Burger Bliss

Breakfast today. Also lunch.

Here’s how to make the tastiest burger you’ll ever bite into.

Get some decent size hamburger buns, not the kiddie size that stores like to stock. Get ground beef patties; frozen patties are fine. Just cook ‘em slow so they don’t get burnt crispy on either side.

Get white onion, yellow mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise.

Now this part is important. You have to get great-tasting tomatoes, and I recommend you get Hanover tomatoes. They get the name because they’re grown in Hanover County, Virginia. And what’s special about Hanover County? It’s the soil. It’s a combination of soil and sand that makes Hanover tomatoes famous for their size and flavor. Another factor is the pH of the soil, which is lower than in many other places. A good place to start looking for these tomatoes is Pole Green Produce market in Mechanicsville, Va. If you aren’t going to use Hanover tomatoes then just stop now and drive to Mickey D’s.

Hanover tomatoes are usually large. Slice ‘em thick—you’ll get plenty of slices out of one tomato. But even so, don’t go there and buy one tomato!

The rest of the burger preparation is standard. Cook the patty to your desired degree of doneness. Ground beef should be well done. I’ve eaten medium and even medium-rare burgers and gotten away with it, but I don’t recommend it. You’re playing with fire. More specifically, you’re playing with salmonella and E. coli.

Put ample mayonnaise on the bottom bun—the oil in the mayo will help keep the bun from getting soggy. Put mustard and ketchup on the top bun. Put the cooked burger on the bottom bun and add salt and pepper. Place your slice of tomato on the burger and add a little more salt and pepper to the tomato. Put the slice of onion on the tomato. Put the top bun in place and enjoy.

There are probably a zillion hamburger recipes on the Web. What makes this one different is the Hanover tomato.

And when you eat your burger, don’t forget a tasty side salad. The one pictured here is made of Romaine lettuce, sliced grape tomatoes, garlic croutons, grated parmesan cheese, and parmesan dressing. Simple but good.