By Venessa Anthony
Burgers are indeed a source of happiness, a fact supported by the rich cheesy topping, crisp flavourful onion, and splash of tomato that brings it all together with a pickle for a tangy finish – or maybe you’re a bolder sort, enjoying a burger topped with onion rings and barbecue sauce in a true Western-style and a hint of cheese.
Whatever the case, it’s hard to argue that the burger isn’t the perfect food that some even argue is healthy, and Burger Day is here to celebrate it in all its glory.
History of Burger Day
Burger Day was established by one Mr. Hyde to celebrate their favourite food, and all the places they’ve sampled that make them. It’s a great system, free from any of the false advertising you may experience elsewhere. As they say, “If we say we like a burger place, it’s because we ate there and liked it”. Burger Day was created to vaunt the glories of these convenient all-in-one meals.
There is an ongoing debate over who actually invented the burger. Some believe that it was invented in Hamburg, Germany, or to be more precise, the meat that would become the hamburger was. Ground beef used to be considered a waste product – the leftovers of the prime cuts that were then sold for cheap.
There is also rumour that the hamburger originated with Louis Lassen, a Danish immigrant who cooked up the first patty in 1900 in New Haven, using ideas he had developed in Europe.
The hamburger made its official debut at the 1904 St. Louis Food Festival in the US, but it didn’t really take off properly until mass commercialisation of the concept in the following decades. Hamburgers weren’t originally a trendy fast-food item. Instead, they grew out of economic necessity. Innovators in the food industry needed a way to use off-cuts of meat productively, instead of just throwing them to the dogs. They wanted a meal that they could sell quickly to prevent spoilage, so the humble burger proved to be the obvious choice.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the need for cheap food reached even greater heights. Seeing hunger and poverty, entrepreneurs looked for ways to get food into people’s stomachs without a hefty price tag. So they began developing machines that would churn out burgers en masse.
Whatever the truth about their origins, hamburgers are one of the most popular foods in the world and a dietary staple.
How to celebrate Burger Day
Celebrating Burger Day is one of the easiest, most entertaining, and absolutely delicious celebrations one can imagine – you eat burgers! Hosting a great burger cookout at your house or at friends, where everyone makes their favourite variety with their favourite toppings and introduces it to the group is a good idea. Worst case scenario, you meet another burger you absolutely can’t live without, but that’s what Burger Day is all about.
Another thing you can do is celebrate the fact that the humble burger’s definition is now vastly expanded. While beef patties are classic, they’re no longer the only game in town. Today, you have a host of options, including chicken burgers, turkey burgers, fake meat burgers, and even portabella mushroom burgers if you eat veggie burgers.
The world is crying out for fun, new burger recipes that people can enjoy after a busy day, so share a burger to spread the love and celebrate this fun day.
