My favorite burger in town is from Bistro Georgette, and whenever I make them at home I attempt to capture that insanely delicious balance of richness and acidity. For me, what that boils down to is a patty of equal parts ground beef and pork, and a healthy hunk of red onion that is pickled, then grilled. I stole that from them. I’ll tweak some of the other toppings, try different sauces maybe, but I need the extra fat and some vinegar-y, pickle-y goodness as a foundation. Fries are nice on the side, but this time of year I want something cold. I’ve been toiling away molding burgers, pickling, making aioli – I’m going easy on myself for the accompaniment, and picking up a container of Marczyk’s Church Picnic Macaroni Salad. A little Valentina or Tapatio to add some heat, and it’s singing.
Speaking of accompaniment: The all-important beverage choice looms.
A cold beer? I suppose I could. BUT, rare as it is that I eat something as decadent as the gut buster described previous, I want something expressive and complementary to the flavors it’s packing. The red blend from Domaine Modat is a perfect foil. This Rhône-style blend from Côte Catalanes is big and peppery, practically made for hearty comfort food. The acidity tames the pork fat and aioli, with spice that complements garlic, onion powder, and whatever else seasons the delicious slab of meat at the center of this burger.
I think it’s time for lunch.
