Village Chronicles

I am not making this up. When I moved to Chicago, I learned that a patty didn’t have to be grey and incinerated, unless, of course, you like them that way. De gustibus. I like mine medium, just a peek of pink.

Ten years ago my daughter moved to Los Angeles (sob!) but hangin’ in SoCal and checking out the fast food burger spots made me jealous.

Sure, McD (born in California) is there, and Burger King and Wendy’s. (My personal fave for accessible crappy burgers is White Castle.).

But California has awesome chains that have never wandered to the ‘Ville: Carls Jr. and the sublime In ‘n Out Burger (Yes, order it Animal Style.) Forget sushi and tofu: Californians run on burgers.

A couple of years ago my daughter and son-in-law motored us to Culver City, home of a tremendous place for coffee (John? Remind me,) and Surfas, the greatest kitchen store/gourmet food store west of Eataly .(There’s a Thomas Moser store, should you need the most beautiful table in the world on which to serve supper.)

They had the day planned out, bless their hearts, and they took us for an early dinner at Father’s Office, a small LA chain— maybe four locations— that serves, I swear, the World’s Greatest Hamburger.

Father’s Office is Mecca, Jerusalem, the Vatican for craft beer lovers. Just as the owner won’t serve ketchup or mustard on his burgers, he bans Vitamin V (that would be vodka) because, by law, it must be tasteless.

You can’t get a teeny squeeze pack of ketchup or mustard to dribble over the patty. It’s his way or the Mighty 4.

Lord, that onion/bacon compote! It’s so good you’ll be stirring it into your strawberry yoghurt and topping waffles with it. Note to self: It could be amazing paired with maple syrup.

It’s a warm Los Angeles sunset, there’s a breeze off the Pacific, you’re drinking a beer you’ve never heard about with the three out of four people you love most in the world, A waiter serves you the best hamburger in the Burger Universe. Oh yeah!

WORLD’S GREATEST HAMBURGER

Ingredients

For The Burgers:

• Two pounds course ground chuck

• Four mini baguettes

• Salt and pepper

• Four ounces of arugula

• Four ounces of gruyere

• Four ounces blue cheese

• Caramelized onion and bacon compote

For the onion compote:

• Three yellow onions

• Balsamic vinegar

• Chopped bacon

• Minced garlic

• Butter

• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Form meat into four flat burger patties.

Season patties with salt and pepper.

Grill until desired doneness.

Remove from grill and let rest.

Toast bun in toaster oven.

Place cooked patties on bun and top with both cheeses, onion compote and arugula.

For The Onion Compote:

Cook bacon in a sauté pan and reserve.

Over low heat, cook onion and garlic in butter in a large sauté pan covered until they begin to sweat.

Uncover and cook slowly until lightly browns and soft.

Add vinegar and reduce until thickened.

Season with salt and pepper. Add bacon.

Serve on top of burger.