This morning I was reading a blog called Loving Food, Fashion, and Life. Her entry was all about cheeseburgers and as that was what I had planned to make for dinner, it caught my attention. Her opening line was “If you’ve never had a plumpalicious burger stuffed with cheese in the middle that clearly oozes out cheesiness with every bite, well—you’re missing out on a good portion of life.”{cke_protected_1}[1] As I was imagining this burger, it dawned on me that the cheeseburger is one of those basic black dresses (or suits) that I have talked about as it applies to broth and grilled cheese sandwiches.
There really are only two basic essentials to a cheeseburger: the burger and the cheese. The bun, in some respects, has become just one more accessory to the cheeseburger. One would think that there is not much to making a burger, but the blend of meats varies from person to person and restaurant to restaurant. They do not even need to be made with beef. One could use ground turkey, chicken, lamb, or a mixture of vegetables, beans, and grains to make a vegi burger. I have made some burgers out of baked beans and oatmeal. I have also taken other meats and added them into my ground meat. For example, I have mixed chorizo or Italian sausage or bacon into my burger patties before cooking them.
The traditional cheese has been American on top of the burger, but you could really put whatever kind of cheese you would like on your burger. I have made ours with a diversity of cheeses including cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack, wasabi cheddar, and Chihuahua. I do not always put my cheese on top of my burger. Sometimes I add shredded cheese into my meat mixture as well as put a slice of it on top of the burger. This way the cheesy goodness is in every bite. Like my fellow blogger, sometimes I put the cheese in the middle of my burger so that there is cheesy goodness flowing out as I bite into it.
Then there is the bun, who some might feel is essential and others optional. There are so many different types of burger buns available. There are your traditional burger buns, those with sesame seeds, whole wheat, potato, and even pretzel buns. I have also seen cheeseburgers served on as tortillas as a quesadilla and on submarine rolls as part of a six foot sub and combined with other sandwiches such as a grilled cheese sandwiches. In this case, each sandwich served as one side of the bun.
We can’t forget the accessories, which are just as varied as the essentials. For some it is the basics of lettuce and tomato, to which my wife would add mayo. I love jalapenos or some other hot pepper on my burgers. I have also put spaghetti sauce on mine when making them with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. Bobby Flay is known for crunchifying his with potato chips. I have seen others pile them high with onion rings, fried eggs, and a myriad of other toppings. The point is that a cheeseburger is just that a cheeseburger. Like your basic black dress or navy suit it can be accessorized to your personality and taste.
For some of us, spiritually we are your basic cheeseburger. We have a spiritual belief system that we have always had and never consider experiencing anything other then what we have always known. A friend of mine has some aspects of her spirituality that are consistent (i.e. her bun and burger), but is willing to periodically read something from another spiritual tradition (her cheese). Others have opened themselves up to experiencing the presence of the Divine in numerous ways and in various combinations of tools and guides. For example, another friend of mine has a close relationship with Jesus, but is also open to the teachings of other spiritual teachers and healing modalities.
None of this can happen spiritually or in the kitchen, if you do not have the essentials, that “basic black dress” or “dark suit” upon which you can develop your spirituality or create the next version of the cheeseburger in your kitchen. Whatever your essentials are, keep them in stock so they are there any time you need them and even when you don’t
[1] http://lovingfoodfashionlife.com/2014/06/09/burger-joint/