BURGER-MEISTERS
Despite the German-sounding name, hamburgers are one of the most identifiably American food items around. The name obviously derives from the German city of Hamburg, where some sort of pounded beefsteak was popular by the middle of the 19th century.But how did the perfect patties end up in the USA?
The Dictionary of American English traces "Hamburg" steak to an 1884 article in the Boston Evening Journal. However, residents of Hamburg, N.Y., have long claimed that the hamburger was created in the summer of 1885 at the Erie County Fair.
Here's the story: Vendors Charles and Frank Menches (no, Frank DID NOT invent the frankfurter) ran out of pork with which to make sandwiches . . . and voila!
The first "hamburger stand" came along with the opening of roadside restaurants called White Castle (the first in Wichita, Kan., in 1921). White Castle steam-cooked burgers, which were smaller than the usual, and were advertised with the slogan, "Buy 'em by the sack."
White Castle devotees fondly refer to the burgers as "sliders," "belly bombs," and "gut grenades."
TRUTH IN LABELS?
Betty Crocker Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups must be better for your kids than Gummi Bears, 'cause they're made from fruit. Of course, it's right there on the label.
They're made with fruit. Just not very much fruit.
The CSPI (Food Police) is asking the Food and Drug Administration to put an end to deceptive ingredient claims. One solution: Require the front of any package that mentions or depicts an ingredient to say how much of the ingredient the food contains (in understandable units . . . like teaspoons).
For example, the front of the Fruit Roll-Ups box would have to say something like "contains less than one strawberry per roll."
If you agree, sign and mail the following coupon:
TO: Commissioner David Kessler
Food & Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
FROM:-------------------(name)
-------------------(address)
------------------
I'm tired of being tricked about the amount of fruit, whole grains, and other ingredients in foods. Deceptive claims should be banned. The front of packages should disclose - in household measures - the quantity of any key ingredient that is mentioned or pictured on the front of the package.