Comments on: All-American Grilled Hamburgers

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Sun, 24 May 2015 23:54:55 +0000

In reply to Mike.

Mike,

I updated the post and republished it. My photography skills have greatly improved since the original post published and my grilled burger patty technique is better, too! High fives all around!

I do believe that grain silo is still there, physically. I’m sure it’s abandoned. Once upon a time, I was intent on tracking down the owners to see if they had photos of their opening day archived. My search didn’t take me very far and I have up. I don’t know what I did with my notes, either. If you discover anything interesting, please let me know.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 24 May 2015 23:37:45 +0000

I guess you “bumped” this and it hit my reader earlier. I’m glad you did b/c I hadn’t seen it before today. I enjoyed the story and it made me remember my own grandparents – only it was visits to the A&W near their house at the time and it wasn’t for hamburgers, but the root beer. My grandmother often reminisced about those trips in her last years, telling me I was insistent upon not having the “baby” sized root beers, but the largest mugs. She said I was so cute (hard to believe!) and would say I would insist “I wanna woot beah!”

I could nearly visualize your trip and the Hardees, but wanted to see it for myself. Of course, a road trip was out of the question, but thank goodness for Google Maps. Long story short, I found the Hardees but the odd thing was the flag in front was at half-mast. The image capture is from May ’13 and I’m wondering what had recently happened to cause the tribute. Anyway…I think I’ll open up Google Earth and Street View, try to find that silo! You’d think if you’d seen one silo, you’d seen them all (ditto a Hardees) but I find it satisfying to – at least remotely – travel the same path as someone you “know”…even if that someone is a “familiar stranger” such as you are to me.

As always, enjoy your blog, so glad I subscribed and look fwd. to the newest posts. Most of the time I get annoyed with other recipe sites that go into great detail about their vacations (quit braggin’!) or their family members (i don’t care that you look a lot like your Aunt Matilda)- I’m here for the food…or at least the recipes…but I do enjoy your stories.

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:35:55 +0000

In reply to Cathy.

Cathy,

I just sent you a private email message. 🙂

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:45:49 +0000

Jackie, I am so enjoying your recipes, stories and memories. Your grandparents and me would have been the best of buddies. Hamburgers are my most favorite food. I loved hearing of you driving them to Geneva and eating at Hardees. My grandparents were from Geneva, my Mom was born and raised in Geneva but moved to Opelika when she was 12. I also have many fond memories of visiting Geneva as a child. Do you remember the Cafe and Oyster Bar? My great-grandparents owned the cafe and then my Aunt Mae and her husband owned it and the oyster bar. Enough rambling thanks for bringing back great memories.
Hamburger hugs,
Cathy

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 23:27:53 +0000

In reply to Chris Vinson.

Chris,

I’m like mine all the way, too! Just make sure the tomatoes are good! 🙂

By: Chris Vinson

Chris Vinson — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 23:14:09 +0000

When I moved to the south, they teased me about the way I said it : hambugger”. One syllable. I love mine with everything and extra pickles.

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:03:57 +0000

In reply to Brenda.

Brenda,

It sounds like you serve hamburgers in style! What a lucky family you have. I’m sure they appreciate your efforts. 🙂

By: Brenda

Brenda — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:52:17 +0000

Love grilled hamburgers, not matter how you say it! but…if you want to bring it up a notch, homemade hamburger buns are absolutely amazing with homemade patties (I see a trend here) … and so, so easy to do. Homemade condiments are much better too, but one step at a time. And to finish it off, homemade ice cream. I love it when the kids and grand kids come over — makes it a reason to do all this!

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:03:11 +0000

In reply to Mary at Deep South Dish.

Mary,

I hope you and your family enjoyed a wonderful holiday weekend. We will be getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas before we turn around good.

If I’m going to eat a hamburger, I want a classic All American just like I wrote about in this post. And I want them cooked right. They are supposed to be abundantly juicy. It should be a crime to squish down the burgers on the grill and send all that juice and flavor right down to the grates. Just sayin’…….

Thanks for stopping by, Miss Mary! 🙂

By: Mary at Deep South Dish

Mary at Deep South Dish — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 22:29:09 +0000

I have a couple different burgers on my blog that I love to grill but good ole basic All American Burgers are always my favorite standby burger – you probably knew that already though, didn’t you? 😉 Hope you had a blessed and wonderful Labor Day holiday weekend Jackie & may your labors continue to bring you your heart’s desires.

