A pretty quick and filling snack for four, or a meal for two. If you want to make more, simply multiply the amounts by half the people. Heck I’ve just confused myself with that, you’ll work it out.

Ingredients-

Burgers

500g good minced beef

400g can of mexican beans, or just kidney beans, drained and rinsed

tbsp tomato puree

tbsp red wine

tsp chili flakes

2 tsp olive oil

tbsp Cattlemens sauce

splash Jersey Death sauce (you can leave this out if you don’t want them too hot)

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

salt and ground black pepper.

2 tbsp oat/rye flour

Sauce-

4 tbsp creme fraiche

2 tsp piri piri sauce

small pull of fresh parsley, chopped.

Method-

Add 1 tsp of oil to a shallow frying pan and bring to a low heat, add the drained beans and the smoked paprika and fry gently for 5 minutes. Make sure the beans don’t stick with the paprika. After 5 minutes take off the heat and place the beans onto some kitchen towel to remove any oil residue.

In a medium sized bowl combine the minced beef with the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT for the flour and oil. The chili flakes and Death sauce are going to be hot, so if you want to be safe then wear some gloves, or make sure you wash your hands straight after doing the mixing. You do NOT want to get this stuff in your eyes. When you have a good mix consistency then add the cooled beans and form into 4 patties. Gently roll the patties in the flour, you only want to coat the outside.

If you are going to BBQ the burgers then I would advise placing them on some baking parchment on a tray and placing them in a freezer for 30-45 minutes and then straight from the freezer to the BBQ.

Going with the shallow fry method, add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan and bring it back up to heat. Gently place the patties into the pan and let them cook for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the patties, and how rare you like your beef. Turn them to make sure the flour doesn’t blacken.

For the sauce, simply mix the ingredients together in a small bowl or ramekin and place on the table, or spoon over the burgers.

Serve with either chips, rice, cous cous or just on their own. Particularly nice in heated pitta bread or crispy rolls.

How was your first burger experience?

At best, this experience can be seminal; a gateway to another plane of existence, where our imagination dictates our livelihood. Where we realize that what is right in front of us is just the very tip of the iceberg. Where we learn what we can’t see, or didn’t see becomes exponentially more important than what we can. Because after years of consumption, we know that a better burger exists. And every craving leads to an adventure to find our El Dorado. The place where our burger is exactly what we want at exactly that time and place. It is less a feeling of home, and more a temporary guest pass to the cosmos.

At worst, you become completely disgusted at the thought of burgers, thus staving off future complications like coronary artery disease and stroke, something I am sure to experience soon. Which…really, in the long term, sounds extremely smart.

But I pity those who don’t enjoy burgers. Because beyond their stigma as the key to the city of obesity and malnutrition, there are few other food options that can provide such a thorough gastronomical emprise.

And the adventure starts at home, and doesn’t really end until you either die, or become a vegan. Because even when you’ve broken into the stratosphere, beyond the lengths that home could possibly encompass, there is still the thrilling comfort of knowing there is a piece of home in every piece of this land.

My adventure took me to Santa Barbara. It was a summer camping trip with the usual subtitles. We fled from our trouble, ran from our demons, but always keeping them within our sights. The All-American vacation. But when Hamburger Helpers, baked beans, and nachos made with day old ground beef lost its luster, our cravings led us to the one most permanent fixture of Americana there is.

The Habit. An inoffensive ode to the California style burger, much in the mold of the In-N-Out burger, but in every way, an upgrade.

I like In-N-Out. I do. The secret menu was a remarkably genius addition, providing all of the lonely individuals in the world a place in which they are part of a distinct collective, a collective that has the pleasure of creating a better burger. But at the same time, I can’t help feeling as though something is amiss at the storied franchise. The whiteness of the walls, the ceiling, the buildings. The juxtaposition of red and yellow, almost a mockery of an even larger, more storied franchise. The sparkly white everywhere, it becomes a representation of a clean place, a heaven, where those who have been scarred by McDonalds’ bad press can come and enjoy a ’superior’ burger, at a price. There’s too much of a gimmick there for me. In-N-Out doesn’t establish itself as an individual among fast food chains, but rather, establishes itself as some sort of antidote. A “comeback” for the poor soul who initiates the “insult” of bringing up McDonalds as a potential destination.

Plus, their fries suck. They suck horribly. Alone, without the thousand island and the grilled onions and the cheese contained in the “Animal Style” version, they are limp, with no crisp in sight. Even when you order them well done, they become chips. Not french fries. It’s frustrating for any burger lover. Because their burgers are fine. But you can’t fully enjoy a burger without good fries riding shotgun.

Well, The Habit’s fries do not suck. In fact, they are some of the best fries I’ve had in a while. The perfect size. Not shoe string, but not steak cut either. A perfectly golden exterior provides the pillowy soft interior a solid fortress. And as you break down the castle walls with the blunt razors of your teeth, you realize what a burger experience is. Even the best burger is not without its flaws. And those flaws can be concealed, or forgotten, with the correct french fry. You realize that a burger does not equate to a burger experience. Because a house is not a home unless it holds your love within it. And a burger cannot sustain a meal. It must have its accompaniment. It must have good french fries.

