An All American Icon- The Cheeseburger

An All American Icon- The Cheeseburger

An Ode to Pay Homage to National Cheeseburger Day: September 18

Oh juicy, hot, delectable combination

Originated in our American nation,

In the simplest and established form

A patty, two buns, and cheese served toasty warm.

The word itself is a portmanteau

But a double cheeseburger is enhanced with patty times two.

Plain or with toppings, all can agree

A triple cheeseburger is patty times three.

Arguably alternative varieties of cheese

Sophisticate up this simple entree’, oh please!

American, pepper jack, mozzarella, asiago or feta,

Cheddar, Swiss, bleu cheese, or Velvetta.

Add-ons of one or many boost the basic cheeseburger;

Sauces of ketchup, mayo, mustard, guacamole, and tartar

Are often smeared on the hot beefy and cheesy surface;

Is thousand island the sauce that ultimately appears on your face?

Now consider the onions: raw or grilled?

Add pickles, tomato, and olives pimento filled;

How about lettuce, mushrooms, or sauerkraut?

Even peppers, avocados, or bacon need not be left out.

More unusual enhancements to the common cheeseburger

Are anchovies, horseradish, and jalapenos for fire;

A fried egg, pat of butter, slice of ham, or chunk of tofu.

Mull over salsa and chili to spice up this sandwich for you.

The cheeseburger’s origination in history

Remains somewhat of a mystery.

More than one individual lay competing claim--

Of cheeseburger’s invention they all proclaim.

O’Dells Restaurant in LA sold for twenty five cents

A chili cheeseburger in ‘28 they certainly argument.

Two years later, Steak n’ Shake’s Gus Belt

Trademarked the cheeseburger as his own burger with cheese melt.

Consider Kaeilin’s of Louisville in 1934

Who served cheeseburgers—so is the folklore.

The next year in Denver, Humpty Dumpty’s did win

The trademark award at that little drive-in.

Alas in Pasadena Kansas in ‘56, Tanya Stern

By trial added to her sizzling beef patty a slice of American.

Her mama’s sandwich shop called “The What Spot”

Claims to be the home of the cheeseburger—certainly not hard bought.

This cheeseburger is not kosher in Israel,

A New York City variation is quite controversial;

Their cheese of choice is that made of soy,

Now Jews in Brooklyn may feel free to devour, oh joy!

Cheeseburger in Paradise was written by Jimmy Buffett,

His lyrics confess that by day he would dream of this sensuous treat,

"Medium rare with Muenster’d by nice," (you can’t beat)

"A big warm bun and a huge hunk of meat."

Yes, everyone knows that burgers and fries

Are not for weight-loss, but are indeed paradise.

Cheeseburgers are sources of a great many calories--

Upwards of 600 and nearly triple that, oh geez!

Stick with my diet, I chant and lament

No cheeseburgers tonight, only supplement

Of vitamins, lettuce, tomato, and diet dressing

If I cheat with a cheeseburger, tomorrow I’ll be confessing.

--copyright Marilyn White 2013