We often eat cheeseburgers as food on the run. They’re quick and easy to order in the middle of a busy day without giving them a lot of thought. Fries and a Coke, and you’re good.
Eating a new one every day for Cheeseburger Week, however, has prompted me to give them quite a bit of thought, of course. On the surface, they’re basically the same—bun, a beef patty, some cheese, some lettuce, one dressing or another, maybe some pickles, a tomato, and then you’re on your own.
But it’s the consideration of each of those cheeseburger elements that makes the difference between an everyday burger, and something that stands out.
We tried the cheeseburger at the Stand, and it was almost an object lesson in attention to detail. We had the basic Stand Burger with cheese. It arrived with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, stand burger sauce, topped with American cheese. You can opt for cheddar, swiss, blue, or feta cheese, also.
We chose a salad to go with our cheeseburger, only because we can’t eat fries every single day, even though you can.
Each of those pieces was perfectly delivered, and it was as though it was the only one they were making that day. The patty was thick and hot and flavorful, the lettuce was crisp, the bun was soft with slightly crunchy and toasted edges, and the combination was consumed far too quickly.
Every burger should be like that. I’ll leave that right there.
And, as we’ve mentioned, and will continue to mention, Cheeseburger Week runs from January 23rd to 28th, as Pasadena honors Lionel Sternberger’s genius in accidentally burning a burger patty and quickly topping it with cheese, thus creating the first documented cheeseburger, at the Rite Spot in Pasadena in 1924.
Beginning January 23, you can take the Cheeseburger Challenge right here. You’re on your own, vote-wise.
The Stand, 36 S El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA. www.thestand.com.