The burger itself? It hides itself well in its sloppy appearance. But the details. Oh, the details. Cheese completely melted, completely devouring the beef patty. The buns, slightly charred, to bolster its defense against the monstrosity that lies between them. The shredded lettuce, and single slice of thick and juicy tomato, creating a perfect bite, every time, in contrast to other chains using two dinky slices, and a few whole leaves of lettuce, creating unproportioned bites, leading to a few awkward concluding bites. Complete with the fries and Barq’s root beer, it was a great meal. Not revolutionary as much as it was a reminder. Not seminal as much as it was succinctly satisfying. A meal with perfect proportions. And from that adventure, I hold onto a memory. A little pocket of time in which, if only for a few moments, I can call home.

A great summertime burger. I made these for the first time this summer along with homemade mojitos for a group of friends. I adjusted the recipe as they were turning out too wet and added lots more spice. Messy but easy to make and freeze for future meals:

Photo from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients
yields many burgers

1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder (more the better!)
1 tablespoon cumin (more the better!)
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce (more the better!)
1 cup bread crumbs

Prep

2910 East High Street

Cast in the eerie shadows of the twin towers of the Limerick Nuclear Power Plant lies the Philadelphia Premium Outlet Mall, a mecca for consumers that in just a few days will cast its siren song southward to lure Black Friday shoppers and welcome their efforts to spur the economy through ritualistic spending at Nike, Adidas, Jockey, Le Creuset and the thankfully curable Perfumania (not to mention food offerings such as the painfully punny Chinese stand called Asian Chao).

What was even just a few months ago a barren field now teems with activity, forever in the present with today’s hottest fashions and modern trends.  At the exit ramp off of Route 422 drivers are offered barely the chance to turn away from the mall, almost by centripetal force their cars are willed to turn left and ease into the acres of available free parking. But for those who can fight the potent inertia of drastically reduced prices on factory seconds and previous year’s stock (or perhaps more realistically forestall their entry into the maelstrom for a few moments) there is a reward for steering your car to the right at the end of the ramp – The Hilltop Drive-In.

In stark contrast to the not so accurately named outlet mall (anyone from these parts will know they are nowhere near Philadelphia, Google Maps pegs it at just over 29 miles from City Hall to the Wilson’s Leather Outlet), the Hilltop sits as a pink-hued reminder of a bygone era and the simple pleasures of a pre-fast food chain dominated burger landscape.

Make no mistake, this is not the best burger you will ever eat, but the overall experience makes it well worth the effort and miles.  Add equal parts classic architecture, hand-spun milkshakes and malts, black and white photographs and retro signage and you’ve got yourself the ideal destination for a lazy Sunday drive to the far reaches of the suburban Philly telephone area code.

On this my second trip to the joint I ordered the California Cheeseburger, so-named for the appearance of (gasp!) vegetables which, at a time in our country, must have been viewed as exotic and otherworldly, just like the Golden State.  Two perfectly acceptable fast food size and style beef patties were joined on the white, squishy burger bun by a piece of American cheese, sliced raw onions, tomato, shredded lettuce and mayo.  (I substituted the kaiser roll which this sandwich is usually served on for a regular burger bun due to my long held belief that a kaiser roll has no business being near a burger.)

I had forgotten the pure pleasure of eating a burger with heaps of mayo on it. Despite the results of A Hamburger Today’s “Favorite Condiment” poll back in August, far too few of the burgers we eat have mayonnaise on them.  Why not?  Adding more fat to a burger seems like a no-brainer, and at the Hilltop, which uses some brand that bridges the chasm between Hellman’s egginess and the sweetness of its arch enemy Miracle Whip, the gooey-ness continuum that is created with the inevitable mingling of the white American cheese and mayo is pure perfection.  That moment of self-questioning “was that the cheese or the mayo?” works well in the burger as grease delivery vehicle equation.

The Hilltop’s roots reach back to the 1950’s when it was a Carvel outpost and the shakes and malts served today are legit.  I had a chocolate malt on my first trip and it was perfect, deeply chocolaty with flecks of slightly bitter malt powder.  Soft-serve cones and sundaes are available as well and I can imagine in the summer time they do a fare bit of business cooling off the locals with these treats.

One of the great surprises of The Hilltop is that they serve Good’s Potato Chips from nearby Adamstown, PA.  An old-school producer of no-frills, fried in lard chips, Good’s have become a strictly rationed treat in our house (Philly area folks can get them closer to home at The Head Nut in Ardmore) and as served here are the perfect accompaniment to your burger.  They also offer pretty good french fries, McDonald’s style thin cuts fried up crisp and tasty, but when presented with the chip option they slip into second place.

Special mention must be given of their crab bisque soup.  With our proximity to Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay, decent crab doesn’t seem like it would be too hard to come across, but it certainly wasn’t expected in this kind of setting and truly stole the show on our first visit.

Huge thanks to ModBetty of Retro Roadmap for bringing The Hilltop to my attention via her great post and pictures (special notice should be given of the early ’50’s black and white image she shares of the Hilltop as a Carvel -complete with a rogues gallery of patrons straight out of central casting).  Her site is packed with other great info and she is the rare Keystone state resident with actual duckpin bowling experience.

