Bushra Griffith
The grilled cheese sandwich and the hamburger are two iconic dishes that have become staples of American cuisine. Both dishes have a long and fascinating history, but which came first? The answer is not entirely clear-cut, as the exact origins of both dishes are somewhat disputed. However, it appears that the hamburger may have predated the grilled cheese.
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What You'll Learn
- Grilled cheese is thought to have originated in the US in the 1920s
- The cheeseburger was popularised by several chefs in the 1920s and 1930s
- The term hamburger was first used in the early 19th century
- The grilled cheese was popular in the 1700s, before burgers
- The modern hamburger is an American invention
Grilled cheese is thought to have originated in the US in the 1920s
The grilled cheese sandwich we know today is thought to have originated in the US in the 1920s. This was when loaves of bread became inexpensive and processed cheese had gained popularity, becoming readily available to the people.
The idea of putting bread and cheese together, however, has been around since ancient times. Similar recipes are mentioned in ancient Roman texts, and the French have been making their famous croque monsieurs since the early 1900s. The French version of the grilled cheese often featured a variety of cheeses, such as Brie, Camembert, or Swiss cheese.
The term "grilled cheese" didn't make an appearance in print until the 1960s. Before that, it was always described as a "toasted cheese" or "melted cheese" sandwich. The first recipe for a "melted cheese" sandwich was published in 1902 in Sarah Tyson Rorer's "Mrs. Rorer's New Cook Book". It was designed to be cooked in a hot oven.
The grilled cheese gained popularity in the US during the Great Depression of the 1930s. With limited resources, people turned to simple, affordable ingredients like bread and cheese. The sandwich was also popular during World War II, when it made its way into cookbooks found in the chef's kitchens. It was soon seen regularly in schools and in the average household, becoming a favourite meal for children.
The hamburger, in its modern form, is also an American invention. The United States Library of Congress credits Lassen with creating the first hamburger, but his beef patty was served between two slices of toast rather than a bun. The first documented appearance of flame-grilled beef patties in a bun was created by Bilby and his wife Fanny to celebrate the Fourth of July. The term "hamburger" was first used in the early 19th century and was originally used to describe a raw or lightly cooked ground beef patty.
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The cheeseburger was popularised by several chefs in the 1920s and 1930s
The origins of the cheeseburger are disputed, with several chefs claiming to have been the first to put cheese on a hamburger. However, it is widely believed that the cheeseburger was first introduced in the 1920s and 1930s by several chefs, including Lionel Sternberger, who, at the age of 16, added a slice of American cheese to a hamburger at his father's Pasadena, California sandwich shop, "The Rite Spot", between 1924 and 1926. A 1928 menu from the O'Dell Restaurant in Los Angeles also reveals that the restaurant was serving burgers with slices of cheese at the time.
In the 1930s, Kaelin's Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, claimed to have invented the cheeseburger by adding cheese to a hamburger to give it a "new tang". Around the same time, Louis Ballast of the Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver, Colorado, trademarked the name "cheeseburger" in 1935, though historians question whether he received it. J.C. Reynolds, the operator of a bar in Southern California, also popularised a pimento burger during this time.
The popularity of the cheeseburger can also be attributed to the innovations of cook Walter Anderson and entrepreneur Billy Ingram, who, in 1926, opened the first White Castle restaurant in Wichita, revolutionising the idea of cooking hamburgers quickly and giving rise to the first fast-food restaurant. The availability of processed cheese, first patented by James L. Kraft in the early 1900s, and the affordability of white bread, made easily distributable through Otto Frederick Rohwedder's invention of the bread slicer in the 1920s, also played a role in the rise of the cheeseburger.
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The term hamburger was first used in the early 19th century
The grilled cheese sandwich and the hamburger are both iconic dishes that have been enjoyed for many years. The grilled cheese, in its modern form, is often traced back to the 1920s, when sliced bread and processed cheese became widely available. The term "grilled cheese", however, did not appear in print until the 1960s, with earlier recipes referring to similar dishes as "toasted cheese" or "melted cheese" sandwiches.
The hamburger, on the other hand, has a more complex history, with various stories claiming its invention. The term "hamburger" itself was first used in the early 19th century, and the dish has evolved since then. The term "hamburger steak", which referred to a dish without the bun, was eventually replaced by the simpler term "hamburger" by 1930.
One story of the hamburger's origin is set in Canton, Ohio, where natives Frank and Charles Menches were food vendors at the 1885 Erie County Fair, also known as the Hamburg Fair. The brothers sold pork sausage sandwiches but ran out, so they substituted ground beef. They found the beef dry and bland, so they added coffee, brown sugar, and other ingredients. They sold these new sandwiches with ketchup and sliced onions and named them "hamburgers" after the fair's location in Hamburg, New York.
Another story credits the creation of the hamburger to cook Walter Anderson and entrepreneur Billy Ingram, who, in 1916, opened a hamburger stand in Wichita, Kansas, that used hygienic cooking methods and distinctive onion rings. Their hamburgers were so popular that customers often bought them by the dozen. In 1926, Anderson and Ingram opened the first White Castle restaurant in Wichita, which is considered the first fast-food restaurant.
