After reading about Damon’s experience with receiving an overcooked burger at 8 oz. Burger Bar, AHT reader Joshua S. emailed us to ask what our take is on sending a burger back if it is overcooked. "I don’t want to seem picky and waste food, but should I not get what I asked for considering I am paying for it?"
I've never sent a burger back to the kitchen for being overcooked, but that's because the thought has never entered my mind, not because I considered sending it back and decided it was easier not to. I've only had one recent experience when I asked for medium rare and got something closed to well done. Instead of asking for a new burger, I ate it and told myself I wouldn't go back. That's what I get for being insanely passive. Because of Josh's question, I'm going to keep the "send it back" option in mind.
If you have the sense that the kitchen has the ability to cook the burger right, I think it's safe to send back the offensive burger and get a new one. What would you do?
The good folks at weblogawards.org have placed us among the finalists for the 2008 Best Food Blog Award, alongside a host of other fine contenders. Head on over and cast your vote » You can vote once every 24 hours until the polls close on Tuesday January 13, 2009 at 10 p.m. GMT.
The special burger this month at Kuma's Corner in Chicago is called the #@(*&%^ Blagojevich, in honor of the Blagovich scandal, made with a 10-ounce patty, thick sliced bologna, and yellow mustard between two grilled cheese sandwiches made with American cheese and Wonder Bread. For the final touch, a large dollar sign is written on the "bun" in mustard. All this for only $10! If you try it, let us know how it is (and take a photo of it, wink-wink)—if you don't end up in a food coma. [via Chicagoist]
Kuma's Corner
2900 West Belmont Avenue, Chicago, IL 60618 (at North Francisco Ave; map)
773-604-8769
"A Cedargrove Drive resident reported that someone smeared a cheeseburger all over her 1994 Chevrolet on Dec. 29. The resident reported that similar incidents had happened two or three times a month for the past six months." [Democrat and Chronicle]
Since cookies resembling burgers tend to have a bun / filling / bunconstruction, I was surprised when I saw Michelle's flat burger cookies. They're made of chocolate and butterscotch cookies and decorated with frosting in three colors and green coconut flakes. I'm sure they went nicely with her boyfriend's burger collection.
We actually have a few more gift packages to give away, so our Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway will run through January 6. Try your luck, and if you win, you'll be eating some crazy good food this new year.
Today we're giving away a package of two prime, dry-aged ("longer than four weeks") porterhouse steaks, thanks to the generous folks at Peter Luger. These steaks are not small. Each weighs more than two pounds. The steaks come with two bottles of Peter Luger steak sauce and a bag of chocolate coins. —Ed Levine
To win, just answer this in the comments below: What's your favorite cut of steak?
PS: If you just can't wait for this contest to be over and want to order steaks right now from Peter Luger, you may do so at peterluger.com. You will make any serious carnivores on your list very happy.
You have until 3 p.m. ET tomorrow (January 4) to enter. One winner will be chosen at random from among the commenters. Contest winners are limited to residents of the continental U.S., and you can only win once during the duration of the Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway contest. The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.
I visited the girlfriend's family in San Francisco for Christmas this year. Her little sister gave me one of the most well-thought-out, awesome, yet maddeningly frustrating gifts of 2008: an In-N-Out gift card.
Why frustrating? Because I received it on Christmas Day (when it's closed) and had to be at the airport by 10:30 a.m. the next day (In-N-Out opens at 10:30 a.m.).
So I suppose I'll have to save it for next time I visit. (But I'm keeping it in my wallet as a good luck charm until then.) Thanks, gf's lil' sis!
In case you're not completely sick of our The Year That Was entries, in no particular order, here are some of our favorite AHT posts from 2008. Also check out AHT's top 10 posts hits-wise.
12 Burgers in 8 Hours, a Burger Bender Kenji Alt eats at 12 burger joints across three states in 8 hours while shooting beautiful photos and taking down tasting notes along the way. The love of burgers makes people do crazy, awesome things.
"A Cedargrove Drive resident reported that someone smeared a cheeseburger all over her 1994 Chevrolet on Dec. 29. The resident reported that similar incidents had happened two or three times a month for the past six months." [
