Daily Loaf

Cookout season is upon us, and what’s one of the first things that pops into my head when I think about cookouts? Burgers! It’s one of the best forms of finger food and a staple of summer cookout foods.

Contrary to what many people may think, burgers don’t always have to include just beef, or any meat at all, for that matter. Start thinking outside the burger box and get creative with: from ground lamb or chicken to portobello mushrooms or seafood. Then find some fun condiment combinations to top them with to enhance their flavor. Why not make your own condiment for your burgers to elevate their gourmet factor?

I experimented with shrimp as the protein for my latest burger concoction and made them into sliders (which also work as fun little appetizers). To bind the chopped shrimp I had to use some cracker crumbs, mayo and an egg, to end up with a crab cake-like patty. Just be sure, if you make a burger with shrimp, crab or fish, to not use too much breadcrumb filling in your mixture because you don’t want to end up with a dense product. Think: more meat to filler in your burger mix ratio.

These shrimp sliders can be baked, grilled, or pan-fried. If you’re going to grill them, just be sure to thoroughly spray your grill down with non-stick grill spray before placing the patties down (see below for further cooking instructions). Read the rest of this entry »

The weather here in the Tampa Bay area has been absolutely gorgeous lately, an has put me in the mood for some grilling action. I’ve had a hankering for a big juicy burger for ages, but I wanted to try something different than a plain old patty with American cheese on a boring bun.

I was at the book store and noticed the Sutter Home Build a Better Burger cook-off cookbook in the bargain section. It inspired me to create a gourmet burger of my own (and also reminded me that I had forgotten to enter last year, again). I didn’t find any one particular recipe that I wanted to use, but it got my creative juices flowing. Fortunately, being a foodie, I usually have all sorts of fancy cheeses, condiments, etc. in my fridge and pantry, so I decided to throw together a “bistro burger” (I thought that name sounded better than: “fancy-schmancy burger”).

Recipe after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Found on the web. Without context, I repost this photo to give you something to dream about this weekend - the bacon cheese pizza burger.

Somebody has made an error. In the culinary community, the word “pedestrian” has somehow been associated with “not good”. Common. Anyone can make that. Un-original. How can this be?

Some foods that I adore would get this classification yet using the P word to describe them is supposed to make my nose point upward and walk away. Well I will not!

Long before I knew I was a foodie and long before I could afford to buy almost anything, I loved a good burger. One of my first “OMG, this is fabulous” food memories Read the rest of this entry »

AOL’s Digital City site has named their picks for the best 27 burgers in the country, thoughtfully divided into nine different categories. Under the “Hometown Representatives” tag (whatever that means) St. Petersburg’s own El Cap has made the grade.

Here’s what they say about our own famous burger joint: Read the rest of this entry »

Yep, our new president likes his burgers medium-well, as shown in this video of his first ride on Air Force One. He also prefers cheddar, lettuce, tomato and dijon mustard. Ooh. La. La.

Catch all the glory of the video, from a National Geographic Channel series titled “On Board Air Force One”, after the break: Read the rest of this entry »