It is almost unreal to me that less than a year ago, I had not devoured a juicy all-beef patty for over eight years. (You hear that? EIGHT!) It was by choice, of course, and in my past vegetarian ways, I did grill many amazing all-veggie patties. But since abandoning those ways, I have gobbled a ton of juicy hamburgers (excuse: have lost time to make up for) and can't imagine ever going back to a non-beef burger life.So, being a self-proclaimed burgeraholic, it was only fitting that I attend Hamburg's 6th Annual Hamburger Festival. With over 21 burger vendors, in addition to a handful of other food-themed stands, it is recommended that each attendee chowdown on as many burgers that seem feasible in your soon-to-be stuffed stomachs, and then, vote for best burger in all of Hamburg, Pennsylvania.
Hecky's Sub Shop, located on one of the main streets of the burger-loving town and also, the main route of the festival, luckily enough didn't have to set up shop in the humid outdoors. Conveniently offering up their cool indoor dining pleased any sweaty attending fiend, but the fact that their newest burger, The Dutchie, was the best I had tasted all day, I could not ask for any less (or even, a better name).
The Dutchie, a decent-sized beef patty smeared with a sweet barbecue sauce and glopped with a cheddar and bacon cheese spread, was served fresh on a pretzel bun. The sweet of the sauce, paired with the savoriness of the roll, made for ideal bites of the day.
My second favorite show-stopper, Kooper's Tavern's Chowhound Burger Wagon, travelled all the way from Baltimore to hopefully become the renowned Burger King. Offering everything from a one-pound beef patty, to a turkey, veggie and bison, the tantalizing truck boosts for their build-your-owns, crunchy sides of fries and pickles, and makes a mean-and-gooey bleu cheese concoction, titled the Elvis Got the Blues.
Kooper's bag of sweets.
Elvis Got the Blues, a mix of Maytag blue cheese and crispy apple-smoked bacon, squeezed in a fresh and fluffy Kaiser.
Other tasty creations included Laurel Center's two 'wich creations: The Texas Toast Southwestern served coated with homemade coleslaw and cheddar cheese, and The Surf and Turf layered with fresh crab meat and a nicely tart remoulade.Next year, I plan to squeeze in five whole-burger bites, or maybe, being ambitious, enter the burger eating competition.
