National Hamburger Day (May 28th)

Man who invented the hamburger was smart; Man who invented the cheeseburger was a genius.

Matthew McConaughey

Let’s face it; there isn’t anything in the world quite so delightful as your first bite of a rich, juicy hamburger. Don’t believe us? One of the first popular vegan-faux-meats? The Veggie Burger. Even vegetarians couldn’t resist the taste of a tasty burger; they had to create an alternative so that they wouldn’t have to leave all that was good and right about the world in the past. National Hamburger Day celebrates the History of this most irresistible of sandwiches.

But why are hamburgers so amazing? Well, it’s clever really, it matters not who you are, there will be some form of burger for you. Unlike some popular dishes where you just get what you get, a hamburger can be designed and created for the person who is eating it.

In a strange way, a hamburger resembles an art form that you chew. While that last statement may sound crazy, it’s far from it. If you sit back and think about it, whenever you make a burger at home, you have specific ingredients that you like to mix with your pate, and more than this, a burger is one food that welcomes OCD. What do we mean by that? Well, can you honestly say that you don’t freak out if the cheese is in the wrong place?

The truth is, a burger is a universal food; it’s a food that has many forms; it’s a food that brings people together, and ultimately it’s loved. So, if you really look at things from a logical perspective, a hamburger is more than a food, it’s almost the basis for a religion.

So, next time National Hamburger Day comes around, and you find yourself craving a hamburger, don’t settle for a flat, plain pate. It’s time to think big, think outside the box, think of the power of the pate and celebrate National Hamburger Day in style.

History of National Hamburger Day

The invention of the hamburger has been claimed by so many that there’s only one real origin. Hamburg, Germany. No matter who says they invented the hamburger, no one can deny that it was the second-largest city in Germany that was its namesake. While not all types of ‘burgers’ resemble the meat that came out of Hamburg, they all have the roots of their preparation in this noble city.

Hamburgers have come to be a symbol of all that is right in the world in the modern-day. Barbecue’s where families gather, surprise rewards by your boss, a quick bite to eat on your lunch break, or the first date shared with a new potential partner. All of these things can, and often do, include the hamburger in any one of a million of its potential preparations.

Burgers no longer are made from just beef either, these days you can find Turkey Burgers, Buffalo Burgers, Chicken Burgers, Emu Burgers, any of a million forms of meat all ground down and compacted into this most recognizable form, the ‘hamburger.’ Who would have thought that such a simple meal could come to represent so many things?

One of the most interesting things about hamburgers isn’t actually about the burger itself, believe it or not, there are actually people out there dedicated to finding out the truth about who really invented the hamburger.

If we track back to the beginning and look at the namesake Hamburg, where the burger undoubtedly gained its name, there are many people who think the burger was created in 1881 by a gentleman named Otto Kuase or Otto Krause.

On the other hand, the Library of Congress would have you believe something else. It seems the US audience seemed to favor the story of Louis Lassen in 1900. The popular story goes that a businessman was in a rush and wanted some food in a hurry. Louis is said to have placed a piece of grilled meat in between two pieces of toast and thus invented the burger.

Where this story gets interesting is here, the US disregards Otto Krause simply because his name has three different spellings, which is common with German names. As for the Lassen story, well, when it comes to putting grilled meat in between two pieces of toast, he was pretty late to the party, it seems the Chinese had been doing that since 1045.

So whether you believe it’s Otto, Lassen, or the people of the Zhou dynasty, there is no question hamburgers are one of the greatest creations in history, and National Hamburger Day is something that will go on for centuries to come.

How to celebrate National Hamburger Day

Ok, celebrating National Hamburger Day is easy peasy. Find yourself financially enriched? Head on out to Red Robin and get some of the best burgers you’ll ever put in your mouth. Grab a tower of Onion Rings while you’re at it.

No, Red Robin? The best burgers are usually found at Ma and Pop shops; those little one-off burger stands that can be found around most small towns, it just so happens they have the best fries and milkshakes as well! Of course, if you’re daring and handy with a grill, we suggest making up your own blend of hamburger spices and having a good old fashioned cookout!