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Hamburger Day
May 28
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today"
~ Popeye Comic Strip, J. Wellington Wimpy, 1931
Welcome, dancers, to this lively round-the-room reel—one that might conjure thoughts of either a trip to Hamburg or a mouthwatering hamburger! Whether you prefer yours classic or veggie, there's something universally satisfying about holding a perfectly layered burger in a bun.
The modern hamburger’s origins are the subject of ongoing culinary debate, but many food historians point to the city of Hamburg, Germany, as a likely source. Traditional dishes like frikadellen or buletten—seasoned, pan-fried ground beef patties—may have laid the groundwork. The earliest English-language reference comes from Hannah Glasse’s 1763 cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, in which she offers a recipe for “Hamburg sausage,” an early forerunner of what would become the hamburger steak.
Interestingly, the American frontier plays its own role in burger history. In 1896, The Tombstone Prospector newspaper in Arizona—yes, the very town famed for the O.K. Corral shootout—reported with enthusiasm on a lunch wagon in nearby Bisbee serving pies, hot “tomales,” and “hamburger sandwiches,” which were advertised as delicious and nightmare-free.
The hamburger as we know it today—served in a bun—is often credited to fry cook Walter Anderson, who in 1916 started from a humble lunch wagon and eventually co-founded the White Castle burger chain. Since then, the humble hamburger has taken on countless forms around the globe, yet its connection to Hamburg remains a flavorful part of its journey. 🍔 🇩🇪 🥨
A Hamburg Welcome
Should you want to do a deep dive into the origin of the popularity with the hamburger, you could easily go back to ancient Rome!
Centuries before the 20th century hamburger and all its variations, there was isicia omentata. Seasoned with white wine and fish sauce, the ancient Roman recipe could be history's earliest example of a hamburger, according to IFL Science.
The cookbook Apicius, which dates from the fourth or fifth century and was likely named for Marcus Gavius Apicius, who chronicled the extravagant diets of early Rome's upper class, contains a minced meat patty served with a bread roll, a sort of deconstructed burger.
The meat was flavored with ingredients like pine nuts, peppercorns, and a fermented fish sauce called garum. The roll that came with it was soaked in white wine!
Today variations of the hamburger appear everywhere, with even the development of the Haggis Burger, a recipe from Gary Maclean, National Chef of Scotland, should you want the drive-through equivalent of a fast food Burns supper! Don't forget the neeps and tatties chips with that.
For a list of the best hamburgers in Hamburg, click the Helden & Co. hambuger!
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
