The Origin of Hamburger
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The Origin of Hamburger
By Chris
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Hamburger is a common everyday English word. However, people often see that as an American invention holding a kind of national characteristic.
Originally, hamburger meant only ‘a fresh cooked or broiled meatball, ground meat steak or patty of meat served warm’. The secondary meaning, of ‘a sandwich, patty in circular or square form between two bun halves’ came into being in America.
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How did the hamburger arrive in America? There are many explanations of the origin of hamburger. I personally like the version from the book “Hamburger for America and the World”, 1984 by Gyula Decsy.
The word comes from the seaport city - Hamburg in Germany. During the time of American settlement, a lot of European immigrants moved to the New World. At that time the port of Hamburg meant the last piece of European soil immigrants felt under their feet before their voyage to the unknown. Hamburger was a food European immigrant often used to consume on the boats of the Hamburg-America Line. Like the Italians immigrant that brought in pizzas, the German immigrant brought in hamburger. Strangely enough they did not use the names for hamburger in their mother tongue (German name ‘Frikadelle’). Maybe that was because the word hamburger reminded them nostalgic of their voyage and was an element of recalling their old homeland.
Another more interesting view by Louis Szathmary emphasizes that at the time of the European immigrants settling America there was a shortage of female population in the United States. Thus ordering a hamburger was a symbolic act of being in touch with a European female through the remote contact of a dish. The city of Hamburg itself recalls a seaport with the most notorious nightlife establishments in Europe and hamburger could therefore have some symbolic connections with sexuality.
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Today one can easily agree that hamburger absolutely has both a nutritional (though some may argue not, especially when it is served with fries) and a social function for which there is a global demand. You can't avoid seeing McDonald's restaurants wherever you may travel.
One reason for why hamburger is so popular is in today's fast-paced society, a light fast food lunch is a perfect solution for short lunch breaks.
foodvenue.com has our very own Hamburger recipe, so try creating your very own hamburger today.
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