■CHEF'S CORNER THE BURGER EPIDEMIC I love burgers. I just want to put that out there right from the start. So, as an experiment, I decided to keep count of how many times a day the image, sale, talk of or promotion of burgers came accross my screens, on the street, in conversation and on restaurant menus. Try it for yourself. The number is pretty astonishing. Buger consumption, physical or virtual is so much a part of our daily routine that even if you haven’t had a burger in weeks, wether you know it or not, you probably consume at least 172 pieces of burger driven imagery, ads, and talk per day! That’s about 1 burger thought every 8 minutes. I’m feeling completely bombarded and manipulated to think about burgers all day so no wonder it’s the most go-to craving. Now I’m mad, don’t tell me what to think! Hungry, but still mad. Ok, so I get it. We are all bombarded by ads and are forced to think about sex, money, alcohol and church all day long, but as a chefcommentator and socially conscious citizen of the culinary world, and beyond, I am choosing this as the thing I’m going to have a fit about today. So here I go, hear me out. Americans eat about 50 billion burgers per year. To produce and serve burgers in fast food joints puts a crazy strain on our environment. It’s not great for cows either, and it’s especially bad for our waistlines. And just think about all the corn syrup and sugar you’re eating when you put that pattie on a bun with ketchup and american cheese. Not one of those things is good for you by any measure. So why is it that no restaurant can exist, let alone survive without offering some version of a burger? Is it because for the most part people are still afraid of trying something new? Is it because the burger is the “safe” option? Is it because we all forgot, or never learned, how to eat with a fork and knife, so eating with your hands is the only option for billions of Americans, therefore only handheld foods are approachable and sell-able? We are a nation of nations, every culture on earth has found a home here, and this great nation is like the best test kitchen when it comes to reinventing and reviving lost traditions of Europe, Eurasia, the Far East, Africa and the Middle East. Our visionary American chefs are forming America’s own great traditions through the creative kitchens of chef-driven restaurants, and trust me, we are sick and tired of putting the “safe” burger option on the menu. Pick up a fork and try something new! Having said all that, if you still really need to eat a burger at a restaurant, come to Bear. We got a great one and other fun and delicious foods, too! Have a save and happy Halloween! Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky Executive Chef and Owner of Bear Restaurant 12-14 31st Ave., LIC www.bearnyc.com I www.ChefNatasha.com CHEF NATASHA POGREBINSKY “Octoberfest Burger with Beer Bread & Pumpkin Fries” Beef Patties (tip: if you season the patties and let sit overnight, when you grill or sear them, the flavors taste richer.) Beer Bread: • 3 cups flour • 3 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/4 cup sugar • 1 can lager (12oz) • 1/4 cup melted butter Preheat the oven to 375F. Mix the dry ingredients, mix in the beer. Pour into a loaf pan. Cover with melted butter. Bake for 1 hour and cool before slicing. Slice into round buns by using a cookie cutter. Cheese Slices: Use Smoked Gouda Fries: Slice a medium pumpkin like a watermelon, into wedges and keep cutting down to about the size of wedge fries. Drudge in flour, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and your choice of spices (I like rosemary). Bake for about 20 minutes until tender. Enjoy with a homemade aioli
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