There is a warm reverence in the way we talk about food history. The jewels of local fare that have run in the family for ages have become a part of the culture. We can trace the traditional back to the Mughal era and many even older. But ever fathomed the burger store next door is serving a legacy from the past or just a creation spotted a couple of decades ago?
Yes it’s an American dish, but burgers in Delhi are equally adored by the locals. Actually the origin of this favourite fast food is drowned in controversies and contrasting folklores. I will not touch the debate on who made it first. But the common facts floating around are quite intriguing.
It can be traced back to the medieval times when in Central Asia, people used to put beef under their saddles to make it tender and then it was eaten raw. However the modern burger did not come into existence before 1895. A theory says, it was served at a restaurant in response to an impatient customer’s quick lunch order. But whoever was the inventor would be proud to see burgers in Delhi have come this far.
And it was transformed into a commercial success after 1921 with White Castle launching the hamburger we fondly refer to. However, with quick popularity and insane demand, sloppiness in the cooking methods crept in. then in 1934, a store, Wimpy Burgers, inspired from famous cartoon series Popeye the sailor man took its popularity to a new level. Later of course, came the McDonalds’ which is how we recognize burger.
However, today this snack is not dependent on a single brand for its recognition. It is far more localized and has become a public property across the world. Some restaurants in Vasasnt Kunj nearly beat the set brands in taste.
Burgers share the spirit of America: all embracing and free. So chefs have taken to invent there variations. And honestly, nobody really wants to tie it down to a stereotype. So go ahead, choose your own variant or rather invent your own, and who knows you could be the maker of the next burger buzz.
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