McDonald’s Hamburger and Wine
McDonald’s is probably not your first thought when it comes to French food. But McDonald’s is very popular in France, and it has locations all over the country. McDonald’s in France revolves more around the food and atmosphere, rather than the playgrounds or drive-throughs like in the USA. French McDonald’s, popularly referred to as “McDo,” are “spacious” and “tastefully decorated.” They offer various French-influenced fast food meals, such as Alpine Burgers, a goat cheese wrap, and the McBaguette. However, the most typical dish on the menu is still the hamburger.1
What Is the History of the Hamburger?
While we tend to think of hamburgers as a more modern food, evidence has been found to suggest people have been eating burgers as far back as 1,500 years ago. In the ancient Roman cookbook called Apicius—compiled by an anonymous author in the 4th or 5th century AD—you will find a dish called Isicia Omentata.
It is remarkably similar to a slightly more expensive beef burger recipe. The cookbook states that Isicia Omentata must be served as a fried patty in which beef is mixed with pine nuts, black and green peppercorns, and white wine. This ancient dish is the precursor to the modern hamburger. Even though wine was a crucial ingredient in its preparation, the Romans relished this meal with a glass of wine.
Hamburger and Wine
Much like their modern descendants, fast food restaurants called Thermopolis (local hot eatery) sold these ancient hamburgers throughout the Roman Empire. How Roman fast food eventually made its way into the rest of the world is a mystery. Nevertheless, in the 19th century, the beef burger emerged.
In Germany, in a city named Hamburg, they would mince beef, add garlic, onions, salt, and pepper to make patties. Consequently, they would make “Hamburg Steaks” or “Frikadelle” as they are known in Germany today. However, this unique dish was not served in between sandwich buns and was quite gourmet and pricey.
The Hamburger in America
In early 19th century, millions of emigrants crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to America. And many of these immigrants brought their homeland’s traditional recipes with them. Many of the German immigrants in New York established successful restaurant businesses offering “American Hamburg-style fillet” or “Steak à la Hambourgeoise.” The burger quickly became an easy, cheap way to feed the growing number of European immigrants.2
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the most expensive burger in the world can be found in Las Vegas. It’s served at Hubert Keller’s Fleur in Mandalay Bay Casino, for a mere $5,000. Of course, it’s not just a normal burger, it’s made with very expensive ingredients like Kobe beef, foie gras, and truffles. Included with the burger is also an extremely expensive bottle of Petrus wine and special wine glasses you can take home.3
Pairing Wine with a Hamburger
McDonald’s in France does not offer wine on their menu. Thus, if you plan to enjoy your hamburger with wine, you can just order your food and savor your meal at home. Fiona Beckett—a wine and food pairing specialist—listed cru classé Bordeaux burgers as one of her “secret delights” in a 2007 Decanter article.
Wine expert, Jane Arson, suggests a great burger with”perfectly salted thin chips and a couple of glasses of Côte Rôtie or St-Julien is pretty much perfect.” Likewise, Beatrice Bessi, a restaurant sommelier, also voted for Syrah when she spoke to Decanter in 2019 about pairing wine with hamburgers.
In addition to Syrah, she stated, “A nice glass of Sangiovese from Tuscany, like a Chianti Classico or a Brunello di Montalcino would always work, where the acidity and tannins are able to make the wine pair perfectly with the burger, and the roasted herbs are enhancing the flavors of the meat.” 4
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Pairing Recommendations for Hamburgers
Wine with burger styles to consider recommended by Decanter:
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Syrah / Shiraz
- Grenache / Garnacha
- Sangiovese
- Cabernet Franc
- Grüner Veltliner with chicken burgers
- Rossese di Dolceacqua with tuna burgers
- Orange wines or Pinot Noir with veggie burgers
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This Day in Wine History
1855: Charlie Nagreen, a 15-year-old boy from Seymour, Wisconsin created the modern-day hamburger. One day while selling meatballs on his ox-drawn cart at the Outagamie Country Fair, he realized he could sell more if the food was easier for this customers to eat while they walked around. So in a stroke of genius, he took his meatballs, flattened them, and put them between two pieces of bread. He called his new invention, the hamburger.
He spent the rest of his years traveling to fairs to sell his hamburger, and even earned the nickname, “Hamburger Charlie.” As his success grew, he stopped selling his burgers from a ox-drawn cart and instead built a large tent. This allowed him to sell in greater quantities; at one point he was selling 150lbs of hamburgers a day. In 2007, due to the efforts of Hamburger Charlie, Wisconsin state legislature declared Seymour, Wisconsin the home of the hamburger.
1937: McDonald’s was born when a man named Patrick McDonald, along with his two sons, opened a restaurant on the famous Route 66. The location and menu became an instant success, leading to a second restaurant in San Bernardino, California. Their hamburger quickly became popular, accounting for 80% of all the restaurants sales. The restaurant tried adding different dishes to the menu, like hot dogs and barbecue, but they quickly discovered most of their customers just wanted their hamburger. Because it was simple to make and affordable, the McDonald’s decided to leave the hamburger as their menu highlight.
1953: The McDonald’s family began watching other fast-food restaurants create franchises across the country. In 1955, McDonald’s hired Ray Kroc to begin expanding and franchising McDonald’s. By the 1960s, with Kroc’s expertise, McDonald’s was underway to becoming the international success we know today. Here is a staggering statistic; McDonald’s sells 75 Hamburgers every second. Imagine the quantity of ingredients needed to make that many burgers!
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References
1https://www.mashed.com/828152/what-makes-mcdonalds-france-so-different-from-mcdonalds-america Accessed on 20 May 2022.
2https://www.seasonedpioneers.com/a-brief-history-of-the-beef-burger Accessed on 14 June 2022.
3https://www.thymemachinecuisine.com/single-post/2017/05/31/happy-national-hamburger-month Accessed on 13 June 2022.
4 https://www.decanter.com/learn/food/how-to-pair-wine-with-burgers-423106/ Accessed on 22 May 2022.
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