketholders get first dibs.
BUY TICKETS HERE!!!
From A Hamburger Today
Posted by Matt Jacobs, June 1, 2006 at 9:07 AM
My sister certainly knows me well. When my birthday came up a couple months ago, she laid this basket on me and I was like woh. If you can't see what everything is, here's a breakdown:
The piece of art is a woodblock print my sister created herself. It's awesome and is already up in my kitchen. Absolutely awesome.
This herbed beef and burger rub from Tulocay's Made in Napa Valley is a nice addition to a burger. It'd be nice if we could all have access to the best quality meat, but usually we all end up with ground chuck from the grocery store. This rub gives it a little kick without forcing you to turn to bread crumbs or other additives. Avoid those, use something like this.
I'm not sure who makes these (as I ate them already, whoops), but burger candy is just fun. If I find one of these laying around the house I'll get a little more info on these for ya'lls.
These Tablecraft baskets are gold. Aside from my woodblock print, this was my favorite part of the gift. I just need to get some good parchment paper I can use to fold around my burgers, then throw them in the baskets with some fries. Can't wait.
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Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Favorite foods: Burgers, burgers, burgers
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