Bushra Griffith
The cheeseburger is a popular American sandwich consisting of a cooked ground beef patty, typically seasoned and grilled, fried, or cooked on a griddle, placed inside a sliced hamburger bun and garnished with various toppings and condiments. What sets a cheeseburger apart from a hamburger is the addition of a slice of cheese, usually melted, placed on top of the beef patty. While the origins of cheesemaking remain ambiguous, the Romans were the first to make cheesemaking a widespread industry. In the United States, National Cheeseburger Day is celebrated annually on September 18. Adding cheese to hamburgers became popular in the 1920s, and there are several competing claims as to who created the first cheeseburger.
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What You'll Learn
The origins of cheese
Ancient Greek mythology credits Aristaeus with the discovery of cheese, and Homer's Odyssey (late 8th century BC) describes the Cyclops producing and storing sheep's and goat's milk and cheese. The earliest written evidence of cheese is in Sumerian cuneiform texts from the early second millennium BC. Cheese was also important in ancient Egypt, with evidence of cheesemaking found on Egyptian tomb murals and the oldest preserved remnants of cheese identified on mummies in present-day Xinjiang.
An interesting legend attributes the discovery of cheese to an Arabian merchant who accidentally created it. This legend suggests that milk was stored in containers made from the stomachs of animals, causing the milk to curdle and separate into curds and whey due to the rennet found in the stomachs. Another theory suggests that cheese was discovered through the practice of salting curdled milk for preservation.
By the time of the Roman Empire, cheesemaking had become a widespread industry, with hundreds of varieties of cheese being produced and traded. The Romans refined and improved cheesemaking techniques, and their influence helped spread cheesemaking throughout Europe and the Middle East. Many popular cheeses we know today, such as Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, and Gouda, are relatively new, appearing within the last 500 years.
Cheese is valued for its portability, long shelf life, and nutritional content, including protein, calcium, and phosphorus. The process of cheesemaking involves coagulating the milk protein casein, separating the solid curds from the liquid whey, and pressing them into finished cheese. Different types of cheese are created by using milk from various animals, pasteurisation, butterfat content, bacteria, mould, and ageing processes.
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The history of the hamburger
The hamburger is one of the world's most popular foods, with nearly 50 billion served up annually in the United States alone. The history of the hamburger reflects the multicultural roots of the nation.
The groundwork for the ground-beef sandwich was laid with the domestication of cattle in Mesopotamia around 10,000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians were the first people known to make bread, and wheat spread to Greece, Cyprus, India, and Egypt by 6500 BCE.
The first hamburger likely originated in Hamburg, Germany, where beef delicacies were popular. In the 19th century, "Hamburg-style" chopped steak was common in the US, and the city of Hamburg, New York, claims to be the birthplace of the hamburger in 1885. However, the combination of ground beef and bread is highly contested, with possible sites including Wisconsin, Connecticut, Ohio, and Texas.
In the 20th century, the hamburger became associated with American fast food. In 1921, Edgar "Billy" Ingram and Walter Anderson opened the first White Castle restaurant in Kansas, which helped improve the reputation of hamburger meat by emphasising cleanliness and hygiene. After World War II, McDonald's and other national hamburger chains were founded, and the hamburger—along with American-style franchised fast food—spread globally, aided by the presence of American soldiers around the world.
The cheeseburger was likely invented by 16-year-old Lionel Sternberger in 1924, who added a slice of American cheese to a hamburger in his father's Pasadena, California, sandwich shop. However, other restaurants also claim to have invented the cheeseburger, including Kaelin's Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1934, and the trademark for the name "cheeseburger" was awarded to Louis Ballast of the Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver, Colorado, in 1935.
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Lionel Sternberger's invention
The cheeseburger is an American favourite, but its origin is uncertain. While there are several claimants to its invention, the true inventor remains unknown. However, one of the most popular theories suggests that the cheeseburger was invented by Lionel Clark Sternberger, a 16-year-old short-order cook working at his father's restaurant, The Rite Spot, in Pasadena, California, in 1924.
