Hamburger: A Global History

Edible

by Andrew F. Smith

McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc once said, ‘It requires a certain kind of mind to see beauty in a hamburger bun’. The hamburger has been both a source of gluttonous joy and a recurrent obstacle to healthy eating. Now the full beauty of the burger in all its forms is explored in this book.Andrew F. Smith traces the global history of the hamburger from its humble beginnings as a nineteenth-century street food sold by American vendors. It soon spread to the menus of diners and restaurants, and it came into its own with the 1921 opening of the first US hamburger chain,White Castle. Subsequent successful food chains such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s ensured the burger’s success in the United States and around the world. The hamburger irrevocably changed Americans’ eating habits as it propelled the rise of fast food over home-cooked meals. At the same time, burgers were making inroads in culture, becoming a rich symbol in paintings, television and cinema. Smith also discusses the wider nutritional, economic and cultural conflicts raised by the hamburger, such as the ‘McDonaldization’ of international cultures.A juicy, meaty and richly illustrated read, Hamburger will stimulate the taste buds of hamburger aficionados the world over.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, History, Cooking, Food and Drink

152 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Andrew Francis Smith teaches food studies at the New School University in Manhattan. He has written more than three hundred articles in academic journals and popular magazines and has authored or edited seventeen books, including The Oxford Encyclopedia on Food and Drink in America, a James Beard finalist in 2005. He has been frequently appeared on several television series, including the History Channel's American Eats, and the Food Network's Heavy Weights.

Reviews

[Desiree Koh · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are going to write a short (120+ pages) book about the hamburger - that untouchable bastion of meat and bread - then make it worthwhile, I say. I knew most of the information in here, but enjoyed some new trivia and details, particularly the evolution of the Hamburg steak from restaurant offering to Depression-era lunch truck cheap eat. However, no matter how strenuous a hold McDonald's has on the fast food materialization of the hamburger, I didn't quite think the chunk of pages devoted to that corporation was warranted. Thus, I was not surprised to see a few nuggets repeated in various chapters - it felt like Smith ran out of information at times, and didn't quite tap into other avenues of resources. For example, I was astounded he completely left out the Maid Rite chain, which also claims to have invented the hamburger. Theirs are served with white buns clasping loose ground beef in between and once flourished along the Mississippi. That, to me, is as important to include as the rest of the other chains described.

This "Global History" series of books, short, bite-sized narrations of how popular foods came to arrive at gluttonous glory, were meant, I believe, to be witty and digestible in a snap. The "Hamburger" edition falls really short of the "Pancake" one by Ken Albala, which was such a syrupy delight. If you knew nothing about hamburgers, you might imagine it was best eaten at McDonald's - what about the current revival in gourmet renderings? Finally, the pictures are just awful. It was like a guy walked into some of the places to take a picture of the hamburger setting, and forgot his initial mission as he turned his attention to chomping down his hamburger instead. Smith might very well have made the same mistake in writing this book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history of the Hamburger is presented by Andrew F. Smith in the deliciously readable book. The beginnings of the hamburger were its introduction as a street food primarily designed to feed workers who worked late shifts in America in the 19th century. The street cafes featured hamburgers and hot dogs which emerged from the dog wagons in 1890s. The actual "sandwich" was born in 1762 in 18th century England when a John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of sandwich consumed a meal of a slice of beef between to slices of bread. These and numerous other little-known facts about the birth of the hamburger are charmingly outlined in this text filled with enticing visuals. Also included is the growth of hamburger chains such as White Caste, White Tower, Burger King and the ubiquitous McDonalds food chain that is now all over the world. Especially interesting is how the hamburger sandwich morphed into versions that fit the cultures throughout Europe and Asia. For example, in the Netherlands hamburgers are sold in vending machines! This is quick read that will warm up your appetite for this world staple.

[marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would call it fast food history instead because the author was talking about many other things besides hamburgers. If you want a short history of famous fast food restaurants, french fries, milkshakes and hamburger then it's a good intro into the fast food world.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Reaktion Books series on food history is one that I keep returning to, and there is always some pleasure in reading these short monographs on specific items (e.g. cheese, lamb, pies etc). Unfortunately when it came to 'Hamburger: A Global History', I felt like I was being shortchanged. Instead of getting a 'burger with the lot' it was more like a kid's meal from Maccas. Yes, the titles in this series are hardly deep and meaningful studies of their respective food subjects. However this entry was rather skimpy indeed and perhaps more problematic, rather derivative of other books.

There is some meat to Smith's text and it's not all just filler. He does a good job of trying to pull apart the mythical aspects of the hamburger's origin, and he does make it clear that there is a difference between the hamburger steak (mince or ground beef) and the hamburger sandwich. As far as one can tell, without going for a more dogged chase on who made the first hamburger, Smith's account is informative and plausible.

