What a nice invitation – don’t you think?  How many zillion times have you answered the invitation with a resounding “YES?” It would be more than you can count, I’m certain.

    Come along with me as we meander through our “burger memories.” First, I must emphasize that my Daddy would not allow a burger or any type of sandwich in our house.  Oh, no, it all must be cooked from scratch and placed on the table at the appointed time: Breakfast at 6:30 in the AM, Lunch (or he always called it dinner) at 11:30 AM, and supper at 5:00 PM.  He sent my Momma to the meat market each week to shop – not just the regular meat choices at the grocery store, and, you know, she seemed happy to follow his wishes without a single question.  She was that rare commodity, the stay-at-home-momma. Rare in this day and time, that is. It was the norm in the 50’s and 60’s.  

    With that said, I admit that I was not even aware of thing called hamburger.  My, so innocent, but once I became a pre-teen, it all changed.  My cousins and I would take the city bus to downtown from our north Meridian home, and with a total of $1.00, uh-huh, we enjoyed a burger and fries and a movie, too!  We liked the counter at Kress or the Newberry store – sometimes, we even dined at the Triangle Restaurant.

    I can remember my delight when I learned the true hamburger story.  History has recorded that the hamburger came from Hamburg and the frankfurter arrived from Frankfurt, both located in Germany.  That is true according to my research, however, the innovation of placing the meat between a bun is all American.  Most interesting, the countries who today import the hamburger or the frank, are more likely to obtain them from America rather than Germany.  Go figure.

    History did not record the name of the first cook who shaped and scraped or chopped beef into a patty, but we do know the first burgers were browned on the outside and almost raw inside. When the hamburger was first introduced in America, it was eaten quite raw.  Even today, the French prefer their burger cooked in this manner.  It is noted that the English and Irish were the first to cook their patties throughout.  Now, when the beef patty appeared Down South, we knew how to cook those “Little Darlings” – we “cooked them to death” just as we have always cooked everything else.  Has always suited me just fine, thank you.

    Okay, now to test your Meridian burger memories.  During the 50’s and 60’s, did you ever enjoy a burger at the Lamp Post, Ludie’s, Orange Bowl, Jack’s Sandwich Shop, Wimpy’s, Uncle Bud’s, New’s, Lonnie & Pat’s, the Spot, Frank’s, Davis Grill, the Triangle, Country Corner, Chaney’s, Brookshire Drive Inn, Tutor’s Drug Store counter, the Post Office Drug Store, or the lunch counter at Kress or the Newberry store? All of these eateries were BFF (before fast food.)  Most of the time, the side item with the order would be onion rings or fries – never chips.  Oh, and when ordered, the burger would be cooked then, and not served from a stack under a warming light. Those were the days!

    Ludie’s, Davis Grill, and Uncle Bud’s were also known for good steaks, but a mighty fine hamburger could be enjoyed there as well.  Many times, after the Meridian High School home football games, a gang of our friends would indulge with burgers and fries at the Davis Grill – we enjoyed those days of not counting calories and not even having a clue about cholesterol .

    Some of the burger joints had their own special recipes. The Lamp Post had the double-good burgers. The long closed Triangle Restaurant was famous for the chic-steak burger.  For many years, Meridianites racked their brains as they tried to figure out the secret of the chic-steak.  Some thought the meat was veal – others determined that eggs and flour were added to the meat mixture, and some thought it was magic.  I tended to fall in the latter category.  I mean I have never tasted a meat patty to its equal.

    If you were hankering for a cheeseburger, then, folks would make a stop at Ms. Hattie Jane’s establishment, New’s Restaurant. Yes, Ms. Hattie Jane New’s cheeseburger was the hot ticket for north Meridian.  If you wanted a burger with all of the trimmings, then, it was Brookshire’s Drive Inn.  When one searched for the burger basket, it was a stop at Frank’s Drive Inn or the Spot Drive Inn. Both were located within a short distance of each other – sort of a loop. A favorite Friday or Saturday night teen activity was to circle between Frank’s and the Spot just to see who was with whom – not really taking a notice of the burger.

    I think the favorite downtown burger fare was located at The Orange Bowl with Mr. Lucky as the chief cook and bottle-washer.  It was a tiny place located near Nylon’s Coffee Co. – a grill where the working folks could drop in for a nice meal at a low cost and served in a timely manner.  I dare say, there are not many of those places any longer.

    Another interesting fact, at this period of time the burgers were grilled upon the same stove as used for warming honey buns, cooking bacon, or preparing grilled cheese sandwiches. Yes, it was all thrown together, and no one was ever sick from what would now be known as contamination.  I just wonder if we have gotten too smart these days … too over anxious, too complicated, too rigid with our speculations pertaining to the preparation  and the serving of food – too much salt, too much fat, too much sugar, too much, too much, too much.  Hmm.

    Burger memories – so, how ‘bout a burger? Meet me at the Triangle on Saturday … I think I know the secret of the chic-steak!

    Anne B. McKee is an author and storyteller. She lives in Meridian.  Anne is listed on the Mississippi Artist Roster, sponsored by Mississippi Arts Commission, as a dramatic and literary artist and as a Teaching Artist.  She is active with the arts and educational communities throughout Mississippi.  Visit her web site: www.annemckee.net