According to the story, Lionel accidentally burnt a hamburger patty while grilling it. To hide the burn mark, he placed a slice of cheese on the patty. A customer noticed and asked for a burger with the cheese placed inside. Thus, the cheeseburger was born. The burger was named "The Aristocratic Burger: the Original Hamburger with Cheese" or "The Aristocratic Burger: A Hamburger with Cheese" and was sold for $0.15.
Lionel's invention was recognised by several publications, including Time Magazine, which featured him in its obituary section in 1964. In 2017, the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and LA Financial Credit Union unveiled a plaque at the site of the former Rite Spot to commemorate Lionel's invention. Additionally, Pasadena hosts an annual Cheeseburger Week to honour Lionel's genius and celebrate the culinary sensation he created.
While Lionel Sternberger is often credited with inventing the cheeseburger, it is important to note that others, such as Charles Kaelin of Kaelin's restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, and Louis Ballast of Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver, have also laid claim to its creation. Kaelin claimed to have invented the cheese-topped burger in 1934, while Ballast trademarked the name "cheeseburger" in 1935.
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Variations of the cheeseburger
The cheeseburger is a hamburger with one or more slices of melted cheese on top of the meat patty, added near the end of the cooking time. The number of cheese slices and meat patties may increase at the same rate, with the cheese and meat interleaved. A cheeseburger with two patties is called a double cheeseburger, while one with three patties is called a triple cheeseburger, and one with four patties is called a quadruple cheeseburger. Sometimes, cheeseburgers are prepared with the cheese enclosed within the ground beef, rather than on top, and this is sometimes known as a Jucy Lucy.
Cheeseburgers can include variations in structure, ingredients, and composition. They may include various condiments and other toppings such as lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, avocado, mushrooms, mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. In fast-food restaurants across the United States, processed cheese is usually used, although other meltable cheeses are also used, such as cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, blue cheese, or pepper jack.
The steamed cheeseburger, a variation almost exclusively served in central Connecticut, is believed to have been invented at a restaurant called Jack's Lunch in Middletown, Connecticut, in the 1930s. Dale Mulder, the owner of an A&W Restaurants franchise in Lansing, Michigan, has been credited with inventing the bacon cheeseburger in 1963, although there are earlier examples of restaurants selling bacon cheeseburgers, including a menu for a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania restaurant from 1941.
Cheeseburgers have inspired a variety of recipes, including cheeseburger pasta, cheeseburger meatloaf, cheeseburger casserole, cheeseburger salad, cheeseburger nachos, cheeseburger-quesadilla mashups, cheeseburger muffins, and cheeseburger soups.
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Sides and toppings
While a cheeseburger is a delightful combination of meat, vegetables, grains, and milk products, the toppings and sides elevate the experience. The cheeseburger is a versatile dish, and the toppings and sides can be customised to suit one's taste and dietary preferences.
Toppings
The cheeseburger's toppings can be as simple or as extravagant as one desires. The most common toppings include lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, avocado, mushrooms, mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. The addition of melted cheese is a popular choice, with options such as cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, blue cheese, or pepper jack. The saltiness of bacon makes it a popular topping, enhancing the flavour of the beef patty. Pickles, though divisive, add a kick to the burger, and onions bring out the savouriness of the beef.
Sides
Sides can vary from the classic French fries to grilled vegetables, such as mushrooms. For those who enjoy a crunch, onion rings are a perfect choice. Pasta salads, corn salads, and beans are also excellent sides, offering a variety of textures and flavours to complement the cheeseburger. Steak fries, seasoned to perfection, are another indulgent option.
The possibilities are endless, and one can get creative with the toppings and sides to craft a unique cheeseburger experience. Whether it's adding a tangy sauce or a healthy serving of vegetables, the sides and toppings play a crucial role in making the cheeseburger a satisfying and indulgent meal.
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Frequently asked questions
While there are several competing claims, many credit 16-year-old Lionel Sternberger, who, in 1924, added a slice of American cheese to a hamburger at his father's Pasadena, California, sandwich shop, "The Rite Spot".
The first cheeseburger was called the "cheese hamburger". The first sandwich to be officially called a "cheeseburger" was created in 1934 by Charles Kaelin in Louisville, Kentucky.
Louis Ballast of Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver trademarked the name "cheeseburger" in 1935.
