滨听would consider myself a foodie. I have had the pleasure of dining at some of Canada鈥檚 best restaurants and am always moved by amazing food. I don鈥檛 think I am alone in saying however that the food I crave the most, the one I am most passionate about and perhaps the most opinionated, is the almighty cheeseburger.聽
Let me start by saying that although vegetarian 鈥渂urgers鈥� in all of their variations can be delightful, this week鈥檚 article is dedicated to the classic beef version in all its glory.
The origin of the burger is not entirely clear, but most tales have some version of it first being served in the United States in the late 1800s. All stories involve a chef, two slices of bread and a piece of meat. And the rest, as they say, is history.
When I moved to Squamish, it didn鈥檛 take me long to figure out where to go for insider information. When I have lived in other smaller towns, places like the local library or tourism office were epicentres for guidance. Very quickly I came to know that if you want the down low, the real dish, the inside track, that the Facebook page, Squamish Speaks, was the place to be. I wanted this article to be accurate, based on local guidance. So, one sunny afternoon I typed the question:
鈥淲here is the best burger in Squamish?鈥�
Well, within 24 hours I learned a couple of things: 1. The people of Squamish have strong opinions; and 2. There are more than a couple of places to get a mean burger. On the top of the list was The Locavore Food Truck followed very closely by Chef Big D鈥檚. I am proud to say that I have had both. The other votes were for Mountain Burger, Naked Lunch, Pepe and Gringo鈥檚, White Spot and the Watershed. Yep, I have had those too. Here鈥檚 the thing about burgers. They are very personal. Such a fine balance of all of the flavours working their way toward an epic taste experience. The perfect combination of fat and acid. Crunch and ooze. Sharp and sweet. It鈥檚 a lot like finding a dance partner. Everyone likes 鈥檈m a teensy bit different. A couple of folks volunteered that in fact they make the best burger in Squamish. While I have not tasted theirs personally, what I can say is this: there are some cornerstones in putting together an epic burger.聽
Meat: Fat鈥檚 where it鈥檚 at when it comes to making a burger juicy, you want to skip the extra lean and go for the full-fat beef. When cooked up it gives you the beautiful drippy goodness that combines with the condiments and provides that oh-so-yummy feeling.
Beware the spatula: Growing up watching my dad barbecue, I always thought that that鈥檚 just how burgers were cooked. There was always this natural inclination to press down on the burger while it was grilling, as if for some reason, it was making you more effective in the barbecue department. Get scolded by a chef or two at a dinner party and you quickly realize that pressing down on the patty is draining the juice, the life force, the awesome out of it.
Squishy is delishy: The burger bun is imperative when it comes to the finished product. You want something that is going to absorb into the sandwich itself. So it becomes a giant orchestral movement making its way into your mouth. Mmmmm.
Use reasoning with your seasoning: This may be a bone of contention, but I believe that if you start with great meat, all you need is salt and pepper. Let that beautiful Canadian beef shine (right, Earl鈥檚?)
All killer no filler: No egg, bread crumbs, nada. Nothing beats the meat.
No stopping the toppings: There are many ways to skin a cat. There are also many ways to dress a burger. I love me some fried onions, mayo, cheese (the only time I ever use 鈥淎merican鈥�), ketchup, mustard, iceberg lettuce (one of the rare occasions it graces my dinner table) and pickles (although my husband would fiercely object).
A perfect burger would not be complete without its beverage accompaniment. An ice cold lager or a glass of zinfandel are ideal for this occasion.
Happy grillin鈥�.
