Did you know that the Hamburger is one of the most popular foods known worldwide as one of the staples of American food? Nevertheless, its evolution from the ancient ways of food preparation to the modern fast-food craze is an interesting story of cultural transfer, adaptation, and the contemporary world. This blog focuses on the hamburger’s history, how it became one of the most famous meals, and what influenced the process.
Ancient Roots
The use of minced or ground meat has been an age-old method. Minced meat as food was mainly consumed by people in medieval Europe, especially the royalty. The great Mongol Empire under the leadership of Genghis Khan also played a role in developing this culinary practice. The Mongol warriors used to place raw meat under their saddles and the movement would help in tenderising it. This practice led to the establishment of what is now famous as the steak tartare, which can be considered as the evolution of the hamburger.
The Hamburg Connection
Originating from the city of Hamburg in Germany, the modern hamburger’s direct ancestor can be traced to. It so happened that in the 18th and 19th centuries, Hamburg was a large seaport city where one could taste a variety of dishes. The mince dish, ‘Hamburg steak’, which is chopped beef and onions combined with breadcrumbs also became fashionable. This recipe was introduced to the United States by the Germans in the 19th century and was to change further on.
The American Evolution
Hamburg steak, once it was introduced to the United States, went through some changes. In the industrial revolution, people needed something they could eat that was easy to prepare and relatively cheap. This led to a modification where the hamburger steak would be put between two slices of bread so that it could be easily carried around.
There are several legends regarding whom the credit for making the first hamburger as we know it today goes. A rather widespread myth attributes the honours to a Danish immigrant, Louis Lassen, who prepared a meat patty in bread for a hurried patron in New Haven, Connecticut in 1900. A different origin tells that Charlie Nagreen did it for the first time in 1885 at a county fair in Seymour, Wisconsin by compressing a meatball between two slices of bread. As for the claims, it can only be stated that the sandwich known as hamburger emerged in the early twentieth century.
The Business of Fast Food
The first fast-food chain appeared in the 1920s and White Castle was one of them. White Castle was established in Wichita, Kansas in the year 1921; it brought a standard in the production of hamburgers with regard to quality and price. This model changed the American eating culture and made hamburgers become part of the American diet.
Post the Second World War, there was another shift that could be identified. Fast food restaurants and cars became popular with the youth and drive-in restaurants started to open, including the first McDonald’s restaurant in 1940. McDonald’s is a fast food chain that implemented the concepts of conveyor belt production and franchising to popularise the hamburger. Ray Kroc, who became associated with McDonald’s in the 1950s, took the food chain global and standardised the hamburger as a global delicacy.
Globalisation and Cultural Impact
Hamburgers are today a worldwide product that you can find in nearly every country of the world. It has been modified to the culture of the region and thus different types of sandwiches are prepared in different parts of the world. For instance, in Japan, one is likely to find hamburgers prepared with a teriyaki sauce while in India where people do not consume beef, there is the use of vegetable and chicken patties.
The fast food menu particularly the hamburger has not only affected the culinary world. It has come to be used to represent America, the country, and some of the traits that go with it such as innovation and consumerism. Advertised in the media ranging from commercials to movies, it is therefore clear that it has become a cultural symbol.
Thus, the history of the hamburger is a perfect example of the impact of creativity and intercultural dialogue. Thus, the history of hamburgers can be divided into several stages, starting from ancient times and coming to the present day, and it is still a popular type of food, which can be easily found on the menus of many restaurants all over the world. The next time we take a bite of our next burger, we can actually enjoy it more knowing the history and the process of how this sandwich reached our tables.