Stellen Sie sich vor. Bob und Georg. Mal wieder. Noch einmal. Es ist spät geworden, jetzt sitzen sie bei einem Billigfraßanbieter in diesem grellen Licht, das wie eine kalte Dusche ist, rote Plastiktabletts vor sich auf schmalen Tischen. Bob rutscht auf der harten Sitzbank hin und her. Er ist aufgekratzt, dabei todmüde.
Draußen fährt mit quietschenden Reifen ein aufgemotzter Japaner vom Parkplatz, beladen mit ein paar Halbstarken. Ein Bass wummert aus dem Fahrzeug in die Tiefe der Nacht hinaus. Ein Mann, auf dem Weg zur Beleuchtung, bleibt stehen und schaut den Davondröhnenden nach.

Bob ist froh, dass niemand auf ihn geschossen hat. Er ist nahezu glücklich. Verdammter Bass! Tränen schimmern in seinen Augen, Tränen der Dankbarkeit. Das ist gerade noch mal gut gegangen. Verdammte Kids! Fuchteln die hier doch tatsächlich mit einem Revolver rum! Und warum? Um 6,90 Euro zu sparen …

Auch die Koreaner und Türken hinter dem Tresen sind erleichtert. Sie schnattern aufgeregt in gebrochenem Deutsch. Der Filialleiter versucht die Angestellten zu beruhigen, erklärt ihnen, dass sie sich mal nicht so haben sollen, in anderen Ländern seien die Sitten sehr viel rauer.

Georg beißt herzhaft schmatzend in seinen Burger. XXL, da braucht’s beide Hände. Die Soße quillt aus dem weichen Brötchen.
Bob würde auch gern, aber dieses verdammte Magengeschwür … na, wird schon wieder.
Jetzt ist ihm jedenfalls nach Kotzen zumute.

“Georg, sag mal.”
“Ja? Bob?”
“Warum denken wir Menschen nicht so wahnsinnig gern über uns nach? Was glaubst du?”
“Wie meinst du das?” Schmatzend, mampfend. Georg. “Also, Bruder etwa, der denkt ZIEMLICH gern über sich nach!”
“Warum”, sagt Bob, “warum VERMEIDEN wir es geradezu, Georg, uns mit uns selbst, unserer Natur, unserer Bestimmung und unserem Ziel auseinanderzusetzen? Dafür muss es doch einen Grund geben.”

Bis spät in die Nacht haben unsere Helden des Alltags Headlines geschmiedet, Kampagnen gezimmert, am Tischfußballgerät gestanden. Es gibt ja nichts, so muss man das ja auch sehen, das sie weg zöge aus dem Büro. Bob ist frisch geschieden, zum gefühlten achten Mal, allein in diesem Jahr, und Georg … tja, Georg. Wir werden es vielleicht nie erfahren, was dieser Bursche in den wenigen kostbaren Stunden treibt, da er nicht am Schreibtisch gegenüber von Bob hockt. Vielleicht, hat Nettie einst gemutmaßt, hört Georg einfach auf zu existieren, sobald die Arbeit vorbei ist? Das würde zumindest erklären, warum der Typ immer so aufgeweckt und munter ist, denkt Bob, der verschlafen an seinem Bier nuckelt.

Oder vielleicht, das wäre eher Bert “Big” Bruders Vermutung, verbringt Georg die Nacht damit, ein Gummiband zwischen seinen Fingern schnipsen zu lassen?

Es war ein aufregender, arbeitsreicher Tag, und am Ende ist es wieder, als wäre nichts geschehen. Als hätte man 24 Stunden am Stück aus dem Fenster gestarrt.

Georg schluckt den pappigen Matsch hinunter, spült den Mund mit einem Schluck Pepsi frei, dann sagt er:
“Worauf willst du eigentlich hinaus, sag mal? Willst du mir ein schlechtes Gewissen machen?”
“Dir? Wieso?”
“Was weiß ich. Dass mit meinem Leben was nicht in Ordnung ist? Das ist bei dir doch immer die Pointe!”
“Lass die blöden Scherze …” Bob winkt ab. “Hast du schon mal von Ödipus gehört?”
“Sehr witzig.”
Georg schlürft extra laut Coke durch seinen Strohhalm.
“Nein, ich meine nicht den Typen mit dem Komplex”, sagt Bob. “Diese Wichsvorlage für Psychoheinis. Ich meine den echten Ödipus. Den, der sich die Augen ausgekratzt hat, weil er seinen Vater gekillt hat und seine Mutter …” Bob zögert. “Der eben ein paar Fehler gemacht hat auf seinem Lebensweg. U. a. seine Mutter geheiratet.”
Georg kratzt sich das Kinn, Bob genau beobachtend. “Auch von dem hab ich schon gehört, ja. Sophokles’ Ödipus. Wie du vielleicht weißt, habe ich ein paar Semester Theaterwissenschaft studiert. Bevor n+2 meine wahren Talente entdeckt hat.”
“Aber”, sagt Bob, “hast du auch schon mal über Ödipus nachgedacht?”
Georg schaut irritiert auf. “In letzter Zeit nicht allzu oft, muss ich gestehen, nein.” Er rülpst leicht. “Du?”
“Die Frage ist ja auch nicht, ob WIR schon mal über Ödipus nachgedacht haben. Die eigentlich entscheidende Frage lautet: Hat Ödipus schon mal über sich selbst nachgedacht?”
“Ich dachte, ob er über MICH nachgedacht hat, wäre die Frage.”
“Ich fürchte”, sagt Bob mit einem erschreckend ernsthaften Nicken, “das hat Ödipus nämlich wirklich getan! Er HAT über sich nachgedacht. Über den Stoff, aus dem sein Leben war. Und genau das hat ihn dann in die Probleme gebracht, für die er berühmt geworden ist.”
“Bob. Das ist gruselig, wenn du so was bringst. Das weißt du, oder?”
Bob grinst.
“Die Einzige, Georg, der je über DICH nachgedacht hat, ist deine Mutter gewesen, fürchte ich.”

