Burger, burger, burger *

An old saying says pizza is like sex: even when it's bad it's good. I often think about that nugget o' wisdom when I'm eating a hamburger.

Now, I've had some subpar hamburgers in my day. But I've been able to find something redeeming in, and on, each of the darned things. If the burger itself was too hard, I enjoyed the bun and/or toppings. If the bun and/or toppings were less than fresh, I enjoyed the burger. Or, less often, I simply enjoyed the burger 'n' bun 'n' fixins as a conveyance for large dollops of yellow mustard and mayo.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I love hamburgers. Fat ones, skinny ones; cheesy ones, sans-cheesy ones; veggie and condiment-topped ones, and just plain, well, plain ones ... mention hamburgers in my presense and you'll bring out my inner Wimpy, indeed.

That said, check this out, from Slashfood.com:

"The hamburger isn't just a sandwich; it is a social nexus," proclaims burger expert Josh Ozersky, casually armed with a shot of whiskey during his burger seminar conducted at New York City's RUB BBQ on Tuesday.

Heralded by the American public and arguably the most quintessentially American of dishes, the hamburger tends to be quite a polarizing issue. Ozersky, passionate eater and author of The Hamburger, provided his insight on what makes a good burger, throwing in pertinent background info on the topic.

Backed by a BA in literature and a PhD in American history, it is perhaps Ozersky's appetite and analytical spirit that spurred his interest in the burger's role in the history and culture of the good old U.S.A. Having trekked across the country devouring the carnal bite -- even overcoming a case of gout -- there's one mandate he insists upon: No matter what the fixings, the burger should support a "visceral delight."

Read the rest here.

* Who gets that reference?!