MY MUSE BOX - The Nancy Burger

America’s birthday… red, white and blue… fireworks… and the official start of the summer“BarBQ” season.  And for me that means grilled Nancy Burgers.

I’m a burger aficionado!  Translation:  I can tell you where to find a great burger at the top of Mt. Everest or on a deserted stretch of the I-5.   Not a McDonald’s burger or even In & Out Burger (though they’re OK in a ‘pinch’), but a real burger.  Burgers you get at Prime Burger across the street from St. Patrick’s cathedral in New York …Click here: Save Prime Burger, A Burger Shop With Real Character | A Hamburger Today  or at The Village Idiot on Melrose in Los Angeles or the Counter or Umami right here in Studio City… but my favorite is still the Nancy Burger that my husband grills in our own backyard.

What’s a Nancy Burger?  Tis a burger made from renowned chef Nancy Silverton’s (of La Brea Bakery and Mozza fame) perfect blend of chuck and sirloin Click here: The perfect burger -- latimes.com

 To get this perfect blend, I jump into my hybrid and go ‘over the hill’ into ‘the city’ to Huntington Meats (a truly great LA meat market) in the Farmer’s Market where they make up Nancy’s ground beef blend for her and its customers.  Because it’s a schlep from my little bungalow on Milbank, I always buy “extra” so I can make a bunch of patties for the freezer because you never know when a Nancy Burger craving will hit.

 My cheese topping of choice is usually cheddar and, as Nancy instructs, my husband crumbles it before he places it atop of the grilling burgers for perfect melting on this perfect tasting burger.

The roll?  Again, as Nancy directs, a simple hamburger roll is best.  I prefer my Nancy Burger (or any really good burger) without additional flavor adornments… no ketchup or sliced onions, no pickles, no sliced tomato or lettuce, no caramelized onions or sautéed mushrooms…  just melted cheese and a little salt.  Everything else takes away from the taste of the grilled, medium rare, juicy meat, but I know others like all that stuff – so when we have friends over for Nancy Burgers, we have all those toppings available – on the side.

 So fry up some fries, bring out the cole slaw, potato salad, green salad or baked beans and grill some Nancy Burgers… it’s summertime and the grilling is easy…