Watch Bobby Flay on CBS morning news discuss about sliders…”Small Size,Big taste”

Slider Slider y’all! “No batter…No batta…no batta”…Northern New Joisey is known for two great legendary-healthy food options.  One, is the deep fried hot dog a la “Rutt’s Hutt” and “Hot Grill” in Clifton, “Hirams” & “Callahans” in Fort Lee, “Pappy’s Diner” in Totowa, or “Johnny and Hanges” in Fair Lawn.  The other NJ commodity is the recession burger known as the “Slider”.  For all that do not know what a slider is, it’s those mini burgers that white castle made famous. I suppose they call it a slider because it slides in one opening and out the other in no time! I’m blessed that I live too, darn close to one classic slider joint in Hackensack, NJ called the “White Manna”. White Manna grill masters scoop up the slider meat with an ice cream looking scoop onto the grill with one hand, & then uses the spatula to flatten out the meat delight with the other.  Then, a heaping portion of onions gets sloshed in and acts as a cover for the slider to steam in while the onion infuses with the precious meat. In no time, the master griller summons up a potato roll to marry the slider meat in!  DeeLicious! I know, I know, this is a straight tease without photos, but get your AZZ off the office space chair and sprint to your nearest slider establishment in the Dirty Jerz!  I mention a few below so you can promptly enter them into your google maps! These non-fancy ‘little dude’ burgers are getting some fancy treatments in NYC! We tried a new slider joint in NYC called “Marks” on St. Marks Place – East Village and it is worthy of a visit to the former bohemian street in NYC if you are in the ‘hood!

White Manna
358 River Street, Hackensack NJ 07601 (map)
201-342-0914
Mon. to Sat., 8:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m. – 6 p.m

White Mana
470 Tonnele Avenue, Jersey City NJ 07307

White Rose System (Highland Park)
154 Woodbridge Avenue, Highland Park NJ 08904

White Diamond (Clark)
1207 Raritan Road, Clark NJ 07066

Marks
33 St Marks Pl
(between 3rd Ave & Astor Pl)
New York, NY 10003

I’m in the process of writing up notes from my two days of pure pork gluttony in Arkansas last week, but need to shoot off this quick dispatch. As an unashamed Southern California boy still in exile in New York, I’m always pining for a taste of home (honestly, half the reason I fly back to LA is for the fish tacos at Tacos Baja Ensenada). I have a routine when I travel to California. My first stop is always In-N-Out and my last stop before heading back to the airport is In-N-Out.

So, I was really taken aback when walking down 23rd street in Manhattan yesterday going to my office when I saw what, at a glance, looked exactly like an In-N-Out Burger (forgive the terrible quality cell-phone pictures):

It’s a new burger joint, just steps away from the uptown 6-train subway stop at 23rd Street. Clearly, they have In-N-Out as their model. Everything was a copy – the menu, the font, the color scheme, the red-striped tiling on the wall, the hyphenated “N” name, even the paper hats of the employees are In-N-Out ripoffs. They even tout the fact that everything is fresh and they don’t have a freezer. The only thing missing was a glass case of t-shirts for sale with pictures of California beaches.

Having a blatant In-N-Out rip off in NYC both intrigued and annoyed me. I’d love an In-N-Out burger locally, but I’m not sure how I feel about the obvious copying of the entire In-N-Out restaurant. I did a quick search and it looks like I’m not the only one who has noticed the striking similarities.

So, like any good expat, I decided to give it a try. The first difference is the price. A single burger will set you back $4.24, cheeseburgers are $4.74, fries are $2.60. But more striking is that a double cheeseburger goes north of $7 and a shake is more than $4. Those are Shake Shack prices.

Having eaten literally thousands of In-N-Out burgers in my lifetime, I think I’m a pretty good benchmark.

The Fresh-N-Fast burger is actually pretty decent, with a soft pillowy white-bread bun that compacts under the burger, crisp iceberg lettuce, and nice red tomatoes. Fresh-N-Fast burgers also have an In-N-Out-esque thousand island like sauce. But the big difference is the patty. The Fresh-N-Fast patty was bland with little flavor and a slight cardboard-like texture. It may not have been frozen, but it still didn’t have a beefy freshness to it either (where Shake Shack excels). Don’t get me wrong, the burger isn’t terrible. It’s a competent burger, satisfies the urge and can be acquired quickly.

