With summer starting this week, both literally and figuratively, what better time to celebrate that great All-American dish, the hamburger.
Yes, we know the hamburger was invented in Hamburg, Germany, but the advent of fast food in America spread the popularity of hamburgers far and wide across the globe.
The immense popularity of hamburgers have spawned countless variations from inventive chefs. This week we will be highlighting the vast diversity of burgers out there, and we’re only talking about from NYC street vendors.
According to Wikipedia, immigrants to the United States from German-speaking countries brought with them some of their favorite foods. One of them was Hamburg Steak. The Germans simply flavored shredded low-grade beef with regional spices, and both cooked and raw it became a standard meal among the poorer classes. In the seaport town of Hamburg, it acquired the name Hamburg Steak.
In the late 18th century, the largest ports in Europe were in Germany. Sailors who visited the ports of Hamburg, Germany and New York brought this food and the term “Hamburg steak” into popular usage. To attract German sailors, eating stands along the New York City harbor offered “steak cooked in the Hamburg style”. From there it was just a short hop to the ubiquitous hamburger we all know and love.
Hamburgers have come a long way from Hamburg Steak in the 18th Century. Join us every day this week at lunch for Burger Week, where we celebrate the diversity and deliciousness of burgers served by New York street vendors.
