When the first White Castle opened its doors in Wichita, Kansas in 1921 few could have predicted the tiny 2 1/2” (6.3 cm) square sandwiches, known at the restaurant as sliders, featuring tiny ground beef patties topped with diced onion served between two pieces of bread would have spawned a worldwide craze.
Although White Castle can’t be given credit for inventing hamburgers (there are several accounts of hamburger inventions in the late 19th century), they did make them commercially popular and their success helped spawn a continent’s love affair for burgers.
While traditional fast food chains have lost some favour, barbecued burgers have never gone out of style and fine dining restaurants are reviving our interest in sliders by focusing on quality rather than quantity.
One of New Brunswick’s most celebrated chefs, Stefan Mueller of the Delta Beausejour, recognized “the hot trend toward smaller plates with smaller portions.”
It was the basis for the hotel’s new Triiio Restaurant
and Lounge whose menu features two to three small portions presented on a single plate.
“From this trend our ‘slider’ plate evolved. It has been a favourite since Triiio opened, with a tasty mix of flavours such as locally farmed buffalo, beef and blackened chicken, all in two-bite brioche buns,” Mueller says. Sliders never tasted so good.
What wine to serve:
Sommelier Joel Williams of By the Glass has three “go to” styles of wine he recommends with hamburgers. For something chilled and refreshing, Joel says, “There’s nothing like the unpretentious flavours of a good rosé, but if I’m eating a burger with lots of barbecue sauce and all the goods, I’ll opt for the full flavours of a Zinfandel or Syrah.”
When you can’t decide if you want something light and refreshing or big and bold, then Joel says, “Go down the middle with a bottle of Beaujolais served with just
a slight chill.”
Burger wines are like the sandwich themselves. You can dress it up or play it casual, but no matter what you serve with them, they will almost always be delicious.
.jpg) What to read:
Napoleon’s Everyday Gourmet Burgers
GQ once called him the “crazy Canuck barbecue kingpin.” While Ted Reader’s outrageous personality and equally colourful attire might have him labelled as crazy, his creative recipes will break you out of your barbecue routine. His latest book, Napoleon’s Everyday Gourmet Burgers, is a testament to his ingenuity as
he takes the lowly burger from standard grill fare to barbecue legend.
www.chapters.ca
 Green tips:
Green up your barbeque
Lighting up the barbeque doesn’t have to be at the expense of the enviroment. Serving local meat, fruit and vegetables sourced from local purveyors requires minimal transportation to get from the farm to the table. This reduction of transportation equates to less energy used and consequently less carbon emissions. Opt for a low emission propane barbeque or electric grill instead of charcoal. Better yet, invest in the enviroment by considering an infrared barbeque (see our Style Watch feature). Finally, don’t forget to set your table with washable plates, napkins and cutlery. Its a little more time consuming but it looks better,
and after all, it’s better for the enviroment and it just
looks better
 Tasting Notes:
Becka de Haan, Wait for the Wind
If the wind maintains neither speed, temperature nor direction, neither does singer/songwriter, Becka deHaan’s album, “Wait for the Wind.” The listener learns to keep an attentive ear to this eclectic mix of music which blends adult contemporary, blues, soul, Celtic and contemplative ballads. Diverse as these selections may be, they are nonetheless sung as one message--the very productivity of waiting. For more information about Becka de Haan and her music,
go to: www.beckadehaan.com
Big Burger Recipes:
 The Better Butter Burger
 Halibut & Crab Burger with Pancetta
Slider Burger Recipes:
 Mini Blue Cheese & Prosciutto Burger
 Mini Thai Burger
 Cilantro & Lime Aioli
 Mini Med-Burger
 Tzatziki
 Mini Grilled Mushroom & Brie Burger
 Caramelized Onions & Balsamic Syrup
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