As American as apple pie, burgers and Napa Valley
Build a Better Burger
Wine, vino, the word "wine" likely derives from early Germanic *winam, borrowing from the Latin vinum, "wine" or "(grape) vine", has been a constant companion to agricultural man for 8000 years and a staple of economic man for nearly as long.
One of the few renewable sources of wealth wine, for centuries the currency of trade from Asia to Africa, Europe and the Americas, today is estimated to contribute more than $111 billion dollars* annually to the wealth and most likely the health of the world’s economies, including developing nations.
As part of our “Classics” recipes we eventually had to pay homage to wine as a natural pairing with food from every corner of the globe; and lucky us, just such a pairing is taking place next week end in Napa Valley and you’re all invited.
Whether grilling outdoors or adding those classic grill marks to your favorite burger on your stove top grill you’ll want to check in with Sutter Home Wines' ‘Build a Better Burger’ contest next weekend and collect some grill tips from the masters and maybe get the winning recipe in time for your next grilling event as well as a few good wine recommendations while you’re at it.
Whether grilling outdoors or adding those classic grill marks to your favorite burger on your stove top grill you’ll want to check in with Sutter Home Wine’s ‘Build a Better Burger’ contest next weekend and collect some grill tips from the masters and maybe get the winning recipe in time for your next grilling event as well as a few good wine recommendations while you’re at it.
This is Sutter Homes 17th annual ‘Build a Better Burger’ contest and promises to be the best ever with finalists from six regions covering the U.S., competing for a $50,000 grand prize.
The final event is Saturday the 29th and you can catch all the sights and sounds if not the aromas on their web site now at SutterHome.com
Burgers are as American as apple pie, and for that matter what goes better with a backyard grilled masterpiece with all the fixin’s than apple pie or perhaps an Apple Pie Martini. Sutter Home’s bbbblog editor Colleen LeMasters says that she’ll be following the day’s events closely, eager to see what great wines their 6 finalists will be pairing with their final entries. Colleen will be blogging live during the event so be sure to check out her coverage Saturday at the Build-a-Better-Burger-Blog.
We’d like to join in the fun too, so if you didn’t have a chance to enter your own classic in this year’s Build a Better Burger contest send your favorite burger recipe to Burgers at Rick’s Place and we’ll post it along with this year’s winners.
To get things started we thought we’d bring out our Here’s Cooking at You “classic” American Burger, a chopped sirloin grill with onion, cheddar and all the smoky goodness of a meal on a bun as only backyard grillers can cook it up.
Ingredients:
- ½ pound chopped sirloin season to taste (we like a pinch of Cajun or Creole spice mix)
- ¼ cup of fresh, sliced mushrooms. varietals
- 1 ½ inch thick slice Vidalia onion
- ½ ounce extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 fresh French baked onion roll
Method:
Sauté sliced mushrooms and onion in vegetable oil with a pinch of Cajun seasoning, about 5 minutes on medium high heat, remove and set aside covered.
Grill the sirloin burger over medium coals until desired degree of 'done', flipping once; only once mind you.
Top burger with cheddar cheese, and cover until cheese melts slightly.
Split the roll and set cut sides down on the grill to slightly toast.
Build the burger and top with fix’ns to taste; we like Romaine lettuce, sour cream and Dijon mustard with more Cajun spice.
Serve with a side of gumbo and rice sprinkled with fresh file and a cold Apple Pie Martini.
Apple Pie Martini
Apple pie is a drink for hot evenings and slow rhythms. Simply close your eyes and drink in the delicate fragrance of apples and the last of summer with a cold apple pie and a hot burger.
- 3 oz Stolichnaya® Vanilla vodka
- 1/2 oz Calvados® brandy
- 1/2 oz dry vermouth
And remember, hope to see you next weekend at Sutter Homes Wines' Build a Better Burger finals in Napa Valley.
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