Written by Well who would have guessed it, May is National Hamburger Month, so I decided to doodlewash one for the party! With the popularity of burgers across America, one would think the founding fathers were also eating them, but they actually didn’t burst onto the scene until the late 1800’s or early 1900’s depending on who you ask. The exact origin of this little meat sandwich is a bit of a mystery and has created quite a bit of controversy among hamburger enthusiasts.
Even if the American founding fathers didn’t eat them, there sure seem to be a lot of potential fathers of the hamburger. Many historians believe that a cook from Texas named Fletcher Davis, or “Old Dave,” was the inventor as his hamburgers made their national debut at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904. But there are other stories, including one about a young lad named… well… Charlie.
The year is 1885, and a 15-year old boy by the named of Charlie Nagreen from Seymour, Wisconsin could be seen riding in a wagon pulled by a yolk of oxen. He was on his way to the Outagamie County Fair to make some money by selling his delicious homemade meatballs. Once there, he was excited to set up and start making the crowds happy with his amazing dish! He soon realized, however, that there was a huge problem with his new business idea. Walking around fairgrounds eating meatballs is ridiculously impractical if not a bit stupid.
Being a true entrepreneur, Charlie didn’t give up. He realized it would be much easier for people to eat and walk if he smashed his meatballs between a couple slices of bread. And so, the hamburger was born! Well, at least, Charlie himself claims he named it after Hamburg steak because it would make more sense to the many German immigrants living in the area. And the town of Seymour is so certain of this story, they’ve declared their town the home of the hamburger. But in that same year, a couple of brothers from Ohio were also cooking up some new ideas.
Frank and Charles Menches from Akron, Ohio used to sell food while traveling to various fairs in the country. As the story goes, at one particular fair they ran out of pork for sausage sandwiches and had to make a run to the local butcher. Instead of pork, they ended up with ground beef, but not to be dissuaded, they simply doctored it up with brown sugar, coffee, and spices and sold it anyway. Since they were in Hamburg, New York at the time, they dubbed their new creation a “hamburger” in honor of the town. There’s a hamburger festival each year in Akron to celebrate the brothers’ culinary achievement.
So who really made the first hamburger? I guess we’ll never know for sure. Though I don’t eat many hamburgers these days, they made my childhood totally awesome! So I say the inventor of the hamburger is whoever has a good story to tell about it. Each of the towns across America making the claim deserve to celebrate the stories that make their towns feel special. So happy Hamburger Month to anyone and everyone with a good hamburger invention story to tell this month. And thanks to each of these clever inventors from local lore who can rest easy in knowing there’s really only one question that truly matters. Can I get fries with that?
You’re all invited to a Doodlewash Dinner Party during the month of May! Just tag your food or drink image #doodlewashdinner and I’ll feature you and your culinary creations in a delicious Doodlewash Gallery at the end of the month!
About the Doodlewash
M. Graham watercolors: Pyrrol Red, Azo Orange, Gamboge, Permanent Pale Green, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, and Neutral Tint. Lamy Safari Al Star pens with Platinum Carbon black ink in a 5″ x 8″ 140 lb. (300 gsm) Pentalic Aqua Journal
I love a hamburger with everything on it, perfectly grilled by my dad. Yours looks scrumptious, Charlie! 🍔
That sounds like the perfect burger, Carol!! 😃💕Glad ya liked this one!
Oh my goodness, you’re gonna make me hungry all month! *grabs a plate* Wonderful job, Charlie! Are you and Jodi planning to illustrate a cookbook together?!
Laura, that’s a perfect idea! Go for it Charlie! (K)
Like I told Laura…Jodi could it all herself! But we would have a hell of a lot of fun when the wine was poured. Hmmmmm…hehe
Thanks Laura!! 😃💕Hehe…I feel both bad and good for making people hungry. If I didn’t it would mean the sketch was bad! Lol And Jodi could do it all, recipes, photos AND illustrations…that’s a brilliant idea, then I could just be the taster!!! 😋😃lol
She totally could but if you two got together?! Fireworks! Just throwing it out there lol I’ve been trying to get her to write a cookbook pretty much since I started following her. So many things you each could do, both loaded with talent! I have a feeling your food month will be another hit, Charlie!
Thanks! Yeah… it’s a cool idea! And as you know… I’m totally about collaboration! We’ll see where this food month takes us!
Great story, Charlie. I think everyone knows how the ice cream cone was invented but I never thought about hamburgers. (Well, I’ve thought about them but never how they got invented.) Your painting is making me think about what to make for dinner. Maybe…
Thanks so much Sharon! 💕😃Glad ya liked this…I always think origins are fascinating, particularly when they’re shrouded in legend. And hope you had a hamburger!! Yum!! Hehe
Certainly, only without the bun or burger or cheese – just the lettuce – otherwise known as a salad! LOL
lol…healthy burger ya got there!
Ohhh yummy!! The party has begun. Scrumptious looking burger Charlie. We don’t eat that many burgers around here these days either. But why not drool for awhile!? Fries too please. 🙂
Thanks Susan! 💕😃Yeah…I might have only 3 burgers in a year so it’s a big deal when I get to try one. We almost never eat meat, but that wouldn’t make for a good party. Need to bring something for everyone! Lol
Hubby is a meat and potatoes kind of guy so I do have to serve up stuff I might not prefer. Yup something for everyone. Keep everyone in the party mood. Lol 🙂
Great looking hamburger Charlie, onions and all. The other day my husband was craving a hamburger so I just went up to the local Burger King and got him a whopper. Standing in front of me in line was Michael Jackson’s father. I didn’t say anything but I recognized him from photos I’d seen with very large piece gold he wears around his neck. Hehe,only in Las Vegas!!
