July 4: Paul Gayler's The Gourmet Burger

By JULIETTE ROSSANT The Gourmet Burger (Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, January 2005) is my kind of burger book. It reminds me of a joint in Manhattan's West Village called The White Horse Tavern, famed as a hangout of the poet Dylan Thomas, where my father used to take me for burgers – charcoal grilled, crusty and meaty – the ultimate American treat, at least for me, a half-French New Yorker. Since then, I have had my fair share of burgers, from Middle Eastern to Chinese (my mother's restaurant Dim Sum Go Go used to make super mini burgers served in steamed bun). Thus, I am open to a wide interpretations of what makes for a hamburger. The author, Paul Gayler, is the executive chef at the Lanesborough Hotel in London's Hyde Park, and his American sensibility may just well stem from some of the celebrities famed for kipping next to the Queen at Buckingham Palace, including Madonna and Will Smith. Whatever the inspiration, these are terrific recipes that start with beef and continue to other meats, fish, and even vegetarian, then continute to sides and toppings, from sauces to breads and potatoes. So, take heed of this tribute to burgers, and don't fear that a Brit is the chef. If you are planning a July 4th barbecue and want to through a couple of hamburgers on the grill along with your steak, corn and vegetables, try one of Gayler's around-the-world spins like a Neo-classical feta burger with horiatiki salsa salad and yogurt garlic sauce (pp 50-1), wrapped in grapevine leaves. Or try the Vitello Tonnato Burger with tuna and caper sauce (p. 57), served on focaccia bread. The main recipes have only a handful of ingredients though the Vitello burger calls for a sauce and a black olive dressing. There are scrumptious photos by Gus Filgate of meat, vegetables and on the inside cover sesame seed rolls and sauces. I liked the recipe for Fritas, the mini hamburger street food eaten in Cuba. But I also liked the more off beat Pumpkin couscous burger in pitas (pp. 100-11), and the Lentil nut koftas (pp. 118-119) made from French Puy lentils, almonds and chickpea flour. After the barbecue is over, what then? If you haven't had enough of the hamburger-palooza, check out George Motz's documentary film Hamburger America, available on the Sundance TV channel. Motz, a Brooklyn-based film maker, traveled around America and focuses on eight restaurants famous for their burgers. Happy 4th of July -- and don't forget to check out today's other cookbook review "July 4: East Meets West." Previous articles: July 4: East Meets West Robert Klein: The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue Christy Campbell: The Botanist and the Vintner Kathleen Daelemans: Getting Thin and Loving Food! Aroma: Daniel Patterson and Mandy Aftel Tyler Florence: Eat This Book The Perfectionist by Rudolph Chelminski Bobby Flay's Grilling for Life Mother's Day Gift: Finding Betty Crocker The Sensual Language of Baklava: Diana Abu-Jaber Paula Deen & Friends Roland Mesnier's Dessert University Puerto Rico: Grand Cuisine of the Caribbean Don Pintabona: Shared Table Annabel Karmel: First Meals Nigella Lawson's Feast Cook Like a Kyrgyz Ozzi Dining Downunder and Bushfood Personal Favorites: The Chefs of Las Vegas Anne Willan: The Good Cook Gale Gand's short+sweet More Food from Alton Brown Manju Malhi's India With Passion SOS: Baking from the Heart Madhur Jaffrey: Our Lady of India, CBE Amazon UK's Steamy Xmas Chefs All Hail Alfred Portale Agassi's Star Palate: Celebrity Chefs Book links: Publisher Amazon.com Technorati Tags: chefs food restaurants cooking branding cookbook celebrities hamburgers July 4th --> back to superchefblog