Their fries are slightly thicker than In-N-Outs, but are similarly weak – I’ve never been a fan of In-N-Out’s fries. Fresh-N-Fast’s fries may have been a bit better, but it’s all relative to me.

Frankly, if it didn’t try and rip off In-N-Out so blatantly, I’d probably think much higher of Fresh-N-Fast. But because they explicitly welcome the comparison, I have to declare that they just don’t measure up. And comparing to similarly styled burgers in NYC, I’d still give a big advantage to the Burger Joint at the Parker Meridien followed by the Shake Shack.

All that said, it does have one big leg up on Shake Shack. On a sunny day, you won’t have to wait an hour for your burger. And for those of us who don’t have interns to send down to wait in line for us… that’s a big plus.

Fresh-N-Fast
111 East 23rd Street
New York, NY 10010

I’m hungry like a hippo.

Get it? Hungry, hungry, hippos?

Nobody ever gets that. They just get mad and tell me to shut up. I think I need to start hanging out with cooler people.

Work is boring tonight, but only because I have to do something in the children’s room. I love children’s books, no lie there. But these aren’t the good kind. This is a room filled with those children’s book that have about 50 pages and 8 words. And do I mean filled. It takes me forever to put 3 books away, trying to sort through all of it, and I have 2 boxes full.

And I’m hungry, as I may have mentioned. I currently have an irrational hatred for the man on his laptop, as he is preventing me from eating my tiny bag of extra cheesy goldfish crackers. I mean, obviously I’m allowed to eat, as it’s a 5 hour shift, (I’m the only person working, so no real lunch breaks or anything), but I have to be subtle about it. Erg. Oh, how I could go for a burger right about now.

2 1/2 more hours to go.

Lichtgeschwindigkeit 81 Piraten-KANDIDATEN Daniel

Piraten-Presseschau am Donnerstag, 18. November 2009,

von Dr. Dietmar Moews beim Crewtreffen Negroponte in Berlin-Pankow;

Aufnahmezeit um 21 Uhr;

Piratenthema: ELENA: Pirat Daniel hat die „Smartcard ELENA“

(Elektronische Einkommensnachweis) beim Crewtreffen vorgestellt.

Daniel hat dazu weitere Erkundigungen angestellt, worüber heute

seine Einführung den Piraten zur weiteren Diskussion diente (Protokoll).

Das Thema ELENA wurde bereits bei den Piraten diskutiert, aber nachdem

ELENA im April 2009 zum 1. Januar 2009 Gesetz wurde, ist die Karte ELENA

in der Gesamtdiskussion der Massendatenspeicherung und der fortlaufenden

Missbräuche des Überwachungsstaats aus den Augen geraten.

Bei ELENA handelt es sich um eine Smartcard, die die persönliche

Generalidentifikationsnummer, Zertifikatsidentitätsnummer (Signatur),

enthalten soll, die staatlicherseits jeden Bürger lebenslang kennzeichnet.

Diese Nummer ist der Schlüssel zum zentral angelegten und gespeicherten

Gesamtdatensatz, den der Bürger herausgeben muss, wenn er mit dem Amt

in offiziale Verbindung treten will. Ähnliche Funktion der Massendatenspeicherung

und des gläsernen Bürgers sollen Automobil-Maud, Bank-Kreditkarten u. a. Erhalten.

Produktion, Performance, Autor, Direktion: Dr. Dietmar Moews;

Aufnahmetechnik und Admin: Piratencrew Berlin

Keller’s Drive-In
Address: 6537 E Northwest Hwy, Dallas, TX 75231
Phone: (214) 368-1209
Website: N/A
Known For: Burgers
What I had: Special No. 5 with Grilled Onions & Tater Tots
Price: $4.68
Rating: 8.5 out of 10

I’m having a hard time remembering how I first heard about Keller’s Drive-In but thank you to whomever mention it. This place is awesome. It’s a good ol’ American Car Hop, matter of fact there aren’t even tables here. I think they may have a few benches somewhere but I didn’t actually see them. They bring your food on a car tray and you’ve got no other choice but to eat it that way.  I tried to walk up and they acted strange and a little uncertain on how to handle me. There is no place to order at the building, the car hop comes to you. You’ll see people eating it like Fred Flintstone from within the car or some place the tray on their trunk or hood adopting a more picnic-style dining experience (this is how I decided to eat).

They’ve got burgers, hot dogs, corndogs, french fries, tater tots & onion rings, and they’re ridiculously cheap. You can add bacon, cheese, patties, chili, etc. all for around $.50 each. You really could make any sort of burger that your tummy desires.

I ordered their “Special No. 5″ which is a double cheeseburger, with tomato, lettuce and their special sauce. Funny thing is there are not really other “No.”s, I think maybe there is a No. 8 but that’s it. I also got grilled onions which come free with any burger.

