burgers

Italian Burgers with Giardiniera

Italian Burgers with Basil Mustard and Giardiniera, Linda Ly, Photography by Will Taylor

There’s no denying the thrill of cooking outdoors and the sense of community it brings when people gather around a fire, and in this book, author Linda Ly will teach you how to master the flames. For the adventurous, start by building a home fire pit. It’s easier than it sounds and requires a minimal investment of time and space. If you’d rather not, that’s okay!

There are plenty of other options, from vessel fire pits to tabletop grills. Even a charcoal kettle grill will give you more flavour than cooking with gas. Ly also covers everything you need to know about fuel sources (hardwood, hardwood lump charcoal, and smoking wood), her go-to grilling tools and accessories, secrets for stocking an indoor and outdoor pantry, fire making, fire safety, and tips and tricks for grilling more efficiently.
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Double-Decker Drive-Thru Burgers

Double-Decker Drive-Thru Burgers, Photography by America’s Test Kitchen

Achieve burger greatness, with updated classics, regional favourites, homemade everything (from meat blends to pretzel buns), and craft-burger creations, plus fries and other sides, and frosty drinks.

What is the “ultimate” burger? Ask that question and you will ignite an enthusiastic debate about meats, cooking methods, degree of doneness, bun types, condiments, toppings, and accompaniments. The Ultimate Burger has the best answer to all of these questions: The ultimate burger is what you want it to be. And America’s Test Kitchen shows you how to get there.

Craving an all-American beef burger? We’ve got ’em: steak burgers, double-decker burgers, and easy beef sliders. Travel beyond beef, with options for turkey, pork, lamb, bison, salmon, tuna, and shrimp burgers before exploring the world of meat-free burgers, both vegetarian and vegan. Then it’s go for broke, featuring out-of-this-world creations like a Surf and Turf Burger, Loaded Nacho Burger, Grilled Crispy Onion-Ranch Burger, and Reuben Burger. (more…)

Sunday, Monday, Happy Days

Have you ever time travelled? Apparently I have ’cause I somehow ended up in the 1950s hanging out at Dick’s Drive-In & Dairy-Dip. Now the ’50s certainly wouldn’t be my preferred “Quantum Leap” destination, but I made the best of it while I was there. Dick’s motto is “Welcome back to the good old days.” And he ain’t kidding. I wasn’t around in the “Happy Days” era, but I’m thinking this is what things were like for the Fonz: A neighbourhood malt shop served juicy burgers grilled over charcoal with hand cut french fries on the side while a scary hulking sculpture of a milkshake hovered above the tables.

The burgers were quite scrumptious and tasted decidedly retro. They’re real meat topped with fresh ingredients and cooked to perfection. Nice concept. All beef burgers are Angus Pride beef and come with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, aioli, sautéed onions, Dijon or regular mustard, unless you say otherwise.

Blurry pics of food are my specialty. Sorry about that 🙁

But here’s what’s “coolamundo” about Dick’s. While it’s unquestionably a 1950s joint with food that harkens back to pre-Kennedy times, its menu items are flat-out present-day diverse. Ostrich burgers, veal burgers, bison burgers and yes kangaroo burgers have a starring role along with the usual diner fare. While I wasn’t in the mood for a gamey culinary adventure, I now know where to go when I have a hankering for something a little more exotic.

While it was “neat-o” to visit the bygone days when they “rocked around the clock,” I was happy to time-travel back to 2012 when Dick’s ranked #4 in the Ottawa Citizen poll for Ottawa’s Best Burger 2012. But hear me out. I’ve been to the supposed top three haunts, and I can tell you from the bottom of my heart and the top of my palate, Dick’s is #1. But don’t just take my word for it, try it out for yourself. “Be there or be square!”

Dick’s Drive-In & Dairy-Dip is located at 1485 Merivale Road, near Clyde Ave.

Five questions, five answers about Five Guys Burger

What is Five Guys Burger?

A U.S. burger chain first opened in the mid 80’s.

Who are the Five Guys?

They are five brothers from the Washington D.C. area.

Where is Five Guys Burger?

It’s in 46 states and in 6 Canadian provinces, including the Ottawa location at Train Yards. An Orleans Five Guys is coming soon.

What’s on the menu?

Hand-formed burgers, dogs, sandwiches and fresh-cut fries. For the burgers and the dogs, you can choose as many free toppings as you want. Munch on salted peanuts in the shell as your wait for your order.

Is the food any good?

It’s not terrible. I had the burger and it was tasty. The price was a little disconcerting. Over $14 for a burger, some fries and a fountain drink. You do get an inordinate amount of fries but it all gets thrown together in a paper bag that gets very greasy. I don’t think I will be going back. In my opinion, you can get this kind of meal at any food truck for half the price. Try FGB and let me know what you think.

If you’re travelling to the west coast of America or to Texas, go to In-N-Out burger. Sweet Baby Jesus that’s the best burger anywhere. How I miss that burger. It makes you weak in the knees. Say a prayer that one day In-N-Out will come to Canada.