Text 8216, 56 rader
Skriven 2008-06-02 13:44:44 av DAVE SACERDOTE (1:123/140)
Ärende: In Praise of Steamed Cheeseburgers
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Chances are, if you're not from Southern New England, you've never 
heard of a "steamed cheeseburger." Fairly popular in central 
Connecticut, they are all but unknown in the rest of the country.

For diehard fans, steamed cheeseburgers are the only burgers that 
are worth eating. For everyone else, they're a delicious change 
of pace that should be experienced at least once. Five ounces of
high-quality ground beef are packed into a rectangular tray, 
steamed in a stovetop contraption called the Burg'R Tend'R until 
done, then served on a soft Vienna roll topped with melted mild 
cheddar cheese and various fixings (which might include lettuce, 
tomato, onion, and bacon.)

As the burger steams, it sort of pulls together into a thick, 
deliciously juicy patty that almost resembles a meatball more 
than a hamburger patty. Just before serving, it's topped with 
a thick layer of steam-melted cheddar cheese (usually a mild 
to mid-sharp NY or Wisconsin cheddar, almost never a plain 
bland "American cheese.") The texture and flavor is wonderful. 
Top it with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and a few strips of bacon 
and you have a sandwich that you will never forget.


The first steamed cheeseburgers were served in the late 1940's 
at a small restaurant called Jack's Lunch in Middletown, CT. A 
few other diners and lunch counters in central Connecticut also 
started serving them, and in the 1950's Paul Duberek of Meriden 
CT began selling them to workers at construction sites and 
factories, from a small lunch cart equipped with a sandwich 
steamer. His son Ted, who now owns and operates Ted's Restaurant 
in Meriden, carries on the tradition today.

The Burg'R Tend'R

Most diners and restaurants serving steamed cheeseburgers use a 
special stovetop steaming cabinet called a Burg'R Tend"R, which 
was invented and patented by Dale Greenbacker, a Connecticut 
metalworker, who incorporated his business as Daleco Inc. in 1978. 
The commercial-sized Burg'R Tend'R has twelve trays which are used
 to steam the burgers and melt the blocks of cheese. A somewhat 
smaller home-kitchen version is also available for true steamed 
cheeseburger fanatics.

Daleco is now run by Bob Gattilia, and has a website where you 
can buy your very own Burg'R Tend'R.

(photos and links available at the blog.)

---
http://davescupboard.blogspot.com/ - Dave's Cupboard - Food and 
Restaurant Reviews; If I post it here in NCE, you'll find it 
blogged with photos at Dave's Cupboard.

http://bacon-labels.blogspot.com/ - A gallery of bacon package labels.
(The extra shelf in Dave's Cupboard.
 * Origin: Doc's Place BBS Fido Since 1991 docsplace.tzo.com (1:123/140)