It was a fantastic burger, the meat was nice. It was two good old griddled patties and very fresh tasting. Obviously nothing frozen here.  The produce was extremely fresh. The special sauce was good, just your typical blend of various condiments (mayo, ketchup, mustard, etc). Now that poppy seed bun was awesome. I love a good squishy, fluffy bun and this was just that. I also hate when a bun is not substantial enough and disintegrates in your hands and this did not do that. Overall this burger was darn tasty. The tater tots were a nice addition that you can’t order just anywhere. They were cook perfectly crisp, not to oily.

I really like this place. This is quintessential American fast food from back in the days when it didn’t have such a negative connotation. This is what that national chain place (I’m not even going to mention names) tries so hard to be. If you need to be flung back to a simpler time when going to grab a burger was a treat and something a bit special this is where to head. If you’re anywhere near Keller’s be sure to drive on up, park and wait for a Hop to come your way. She’ll quickly bring you out a nice tray full of tasty treats.

Special No. 5 with Grilled Onions

Tater Tots

Burger & Tots

Further reading:
www.yelp.com/biz/kellers-drive-in-dallas
www.dallas.citysearch.com/profile/9620189/dallas_tx/keller_s_drive_in.html
www.tripadvisor.com/Reviews-Keller_s_Drive_in-Dallas_Texas.html

Sep 5, 2009 @ 12:00

Remember those German cheeseburgers-in-a-can?  The ones that were rumored to be extremely nasty?  Well, the one in my living room expired a week ago, which naturally meant that it had to be eaten.  Here’s a summary in ten pictures.  Conclusions follow.

Curiosity killed the cat.

Our incredible volunteer popping it open. Everyone gasped. We crowded around. Nothing spewed out screaming like in Ghostbusters.

Popped open the other side and shucked it out. Dry bread! Someone said his hands now smelled like meat. Someone else said they smelled like poo. Someone had better have been wrong.

No campfire, so into the microwave it went! Our volunteer requested the "nuclear" setting, but we just settled for "high" for 30 seconds...

...and it came out steaming! Appetizing, no?

Modern art: the empty can.

Oh. My. God.

I shuddered at this point.  (Click the photos to expand!)

What goes better with a cheeseburger from a can than a glass of fine French red wine, of course? No ketchup or other condiments were added, in order not to taint the subtle flavors carefully engineered using the best in German technology.

Chompin' down. He did his best.

He didn't finish.

Our excellent volunteer with a steel stomach concluded a few points about this thing:

1.  It’s better than Quick.
2.  The meat actually tasted like meat.
3.  The meat also tasted like paper.
4.  The “cheese” had plenty of something awful.
5.  If you were stuck in the woods somewhere and had this canned burger, you could eat it without dying.

So there you go.  Not good at all, but in the end, you could do worse.  Three cheers for German innovation!

I don’t really eat that much meat. Apart from my chocolate addiction, I’d also say that I have a healthy diet. This has however changed. I did a mistake, a beautiful mistake. A delicious mistake: after a gig, a friend and I went to Burgermeister to get a burger, and there it was, my wonderful cheeseburger. I was in bliss. I don’t even know if it was that great – I was hungry and already had some beers, so it’s hard to tell. But it was the first burger I had for almost a year, that wasn’t the McDeath type of burger. It reminded me of where I study on Norway, where there’s this great burger place – yes,  Norway – home of great hamburgers.

3 burgers appear to be resting on the floor carpet - I'd probably pick them up and eat them anyway

So now my problem is, everytime I’m hungry, I feel like having a burger. I wake up and think about burgers. I could eat one right now, even though I just had food. I talk to my friends about burgers. In other words, I am going crazy. It’s my new obsession, my new, wonderful obsession! It will make me fat and I will die alone, but not lonely. Burgers are our friends, some better than others. Some small, some big, some strange or original. Some are nicely wrapped, others just come as they are.

I realize that this could be a very unhealthy addiction. I’m pretty good at controlling myself, though.. but the plan now is to make my own burgers, and using friends coming over for food as an alibi to eat them. Good plan, huh?

Purchase an order of Hardee’s Smothered Country Potatoes and get a small beverage free. One per customer. Coupon expires December 7, 2009.

Central Florida Future – http://bit.ly/8KleHL

By Cassie Turner

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Published: Friday, November 20, 2009

Updated: Friday, November 20, 2009

Caitlin Bush

"Most Americans do not know slavery not only exists in the world today, it flourishes," said Ron Soodalter, co-author of The Slave Next Door, in his presentation in the Pegasus Ballroom Monday morning.

"Somewhere around 27 million people are in bondage in the world today. Now, that’s over twice the number as were trafficked in chains in the entire 350 years of the African slave trade."

Soodalter, an active abolitionist and historian, kicked off International Education Week at UCF as the keynote speaker for the Second Annual International Breakfast. The Slave Next Door presentation concluded the three-part series on "Slavery’s Resurgence" facilitated by the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Global Perspectives and the International Services Center.

The series began with Somaly Mam, a Cambodian human rights activist, former slave and author of The Road of Lost Innocence: The True Story of a Cambodian Heroine, when she shared her experiences in September.

In October, Micheline Slattery, a human-rights activist and former restavek, or domestic child slave, in both Haiti and the United States, addressed about 300 attendees.