Thanks, Sharon!! 💕😃Not THAT is an awesome hamburger story!! Hehe…Vegas has it all!! Love that!
Heya Charlie! This hamburger looks great and is amazingly doodlewashed! Today I am coming to the dinner and I will bring dessert! <3 lol see you later 😉
Thanks Carolina!! 💕😃 And yay to dessert! Can’t wait to see what you bring!
I am working on my post and then you will see my dessert! 😉
We’re trying to eat less red meat these day so we don’t do burgers very much…ground beef goes farther in a spaghetti sauce. 🙂 But your doodlewash is making me drool…darn it! <3
Thanks Teresa! 💕😃Hehe…yeah…getting a burger around here is like striking gold! Lol There won’t be another for months after we have one. But it’s good to dream! 😊
Oh dear – your food paintings and my red wine at this hour are going to make me crazy! I want a burger right now. I think I’ll go get some cheddar goldfish. LOL! Great drawing and fun story!
Haha!! We are totally drinking wine together one day my friend!! Glad you liked this Jodi!! 💕😃
woohoo! Cheers!
So it was Charlie and the Meatball Factory that invented this all American burger, huh?! ✨💕 😍 Lol! Great doodlewash, Charlie! I don’t eat much hamburger unless it is all natural but I do make a mean pickle burger with the dill pickles chopped up inside the patty. Oh, I’m hungry now! 😜🍴🍔🍟
Haha!! I love that Jill…it should be made into a movie at once!! 💕😃😃😃Lol So glad you liked my virtual burger. All natural is the only way to go!
Oh Jill, that sounds scrumptious! We found amazing gluten and corn free pickles (Bubbies brand) and we will have to try this with grass-fed organic beef! You two are making my mouth water!!
Yeah… I’m starving re-reading these comments so I’m heading out to eat NOW! Lol
haha! 😀 I’m getting ready to eat too lol
hihi… Bon appétit!!
That looks so yummy!! I actually doodlewashed today and it’s a cake! Lol. I do like the idea of illustrated cookbook!
Thanks Kari!! 💕😃 And yum!! I’m woefully behind on posts today, so I just snuck over to IG and had a peek…love it!! And yeah… and illustrated cookbook would be really cool!
Great painting, wonderfully fun back stories.
Thanks Haunani! 💕😃 Glad you liked the stories… the burger seems to have a lot of legends! Hehe
Here Charlie there is my Dessert for the DoodlewashDinner 🙂
https://yesterdayafter.com/2016/05/02/happy-may-national-chocolate-mousse-day-doodlewashdinner/
Yay! Awesome!! I’ll head over to check it out!😃
I am a leaf eater…however your hamburger brings back memories. I especially like your rendering of the lettuce. Thank you for the story behind the hamburger.
Thanks Carmel!😃💕 Yeah… these days I’m more of a leaf eater as well. But was fascinated by the history when I stumbled across it. Hehe
I would love to say your doodlewash looked scrummy, but I have never eaten a hamburger ( I might have had a taste when young, in the form of a bite) I just don’t like beef, being a nearly veggie, I will stick with the salad part, ( I don’t like the taste, of meat and only occasionally eat bacon, and some thin Parma ham, as the texture and taste is different). Not to be a bad apple, as so many will be round for dinner, I will be there for the conversation, which I can’t resist 😀
Hehe… Thanks Rebecca! 💕😃No problem with being a near veggie! hehe… Philippe and I are as well at home. But as a kid, it was impossible to escape a burger in America. In my McDonald’s Happy Meal I used to get the fish sandwich, though, but truth be told I really just wanted the fries. 😊
I don’t blame you, the fries are quite addictive…..I have the most fantastic recipe for a root veg crumble, it is the best veggie meal I have had in ages, I will try and find it, then post it on here, ( not drawn, as it looks boring and brown, lol )
Yum! Yes please! Sounds delicious! 😃
“…a yolk of oxen…” I love that image, the poor things….hahaha. How about a yoke of oxen? hahaha Your burger looks so scrumptious, I may indulge soon ‘tho I’m almost vegetarian too…you have a lot of vege friends, Charlie! Those sesame seeds look so real…
Lol… thanks Janina!😃💕 Yeah… I’m pretty much veggie now too, so it’s not surprising most of my friends are as well! But every so often, I’ll still have a burger, but it has to be amazing or I won’t bother.
Man alive, this is absurdly tempting, and I say this having only just eaten! How silly of me to eat before coming to the Doodlewash Dinner 😉 But what a starter; I think burgers are one of my biggest weaknesses… as such, I try to moderate encounters to restaurants and barbecues (you can probably imagine how many barbecue-worthy days we have over here!) You’ve even made the lettuce look appealing – Little Jacob would have promptly removed that, along with anything else that wasn’t cheese or burger!
Haha… Little Jacob needs to eat his vegetables! Okay… little Charlie did the same exact thing, but I like the leaves and tomatoes now that I’m all grown up…well sort of a grown up. 😊hehe Glad I was able to tempt you with my doodlewash burger!
Your story makes sense, Charlie. I always wondered why hamburgers were so called when they were beef. Unless there are ham hamburgers and I haven’t tried them yet… great looking pic, by the way!
Thanks Tom! I’m not sure a ham hamburger would taste as good. Though around the same era I did have fried SPAM. 😊LOL But that’s another story entirely.
Great painting and interesting information on the hamburger. I don’t eat many these days myself, but ever once in a while I just gotta have one.
Me too!! hehe… actually I can’t digest red meat well, so I only have it once a month at best. When I do, I choose a hamburger! 😊 hehe
Did you know that there are special enzymes for digesting red meat. If you don’t eat it often, the body doesn’t produce much so it can be hard to start eating it again. Vicious cycle!