As with many foods of distinction there are quite a few speculations on how the illustrious hamburger came to be, and ironically one of these theories began right in our own backyards. Some fine people in Hamburg, NY claim that the burger takes its name from their town, and that it was first served at the Erie County Fair in the mid-1880's. Supposedly, two brothers who made their living by traveling the country with their food stand served it. The story goes that on one particularly hot day they sold out of their most popular item—pork sausage sandwich. Unable to obtain a fresh supply of pork, they substituted ground beef and dubbed it the "Hamburger." Unfortunately, amongst the many observations of the hamburger's past, this is one the least considered theories by most food historians. Although there are as many speculations as there are the people who tell them, many believe that the hamburger made its first appearance as a sandwich at the world's fair in St. Louis in 1904. Prior, the hamburger was served sans bun, as an entrée.

Hamburg steak is listed in Fannie Farmer's cookbook, which was published in 1896, and was also a staple menu item at the famous Delmonico's restaurant in New York City as early as 1834. In an 1893 edition of the book The Epicurean, by Charles Ranhofer, Delmonico's most celebrated chef, there is a listing for BeefSteak Hamburg Style. Being a Frenchman, he also listed it in his native tongue as Bifteck à Hambourgeoise—pretty fancy for such a humble food. Ranhofer's hamburger steak was actually quite pricey for its time; it sold for ten cents whereas roast beef and leg of lamb only sold for seven. What made his version unique was that the recipe called for the ground beef to be mixed with kidney and bone marrow (and to think that there was alarm in the 1980's when the public got wind of the fact that one particular corporation fried their potatoes in beef suet). Americans have often eaten ground beef patties or Hamburg steaks without the bun; it wasn't until the bun was added that it was simply called a "Hamburger." Take Salisbury steak, for example, which was named after the 19th century physician and food faddist J. H. Salisbury, who believe-it-or-not, recommended that his patients eat large helpings of beef 3 or 4 times a day to alleviate, among other things, hardening of the arteries.

Whatever its origin, most conclude that the hamburger takes its name from the German city of Hamburg. It was supposedly German soldiers who brought the recipe with them when they acquired a taste for the dish while interacting with the Turks and Mongols in the 14th century. These Tartar soldier were known to have a certain penchant for eating their meat both cooked and raw, hence steak tartar.

Currently the hamburger is as popular as ever. According to the American Dictionary of Food and Drink, 59 percent of all sandwiches consumed in our country are hamburgers. And one famous restaurant chain claims to have sold more than 12 times the world's population in hamburgers.

The traditional all-beef burger is still America's most popular choice, but with today's health awareness, and the public's endless quest for something new, the sky is the limit. On contemporary restaurant menus across the country one can find, for example, such burgers as turkey and cheddar, chicken and sundried tomatoes, lamb-burgers and even fish-burgers. And the ubiquitous vegetable burger, which was once considered weird and for "health nuts," has now gone mainstream.

The quandary that beef aficionados may find themselves in today deals with temperature and degree of doneness. While any burger lover will tell you that their beloved sandwich tastes best when cooked rare or medium rare, the FDA strongly recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit—well done. The bacteria that can grow on the surface of even sanitary and wholesome meat is mixed in when ground, thus it requires high internal temperatures to be made safe to consume. To eat a rare burger today is, literally, like playing Russian roulette with your health.

Broiled, grilled, sautéed or roasted, hamburgers are adaptable to all types of cooking methods. There's even one restaurant in Connecticut that is famous for their steamed hamburgers. For a unique flavor and texture, try cooking your burger the way the French and Germans once did—roll them in fresh bread crumbs, sauté them until golden and finish them in a hot oven for a couple of minutes.

Food fads may come and go, but for some culinary treats like hamburgers, time seems to stand still.

Yield: 8-10 burgers

1-1/2 cups bulgur wheat

2 pounds lean ground lamb

1 small onion, minced

1/2 bell pepper, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, course chopped

In a medium bowl, cover the bulgur wheat with room temperature water and let stand for 30 minutes, or until softened. Drain the bulgur and squeeze out any excess water, refrigerate it until thoroughly chilled.

In a large bowl, combine the bulgur with the lamb, onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, allspice, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper and parsley. Mix it thoroughly, until well combined. Divide the mixture into 4-6 ounce portions, flatten to form patties, place on a large platter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

The burgers may be grilled, sautéed or baked until an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve the burgers as either a main course or a sandwich, topped with sautéed onions, peppers and raw tomato.

Yield: 6-8 burgers

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large portabello mushroom caps, diced small

1 medium sweet red pepper, diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch green onions, sliced thin

1-1/4 pounds lean ground turkey

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup coarsely chopped basil

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet, add the diced mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes, or until fully cooked and dry. Add the peppers and garlic, cook until translucent Stir in the green onion, remove from the heat, transfer to a plate and refrigerate until completely cooled.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked vegetable mixture with the turkey, salt, pepper and basil; mix until thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture into 4-6 ounce portions, flatten to form patties, place on a large platter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

The burgers may be grilled, sautéed or baked until an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve the burgers as either a main course or a sandwich, topped with mayonnaise, pesto, leaf lettuce or raw tomato.

Yield: 8 burgers

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 large egg

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 bunch green onions, sliced thin

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 slices ginger minced

1 tablespoon sugar

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Divide the mixture into 4 ounce portions, flatten to form patties, place on a large platter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

The burgers may be grilled, sautéed or baked until an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve the burgers as either a main course or a sandwich, topped with pickled cucumber, raw onion, tomato and leaf lettuce.