Perhaps the most ubiquitous fast food in the Western world, the hamburger has come to represent all that is best and worst in American culture; but how many of us know how and where the hamburger originated? 'Hamburger: A Global History' traces the story of the hamburger's rise from an obscure American street food to the iconic fast food phenomenon of the twentieth century. Meat pattie sandwiches were first served by street vendors in American cities during the late nineteenth century. Within a few decades they had started appearing on the menus of diners, cafes and restaurants, with the first hamburger chain - White Castle - opening in 1921. Other operators - McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's - emerged and began to franchise their restaurants in the following decades. The hamburger began to change the way Americans ate, turning people away from home-cooked meals towards fast food consumed outside the home. 'Hamburger' also traces effects on American culture - artists painted pictures of hamburgers, and hamburgers and fast food operations appeared in television shows and movies. Academic interest in hamburgers emerged as 'McDonaldization' became a term frequently discussed in journals and books. What was initially an American invention became a global phenomena, as fast food giants opened outlets in other countries. To thrive in new cultures, operators began to produce variants that were more like indigenous cuisine, and these in turn encouraged the development of local hamburger chains. Dozens of non-American hamburger chains have emerged throughout the world, and 'Hamburger' also discusses the darker side of the revolution, raising concerns - nutritional, environmental, cultural and economic - generated by the hamburger's success. Containing many fascinating illustrations, and packed with incident, anecdote, history and recipes, 'Hamburger' will be an essential read for anyone who loves, or loathes, this ubiquitous and tasty dish.
