Linny's Kitchen: B.Y.O.B. ~ Build Your Own Burger

Monday, August 15, 2011

B.Y.O.B. ~ Build Your Own Burger

Burgers are a staple of the all American cookout going dating back to the time just before World War II when the charcoal grill gained it place in the backyard of many homes. This simple and often considered easy meal option has spurred many debate between friend and foe. Even in my own house there are varying opinions on the correct mix of the burger itself not to mention the cooking techniques or dare I venture the realm toppings!

It was this past Friday that I watched and recorded the differences in how each of my friends build their own burger. It reminded me of a snowflake in a way, with no two being exactly the same. One person had turkey on wheat with no cheese while another went for beef, bacon and cheddar on a white bun then smothered in BBQ sauce (not ketchup and pickles on the side!) Each person checked off there preferences like it was a description of there personality and proudly handed in there order. This whole experience made me ponder what makes a burger a burger...

According to Merriam-Webster and burger is defined as: : a sandwich similar to a hamburger burgers> —often used in combination and a hamburger is a sandwich made with a patty of ground beef. Being a person that does not like being constrained by regulations I am all for the Burgers not Hamburger. Thus this leads me to B.Y.O.B. or Build Your Own Burger!!

B.Y.O.B. opens the door for individualism and creativity and is a great theme for your next cookout! Create a Burger Bar where all the guest are given the option of meats and toppings and are free to create the burger that best suits them. You can even turn it into a game and have people guess or theorize what each persons burger says about them.

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Linny's Tip - Cooking and Storing Potatoes

Potatoes should be kept in a cool, dark place with good ventilation. The ideal storage temperature is 45 to 50ºF. At these temperatures, potatoes will keep for several
weeks. But don't store potatoes in the refrigerator! When kept below 40ºF, potatoes develop a sweet taste, due to the conversion of starch to sugar. This increased sugar causes potatoes to darken when cooked. If you store potatoes at room temperature, try to use them within a week or so.

Keep potatoes away from prolonged exposure to light, which causes them to turn green. This greening causes a bitter flavor. If potatoes develop green areas or start to sprout, just trim off these areas before using.

Always add potatoes to cold water to boil. This ensures that potatoes will cook evenly throughout.

Linny's Tip: Tomatoes

Did you know tomatoes are second in consumption to potatoes!

However, there is one important thing everyone should know about tomatoes and that is how to store them. Tomatoes do not like the cold at all. In fact when you keep them in the refrigerator they will become mealy and loose their robust flavor.

Instead store them in a cool dark place with their stem side down for ripe tomatoes. For those tomatoes that a not quite ripe leave them on a sunny window sill and soon they will turn bright red and juicy ready to honor any salad or BLT!