Modern-day slavery includes around 800,000 men, women and children trafficked each year around the world. According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Web site, about 17,500 of them end up in the United States, with a high percentage received in Florida.

Soodalter suggests a simple Google search on human trafficking for astounding results.

In spite of major federal legislation and anti-trafficking laws passed in 43 states, 103 human-trafficking convictions have resulted, Soodalter said.

Trafficking remains hidden, is largely unreported and difficult to identify. According to the 2009 Trafficking in Persons, or TIP, report, published by the U.S. Department of State, forced labor/involuntary servitude represents the majority of human-trafficking cases in the world. The co-author of Soodalter’s book,  Kevin Bales, wrote the original 156-page TIP report, titled “Trafficking Persons in the United States — A Report to the National Institute of Justice.”

“The whole thing is disserving and extending,” said retired UCF foreign language professor David Gurney. “It contributes to the antagonism from people in underdeveloped countries to Western civilizations or Western countries.”

In the 1850s, purchasing a slave ran roughly $1,200, the equivalent of around $40,000 in today’s money. The reality is purchasing a slave today costs as little as $100, which makes them affordable and disposable, Soodalter said.

A trafficking victim lives in fear of violence or the threat of violence daily, he said.

Shawn Cox, victim witness coordinator and licensed clinical social worker with the United States Attorney’s Office, advocates that trafficking is a crime of absolute power over someone. According to the report Cox co-authored, “Victims of Human Trafficking and Trauma,” the psychological consequences of a victim are similar to the consequences of severe or chronic child abuse or experiencing acts of terrorism.

"In case you thought slavery doesn’t touch you, guess again," Soodalter said. "Chances are, the clothes you wear, the food you eat, has been touched by slavery."

The good news is there have been some inroads made recently in the area of agricultural servitude, Soodalter said. When Taco Bell refused to stop buying produce picked by enslaved workers in an effort known as the "Ban the Bell" campaign, it set a precedent that several other companies, including McDonalds, A&W, Long John Silver’s, Pizza Hut, Whole Foods, Chipotle and Burger King, have followed, Soodalter said.

"The message is clear," Soodalter said. "Slavery and worker abuse will not be tolerated. Not here, not now, not ever."

Mark Freeman, public affairs coordinator for the Global Perspectives Office, said they are hoping to continue the series next spring since response has been incredible. Because of the series last spring, students on campus were so spurred into action they formed the unofficial student group “Students Against Slavery @ UCF,” Freeman said. “Students Against Slavery @ UCF” has a Facebook page, and Harry Coverston serves as the faculty advisor for the group.

"Spreading the word is the most important thing," said Frank Hegedus, a senior political science and international relations major. "There is only right now."

http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/abolitionist-historian-wraps-up-global-perspectives-series-1.2093273

Although the weather is warmer than last week (12F compared to –20F), it is a dreary, overcast day in our part of the world. It’s a perfect day for a couple of hearty burgers! As indicated in last week’s blog, my husband was hankering for a blue burger and I thought it would be a perfect foil. So we chose a couple of new blues for our taste comparison. Shropshire Blue is a cow’s milk cheese, orange with blue veins, from the UK. Maytag Blue is also a cow’s milk cheese, white with blue veins, from the US. I just realized, though, that neither is from the Cheese Shop skit (my apologies to those keeping track).www.maytagdairyfarms.com

My research indicates that, though Shropshire is not as nutty as Stilton, it can be stronger. We did find it strong, which is not a problem, but it was also rather sour tasting. This sourness lingered unpleasantly on the side and back of my tongue. Maytag was considerably creamier, making it good for spreading. Its aroma and flavor were also strong but not sour. I have read the mold described as spicy, which I agree with, but I also found it alittle sweet. My husband disagrees that it tasted sweet (must be my tastebuds!).

We did compare the cheeses by themselves but the main event was the burger tasting. The burgers were seasoned with salt and were dressed identically with ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard the only condiments. Both were tasty but the Maytag burger was fabulous. Unlike my husband, I am not a blue burger fan but I could eat a Maytag blue burger every day…. okay, that’s a slight exaggeration. The taste of both the burger and the cheese really came alive when paired together.

My compliments to Maytag Dairy in Iowa for creating a wonderful blue!

Chef d’Angelo is considered as an Italian fastfood joint. The Glorietta branch was the first I’ve visited and I still remember the long lines and the long wait. Since I’ve been living under a huge rock, I am not certain where they moved the food place after the bombing a few years back.

I’ve had a few hours of freedom from slavery so I was able to drop by Chef d’Angelo SM Southmall branch. There was no line (read: no customer), so I almost walked away, but since I was in a hurry, I decided to stay. Part of me wants to order pasta but the bigger part of  me was begging to try the burger. Well I thought, what the heck, let’s try some Chef d’Angelo burgers. I also ordered Salisbury Steak for my dad.

Packaging-wise, I give it a 5. Come on, they can do better than a flimsy plastic bag with logo.

The food? Wowzer, look at the onion! There’ll be no kissing after this.

