Universal American Food? (1)

My first reading portion which was from page 1 to 37 (chapter 1 and 1/2 of chapter 2) successfully informed and entertained me with author's insightful details regarding to symbolism and overall history of Hamburgers. 

From the introduction, I received the message that Hamburgers are not just any ordinary food and there is something that make them incomparable from sandwiches, hotdogs, patty melt, fried chicken, or an apple pie. Hamburger has a history of its own and contains the story of European immigration in the nineteenth century and urbanization in the twentieth century. In addition, hamburger contributed to building immense economies and to create “corporate culture that drives so many aspects of contemporary America (p3).”

The reading started with a statement, “The hamburger is an American invention.” The author strongly believed that despite the name that comes from German city and Mongols’ connection with hamburger-fueled havoc in 13^th century; he thinks that Hamburger definitely belongs to America and stands as one of the icons of America.

Hamburg City

He supports his statement with numerous dates, names and stories that contain facts that hamburger originates from America: the earliest reference to hamburger in 1763 in Hannah Glasse’s Art of Cookery, Made Plain and Easy, first printed menu in 1837 in Delmonico restaurant, and Charlie Nagreen who put meatball between two slices of bread and sold it in Seymour, Wisconsin in 1885 as the earliest claimer.

Delmonico Restaurant

I continued to discover interesting facts throughout reading such as the essence of hamburger story: Hamburg steak being “the cheapest way for the poorest Americans to eat beef (p14)” and an observation made by Dr. Austin Flint “instinctively most persons prefer beef, as an habitual article of diet, to any other variety of meat” in 1866’s Physiology of Man.

I feel that the author’s writing style and voice contributed in attracting myself as an audience because he bluntly states some facts or misconceptions we have about hamburgers as such: “ Fast food represented everything bad about America- its soullessness, its conformity, its vulgarity (p3-4).” Furthermore, hamburgers were described in mouthwatering manner, which made it impossible for me to drop the book.

Overall, I can say that I am fond of "The Hamburger" by Josh Ozersky and I am excited to learn more of it!