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 18:01:21 +0000

In reply to Tom.

Tom,

What a delightful story!! Those kinds of memories are just the best. It seems that you appreciate your humble beginnings just as I do. I wouldn’t trade my upbringing for anything in the world. 🙂

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:54:57 +0000

I always enjoy your stories Jackie brings back some great memories. My parents religiously had BUR gers every Saturday night (rain or shine) along with baked beans, usually some frozen wavy french fries and a large toss salad with oil and vinegar dressing. Those fries were usually stale, hard, all dried out and would make you gag and you could chip a tooth if you did not soak the ends in ketchup for a few minutes. If company came over it was, “Hi come on in and have a glass of ice tea. Pull up a chair how would you like your BURger?” My mom’s always made her oil & vinegar dressing in old jelly jar never measured anything don’t think she ever used anything fancy. She always toasted the rolls in the oven I guess because of my dad. So every now and then someone would forget about the buns in the oven and it would get rather interesting as the kitchen filled with burning bread aromas as the smoke alarm go off down the hall way. I had to remove the one in the kitchen it never had a chance. We normally used cheap paper plates, plastic cups & silverware anything to save from doing the dishes in our household. I don’t know why because I usually got stuck doing them anyway? My mom normally just salt & peppered the BURgers with a dash of meat tenderizer. Nothing fancy she made them thick and then if not grilled outside fried them up with a bunch of vidalia onions in her iron skillet. The whole house would fill up with smoke even with the exhaust vent on high it was no match for my momma fried foods.(lol) Don’t know how many times the smoke alarm went off down the hallway? Thus after a few request we eventually went back to grilling outside again because the kitchen was usually filled with smoke before we ate. My mom always put out a plate of regular or fancy lettuce, sliced juicy red roman tomatoes, sliced and chopped sweet vidalia onions, grease fried onions, sliced dill or sweet pickles, relish, sliced cheese, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, salt & pepper. Sometimes we had cucumbers, beets with onions or melon. So the table was loaded. We usually had ice tea or milk to drink. My dad always put x-sharp cheddar cheese on his burger, my mom was not a burger nor hot dog fan she had issues with red meat. If she saw any pink in her BURger it was send back. So it was always something eventful when we ate out. Your joy rides reminded me of my parents who often took Sunday rides in the country (must have been a mental vacation for them with 5 kids) just to get out of the house. My dad was so funny whenever he would get involved in a good conversation he would kind of forget he was still driving so it was always a religious experience. 😉

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:22:10 +0000

In reply to Mary.

Mary,

Yea for mayo on burgers!! I would have loved to hear the “McGuire Sisters” in the backseat of my car. Thanks for sharing, Mary!! 🙂

By: Mary

Mary — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:29:10 +0000

P.S. Yes, MAYO on burgers!!!!!! Mayo ,lettuce, tomato makes a Deluxe Hamburger!!

By: Mary

Mary — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:58:46 +0000

Growing up we always went for Sunday afternoon drives. My two sisters and I would sit in the backseat singing and pretending to be the McGuire Sisters (what a hoot). I bet we gave mama and daddy a lot of laughs – we thought we sounded like the originals!! LOL!! You are right the best burgers are just plain burgers – no fancy fixins! Hamburgers cooked on the grill are the best. Happy Labor Day! Keep bringing us your memories, and reminding us of ours!!!

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:10:32 +0000

In reply to raquel @ Erecipe.

Raquel,

There’s nothing like a good grilled hamburger! Enjoy! 🙂

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:08:47 +0000

In reply to margaret martin. Margaret, I agree that you just can't beat a good ham BUR ger! Kudos to Mr. Martin! Have a happy Labor Day!

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:07:22 +0000

In reply to Jean.

Jean,

Your suggestions about chopping the grape tomatoes and onions is EXCELLENT! Why didn’t I think of that??

We don’t do pleasure driving like we used to. Maybe we get tired of all the driving and traffic that’s become part of the daily grind. That’s a shame, too!

As always, thanks so much for reading and commenting, Jean! 🙂

By: margaret martin

margaret martin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:59:37 +0000

Jackie, hope you and your family have an Awesome Labor Day!! You made me smile at my husband–he is like your Grandfather..a hamBURger kinda guy. We went to Outback, you know the place with the Vidalia that blooms, and he got a hamBURger and said it was the BEST!!

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:44:45 +0000

In reply to nancynaigle. Nancy, I wish for you a safe and happy Labor Day celebration. Enjoy your ham BUR gers!