Like each and every food item, there is no single person to credit with the invention of the burgers. But where there are no facts, there are always stories…and interesting ones for that matter. So, check this one:
We all have heard of the Mongol Emperor Genghis Khan (1162-1227 est.)who rose from NorthEast and stormed the asian lands in his quest for victory ultimately covering most of Eurasia in his empire. Such quest required his armies to continue moving through day and night and stopping the marches for luxury meals counted as a waste of time.
So, the soldiers were provided with pieces of beaten and tenderized meat (Yes, only meat, no bread, no salad) which was carried by the horsemen as ‘patties’ under their saddle to keep it soft. This also meant that the food could be consumed with one hand only leaving the other free and with practically no hassle to the movement of the army.
This then was the primitive form of today’s hamburger (not very testy either, by the sound of it!!) which traveled to Russia and caught fancy of the Russian Cooks. And came into existence “Steak Tartare”, which then made its way slowly to Germany in 15th and 16th centuries. It was named Hamburg Steak here and converted from its raw stage to a cooked delicacy covered in bread and dressed with salad.
Rest is history, as the Hamburger became one of the most loved and popular fast food. People kept experimenting with the recipes and today as we know…For each his own…..
So Friends, enjoy your burger while its still hot, and of course, keep browsing with the other hand that’s free…
Happy Eating…:)