Why does America love burgers?

Why are burgers considered so very American?

What does our love of the burger say about us?

I could easily adopt the burger attitude of the moment and rail against the burger. I could make all the heart attack on a bun jokes that are so trendy right now. But I am not gonna…

Because I love a good burger.

Lest you think that I am some sort of fallen foodie. Let me remind you that Julia Child had an In-N-Out Burger delivered to her hospital room after recovering from surgery and Thomas Keller is flipping burgers in Napa County at Ad Hoc now.

So you see burgers are an American Institution whose power lies in it’s iconoclasm and it’s decidedly simple virtues. In other words, a burger is iconic simplicity. Which is the same as “mom and apple pie” in my book.

So I do understand that burgers have a well-deserved place in American folklore. And I can believe that the humble hamburger really does say something about being an American.