The author also makes a good fist of considering some of the early history of the burger in America, including an examination of how the White Castle chain of burger joints established the popularity of hamburgers in the US as a mass market takeaway product. For those readers who live outside the USA and have not had any contact with White Castle it is likely that the importance of this company in the history of hamburgers is at best misunderstood and at worst unknown. Smith also, in diminishing depth, considers some of the other famous or influential burger chains.

Yet the history becomes less engaging, less focused and perhaps a bit too derivative when Smith gets into the McDonald's story. There's nothing wrong per se with tackling the biggest burger company there is, and Smith makes some interesting points about how the Golden Arches have become so dominant whilst also representing American cultural imperialism. The issue is if one wants to read about McDonalds there are plenty of other books out there. That Smith relies heavily on 'Fast Food Nation' by Eric Schlosser (reviewed here)is also problematic and it is tempting to think that the author has been somewhat lazy in his research.

Then there is the rather short shrift given to the history and culture of hamburgers outside the US. Yes, there is a reasonable consideration of the Wimpys chain in the UK, however it seems as if Smith was asked to only give broad brush strokes re the global aspects of the hamburger as a food product. That Smith lists the elements of a traditional Australian hamburger with the lot, including beetroot, without getting into how this is a statement of our own cultural identity seems unsatisfying. I suspect readers form other countries would feel similarly about there local variations of the burger. Oh, and don't get me started on how Smith spends more time talking about potato chips or fries; this is a book that should be about burgers, not the side dish.

Look, perhaps my criticism is too harsh. 'Hamburger: A Global History' is still pretty tasty. However, just like the fabled Big Mac, there isn't really that much meat after all and having finished it I'm wondering if I should tried something more substantial and less American...

[Bryce Beale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brief history (global because its earlier chapters trace the origin of hamburgers from abroad and its latter follow their export back out into the non-US world) left me with two thoughts.

First, so many of our contemporary experiences owe themselves to "accidents" of history. For example, it was not popular in the early life of the American hamburger to pair the dish with french fries. Boiling oil was a safety hazard. But during World War II, potatoes were one of the few foods not rationed, and so french fries it was, and consequently french fries it is.

Secondly, I am always saddened by the darker side of imitation. Yes, imitation is a kind of flattery, but in business there is an unethical imitation that deeply bothers me. White Castle was one of the first US hamburger chains, but it was soon copied in name, form, and even slogan by "White Tower." I struggle to imagine working for a company that, quite self-consciously, is a "rip off" of another. Businesses must and do learn from the successes of others in their field, but there is a line. And you know you have crossed that line when you are tricking people into consuming your product (I'm looking at you, "Fruity Hoops").

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit too dominated by McDonalds. Sure, the chain has an important role in the history of what is a relatively young dish dominated by fast food restaurants, but not this much, and not to the virtual exclusion of anything between drive throughs and pretentiously expensive burgers. There's a lot in that middle ground, and it's basically neglected.

[Sylvie Xu · Rating 4 out of 5]

An introductory book about hamburgers and the history of fast food in America. This book unravels the long history of their growth and development, also providing abundant information and details about some of the most famous brands.

[Nora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative yet dry (hopefully not like your hamburgers)...some interesting history on the fast-food icon and it's sidekicks, french fries and milkshakes.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

The history of the hamburger with extensive McDonald's coverage. Color photos, notes, bibliography and index.

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

‘Meh’ was the feeling I was left with after finishing this book out of the Edible series. There were a few interesting sections here and there but the majority of the book was devoted to the development and progression of the McDonald's chain. I understand that in the world of hamburgers McDonald's is a big deal but there are a ton of movies and books about the franchise already and this book didn't need to add to the list.

[Amanda Keck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really fun and rather short book was a blast. It's full of fun tidbits I never thought of as well as some eye opening information, like bombings of American fast food places. (Almost makes you want to avoid being near one if you're in a foreign country, although I'm sure it's just as safe as anywhere else...) Also included are recipes for hamburgers throughout history. Fun to follow the evolution of food!

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating iffy. I was torn between a 2 and a three. Way too much McDonalds. There was little here that I did not really know. I think they left out some really relevant information about methods of cooking hamburgers.

[Christina Dudley]

A kind of dry little book which nevertheless had some interesting tidbits in it. It began with the author's memory of two different hamburger experiences, and that ended up being the best part. After that the book read more like a summary. Like notes. Great illustrations.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Smith does not offer much new or interesting in the history of the hamburger here. Though he does place more emphasis on the its origins, than Ozersky does in Hamburger

[Luke Forsyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brief and wonderful history of america's favorite sandwich. Good chapters on commercialization of the food industry and the degradation of the world's diet. great conversation starter.