Lake Superior Magazine is Looking for the Lake's Best Burger Joints

This is a chance for Thunder Bay's tourism and culinary partners and foodies alike to put their best foot forward and brag a little.

Lake Superior Magazine (http://www.lakesuperior.com/)
is looking for the Lake's best burger joints and we know Thunder Bay has some of the best around. When I heard about this story idea, I got thinking about my own personal favorites and that its time for a little taste testing road trip around the city.

I love a good burger and find that whatever city I travel to for work or play, I have to have a burger at least once. Burger bars are the new "in" culinary treat and the rise of them in North America speaks to our desire for simple foods done exceptionally well.

What's your favorite? Is it the famed Stanley Burger? A slider from McKeller Confectionery, Hodder Greek's or the Westfort Coney Island? Cronos Cafe's hand patted burger? Have you tried one of the decadent burgers on Caribou's lunch menu? Do you have a secret burger place you want to share with others?

This is a chance for our local culinary industry to brag a little so let Lake Superior Magazine, one of our great partners in promoting Lake Superior tourism experiences, know all about it.

You can visit Lake Superior Magazine's Facebook fan page or email Leslie Meyer at lm@lakesuperior.com by April 9th with your pick for Thunder Bay's best burger joint.

I'd be remiss if I didn't share my own burger recipe and love of all things food with you. Nothing beats a home made burger grilled on the back deck. This one is my all time favorite burger recipe to share.

1 pound locally prepared ground beef - lean
1 pack onion soup mix
1 egg
Worcestershire Sauce
minced basil - locally produced fresh is best but dry or pesto works too.
bread crumbs
seasoning salt and cracked pepper to taste

mix it up and press into patties of whatever size fits in your mouth.

Now the toppings-and this is what really makes it. Local melted gouda and sliced elk summer sausage (both available at the Thunder Bay Country market), a pesto mayonnaise (easy to blend yourself) and homemade pickled eggplant on a fresh Roma Bakery bun (or grilled on a panini press on garlic buttered sourdough rye). Voila!

Here's to good eatin' locally!