The first documented appearance of flame-grilled beef patties in a bun was created by Bilby and his wife, Fanny, to celebrate the Fourth of July. The United States Library of Congress credits Louis Lassen with creating the first hamburger, but his version consisted of a beef patty served between two slices of toast rather than a bun.
Several chefs also claim to have been the first to add a slice of cheese to a hamburger, including Lionel Sternberger of Rite Spot in Pasadena, California, who said he invented it between 1924 and 1926. A 1928 menu from the O'Dell Restaurant in Los Angeles also reveals that they were serving burgers with slices of cheese at that time.
While the exact origins of the hamburger remain unclear, the term "hamburger" first appeared in the early 19th century, and the dish has since become a symbol of American cuisine, loved worldwide.
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The grilled cheese was popular in the 1700s, before burgers
Although the grilled cheese sandwich as we know it today is thought to have become popular in the 1920s, the concept of pairing bread and cheese is centuries old. Ancient Roman cookbooks, for example, advised combining the two. In the 1700s, the grilled cheese sandwich was likely a popular dish, given that bread and cheese were commonly consumed together at the time.
The origin of the grilled cheese sandwich is a mystery, but it is speculated that the sandwich was invented in the 1920s when sliced bread and processed cheese became easily available and affordable. The 1920s also saw a huge increase in restaurant dining, which may have contributed to the popularity of the grilled cheese sandwich. By the time the Great Depression struck in the 1930s, the grilled cheese sandwich was a staple of the American diet. Poor Americans could afford the inexpensive sandwich, which provided enough nutrition to get them through the day.
During World War II, the grilled cheese was a favourite of the Allied Armed Forces, and it soon became a regular meal in schools and households. The grilled cheese continued to be popular in the 1940s and 1950s, often prepared with grated American cheese on top and served open-faced. In 1965, with the introduction of Kraft singles, the sandwich became closed, with two slices of bread and grated cheese in the middle.
The term "grilled cheese" didn't come into use until the 1960s. Before that, the sandwich was referred to as "toasted cheese" or "melted cheese". The grilled cheese has since become a classic comfort food, with numerous variations and a dedicated following.
On the other hand, the hamburger, a ground beef patty between two slices of bread, was invented in the late 19th century. One story credits the invention to Frank and Charles Menches, food vendors at the 1885 Erie County Fair in New York, who substituted ground beef for pork sausage in their sandwiches. Another story claims that a cook named Fletcher Davis, or "Old Dave", invented the hamburger in the late 1880s in Texas.
So, while the grilled cheese sandwich in its modern form may have come after the hamburger, the concept of combining bread and cheese has a much longer history, dating back to the 1700s and beyond.
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The modern hamburger is an American invention
The grilled cheese sandwich and the hamburger are two iconic comfort foods that have sparked debates about which came first. While the grilled cheese sandwich was popular in the 1700s and the term "hamburger" was first used in the early 19th century, the modern hamburger is an American invention.
The United States is widely recognised as the first country to create the "hamburger sandwich", which combined two slices of bread and a ground beef patty. Shortly after this combination, the hamburger included its characteristic trimmings, such as onions, lettuce, and sliced pickles. The term "hamburger steak" was replaced by "hamburger" by 1930, which has since been simplified to "burger".
The history of the hamburger is filled with innovations in design, cooking, and serving. For example, in 1926, Edgar Waldo "Billy" Ingram and chef Walter "Walt" Anderson opened the first White Castle restaurant in Wichita, Kansas, which is considered the first fast-food restaurant. Anderson's use of hygienic cooking methods, including grills and spatulas, impressed his Wichita customers, who often bought his hamburgers by the dozen.
In the 1930s, Bob Wian founded Bob's Pantry in 1936 and, within a year, had created the first double-decker burger, using two patties and slicing the bun into three. Wian's restaurant, later known as Big Boy, also popularised the drive-in restaurant format, which was simplified by McDonald's-type fast-food operators.
The cheeseburger was also a significant innovation in the history of the hamburger. While several chefs claim to have been the first to add a slice of cheese to a hamburger, Lionel Sternberger of Rite Spot in Pasadena, California, is often credited with creating the cheeseburger between 1924 and 1926. However, a description from a 1928 menu from the O'Dell Restaurant in Los Angeles reveals that it was also serving burgers with slices of cheese at the time.
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Frequently asked questions
The grilled cheese sandwich is believed to have originated in the United States in the 1920s. At that time, loaves of bread were inexpensive and processed cheese had gained popularity. The term "grilled cheese" was not used until the 1960s; before that, it was called a "toasted cheese" or "melted cheese" sandwich.
The hamburger, in its modern form, is an American invention. The term "hamburger" was first used in the early 19th century, and the food became popular in the US in the 1920s and 1930s. The first documented appearance of flame-grilled beef patties in a bun was created by Bilby and his wife, Fanny, to celebrate the Fourth of July.
The grilled cheese sandwich is believed to have come before the hamburger. The earliest known recipe for a grilled cheese sandwich dates back to the 18th century, while the term "hamburger" was first used in the early 19th century.
The grilled cheese sandwich has endless ingredient options. Some popular variations include adding tomatoes, garlic, avocado, or different types of cheese. The hamburger has also evolved to include various cooking methods and toppings. Some popular variations include the cheeseburger, double-decker burger, and cheeseburger with bacon.