For 140 pesos, it’s a little on the expensive side but it is filling. I ate half at 6pm and the other half at 10pm. That’s like 2 meals…not bad. The taste? It’s very ordinary. It reminds me of the burgers served at the office cafeteria. Let’s just say it’s a big letdown for a food joint that has been getting accolades from foodies. Note to self: stick to pasta.

Burger King’s Whopper Jr. is still my burger of choice.

“Have It Your Way,” sebuah slogan yang lahir sejak 1974. Burger King, adalah pesaing terkuat untuk McD dan Wendy’s di negerinya(ya iyaaaaa lah…ga ada yg laen!!). Memulai invasi di Indonesia sejak tahun 2007, Burger King terbukti unggul mengalahkan Wendy’s dan McD dengan burger racikan asli yang tidak mengalami penyesuaian “menu” di Indonesia. Dengan menu unggulan yakni Whopper Burger, toti burger bertahtakan wijen dan di isi dengan pickles (acar timun khas Amrik ^^, saos mayo, daun salad, dan grilled beef)..Weew..I just can’t help myself.

Gw gak begitu sering makan burger king..kalo ga salah inget, kayaknya baru 4 kali deh…Mungkin setaun cuman makan 1-3 kali, secara, gw jarang masuk ke resto FastFood. Tapi, semenjak McD sudah mulai menunjukkan tanda2 hengkang dari dunia perFastFood-an di Indonesia (as u see, McD Sarinah yang udah berdiri kokoh sejak zaman mami papi gw masih muda,,sekarang harus tutup dan diganti dengan Tony Jack’s –> katanya sih, franchisee McD udah dijual dan diganti dengan Tony Jack’s, resto Fast FOod juga yg kabarnya dibuka oleh asli orang Indonesia). Hal ini juga terjadi untuk beberapa cabang McD yang lain, Mal Ciputra, Pesanggrahan-Kebun Jeruk, dan masih banyak lagi cabang yg tutup.

Menu favorit gw disini adalah Whooper Jr, value meal (Udah ada Burger Whopper+Coca Cola+French Fries) harganya Rp.31.500…WORTHED BANGET!! Why? The burger,,is so authentic with its grilled beef, lalu french fries-nya yg garing, tapi tetap juicy, porsinya banyak..bisa di-share berdua (bila dibandingkan dengan French Fries KFC atau McD, jauh banget deh..) lalu Coca Cola-nya..lebih berasa, konsentrat-nya lebih kental, biasa di resto KFC atau di McD, Coca Cola-nya berasa encer, kayaknya udah ditambah air deh..^^

Intinya, kalo dari 4 kali gw udah makan 3 kali Whopper Jr, dan rasanya tetap sama, gw cuman pernah sekali mencoba mengganti menu gw dengan burger yang lain, tapi gak gitu enak!! Tetep, WHopper Jr. TOP MARKOTOP!!!

psst, kalo makannya sama orang2 yg kamu sayang, pasti lebih enak deh..Rasanya lebih bergairah buat melahap seporsi  Whopper Jr. +French fries yg bener2 bisa bikin perut gadis normal berasa mo meledak..wkwkwkwkwk

Burger & Grill, Depok yang berlokasi di JL. Margonda, Depok tidak salah memang menjadi Top Place versi Koprol,

Burger&Grill
Jl. Margonda Raya No.7, Depok
Telpon: 021-7875507

coba lihat saja beberapa menu yang sempat saya abadikan dalam kamera saku :

!!!

Dilihat dari nama restorannya kita pastinya berpikir hanya akan ada menu luar tapi pada kenyataannya sajian menu makanan lokal dihadirkan juga Burger & Grill disukai karena bisa buat nongkrong lama-lama, ada fasilitas wifi gratisan, colokan buat laptop yang kapasitas baterenya pas-pasan macam saya.:p.

Me

It was the end of a very long work week. I’d just recovered from one of those nasty bugs that was percolating round and round that sick building I work at. It was late and DC suggested we go for burger and beer at Smokin Frogz. That place was so packed we almost had to stand. We were lucky to get a table after a short wait.

The burgers were very good though: meaty and juicy. Although mine was a mushroom burger, the mushrooms hardly registered. Such a pity since the rest of the burger was good. There was soft bun and thoroughly melted cheese to top it all off.

We were delighted to spot some harder to find beers on the menu. DC went for the Chimay Red and I had the Little Creatures Pale Ale. The Chimay Red was rich and malty but also quite hoppy. Surprisingly for something so malty and dark, it was rather fruity with a hint of apples. The Pale Ale was very forgettable: light and smooth but nothing much. It seemed like the Little Creatures took flight before putting in the flavour.

The beer was also very heady! It was probably a combination of exhaustion, post-illness fatigue, a late dinner and the alcohol. One moment I was telling DC that the beer had gone to my head too fast and the next I was waking up from a faint, flat out on the floor. It must have been rather alarming to the rest of the customers. I was lucky that DC was there and also had the help of another diner who was a nurse. We’d arranged to meet a couple of his friends there for drinks but they showed up only to help haul me to car and get to A&E to be checked out. Such a pity since the Chimay was good and fairly cheap (less than $10 I think).

Smokin Frogz
879 Bukit Timah Road

[post script: I'm OK, don't worry. The hospital couldn't find anything wrong, so all's well.]