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Hamburger
There are very few foods that America can claim as her own,
although New Haven is a veritable institution, because this
is where they invented the hamburger. In New Haven they eat
their burgers the authentic way - with cheese, tomato and
onions but no ketchup or mayonnaise which would impair the
natural and delicate flavour of the meat. The hamburger was
invented here in 1895 and today at Louis Lunch on Crown
Street you can still order an authentic New Haven burger at
the same restaurant, cooked in the same stove from the same
family who invented it prepared masterfully by Louis' grandson,
Ken. Remember not to ask for ketchup unless you want to get
kicked out!
There are several theories about the birth of the hamburger,
but its generally thought by New Haveners that over 100 years
ago, a man ran into Louis' Diner and asked for a quick meal
he could eat on the run. Louis sandwiched a broiled beef patty
in bread and sent him on his way. Thus the take away meal
was invented.
Since then the making of the burger has been transformed
into an art by Louis and his family. Each burger is made from
freshly ground beef, broiled vertically in the original cast
iron grill and served in two slices of toast.
The ingredients of the Hamburger include hamburger meat, onions,
tomatoes, pepper, carrots, potatoe, celery and Worcester sauce.
People in the states typically eat around 64 lbs of beef
a year - that's over one pound a week and the hamburger is
practically the staple dish of America, with billions being
served up every day at Diner's, fast food restaurants and
serious eateries every day.
Ice Cream
Vermont may be famous for its foliage, but it's also famous
for another American favourite, Ben and Jerry's ice-cream.
Set up in the 70's by 2 hippies Ben and Jerry, their ice-cream
became famous for its wild and crazy flavours.
Who He?
Ben and Jerry were old childhood buddies Ben Cohen and Jerry
Greenfield who sent away $5 for an information sheet on how
to make ice cream. In 1978 they opened their first shop in
a disused gas station and the ice cream shop prospered due
to their unique and strange flavour combinations.
Flavour Graveyard
Have you ever wondered whatever happened to your favourite
flavour of ice-cream, when you no longer see it on the shelf?
Even ice-cream experiences the circle of life and they die.
Ben & Jerry's store all their old batches in a flavour
graveyard.
The flavour graveyard notables include tropical Rainforest
Chunk, the caffeine over load of Coffee Coffee Buzz,
Buzz, Buzz, Pulp Addiction, the nutty and fudge covere
almonds of Dilbert's World Totally Nuts, the classic
Cool Britannia (mix of vanilla, strawberries and chocolate
shortcake - think Wimbledon tennis meets naught decadence)
and Monkey Wrench (banana and beanut butter). Watch
out for the Holy Cannoli which is made from ricotta cheese.
Nowadays you can enjoy the great flavours of Berry Nice,
Carawmel Chew Chew, Cherry Garcia, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough,
Chunk Monkey, Phish Stick (chocolate, marshmallow and
caramel) From Russia With Buzz is a favourite - coffee
ice cream, coffee liquor and expresson chocolate chips. Local
specialities include the Full ver-Monty - Maple ice
cream with pecan and caramel.
The hippie ideal lies behind the zany front of Ben &
Jerry's - the cult titled Cherry Garcia - cherries,
cocolate chunks and walnuts - in homage to the Grateful
Dead's notorious and radical frontman is a total giveaway.
However you enjoy Ben & Jerry's - remember to keep it
chilled.
Lobster
Lobster is unquestionably the food which defines Maine.
It's the state's most famous export and brings in over $70
million a year.
Many trappers have up to 50 traps per string of pots and 1,000
traps in all. Each lobster is measured to ensure it is of
legal size, which is usually 10 inches long and 5 years old.
There were so many lobsters to go around during the days of
early colonists that they would feed it to the chickens and
prisoners.
Lobster appears on menus throughout New England, but it can
be tasted at its best fresh boiled in one of the many lobster
shacks alongs the coastal roads of Maine. |
