A Meaty, Boozy Father's Day
Polynesian Cocktail Party
10 Spicy Snacks
Party Food from the Corner Store
How to Make Nut Milk
Sausage Recipes of the Month
The New York Post reported this week that 64-year-old Martin Kessman of Rockland County, New York, is suing White Castle for booths that are too small for his husky, 290-pound frame (and if anyone needs bigger booths, it’s probably folks who eat burgers by the sack).
The lawsuit mars, potentially, what should have been a joyous time for the owners of the slider chain. Ninety years ago this week, Billy Ingram—a guy with $700 and a dream of serving small, wet, gray burgers—helped open the first White Castle in Wichita, Kansas. With the title The Godfather of Indigestion still far off, Ingram sold burgers that were so bad they were good, blazing a trail for others who would later complete the desecration of America’s beloved lunch-counter staple.
Here are three notable stops along the way (including the White Castle sliders Mr. Kessman alleges he has to gulp down uncomfortably), the burger equivalent of CHOW’s Sandwich Hall of Shame, but with a historical twist.
McDONALD'S HULA BURGER
Description: A grilled pineapple slice and two slices of cheese on a bun, created in the early 1960s for Catholics forgoing meat on Fridays. The Hula was eventually replaced by the Filet-O-Fish, which—go figure—had more appeal for consumers.
Why It Was Bad: Um, a hunk of pineapple and processed cheese on a bun—Mr. McDonald’s himself, Ray Kroc, was reportedly shocked when no one seemed interested in such a thing. In a way, the Hula was ahead of its time, a harbinger of the age of mainstream vegetarianism. These days you can order a mushroom cap on two slices of bread and actually find it satisfying. Sort of.
BURGER KING PIZZA BURGER
Description: Sold briefly in limited markets in 2010, BK’s 10-inch pizza-flavored burger was composed of four quarter-pounders, pepperoni slices, mozzarella, and marinara and pesto sauces, sliced into six pieces and shoved in a pizza box. The company rolled it out in New York and planned to expand across the nation once it proved irresistible (it didn’t). Smart move, considering you’d never find decent pizza in Manhattan.
Why It Was Bad: There was just something creepy about a 2,500-calorie burger. And even if you were prepared to blow your entire daily calorie allowance on one item, who wouldn’t rather have done it via an actual pizza or a great burger, rather than one really crappy mash-up of the two?
WHITE CASTLE ORIGINAL SLIDER
Description: This one-third-sized burger with steamed meat and scant toppings, affectionately known as a “slider” (less affectionately as a “rat burger”), can be eaten in two bites, six if you’re a rat. Mulitples are sold by the sack or “Crave Case,” and they’re available in your grocer’s freezer, next to other foods you would never buy.
Why It's Bad: If you could somehow turn a burger into a cold cut, it would look something like White Castle’s beef patty. As for the chain’s unique method of cooking, known as “steam-grilling”: Maybe no one else has attempted it because steamed meat is gross? Still, you’ve got to hand it to them: White Castle has cornered the market on thin hamburgers with tiny holes.
Image source: White Castle Original Slider by Flickr member Marshall Astor under Creative Commons
"Smart move, considering you'd never find decent pizza in Manhattan."
Guess the writer doesn't know where to look.
the only 'weird' thing about WC I've seen is that in towns with 24 hour locations you can still find the frozen at the supermarket - why? once a year in CA I'd indulge in the frozen, but if you can get it 'fresh' just down the street...why?
and to alfloyd, the difference from Krystal is small. noticeable, but small.
I indulge at White Castle about once a year. I regret it the day after. Once a year is about all my digestive tract can handle.
And this is the article that made me take Chow.com off my list of blogs to read. Space for all food mann
Oh c'mon...don't be a snob and knock on White Castles. I have happy memories of eating those burgers as a kid...and they paved the way for "sliders." Love the bits of onion and holes in the meat. I probably also liked them b/c they were kid-sized, and enjoyed the challenge of eating a whole sack on my own.
There is nothing better, than a White Castle fix!
Nothing.
Let there be grease on bread, and let it begin with me,
Let there be grease on bread, the grease that was meant to be.
A bit of bread, a dab of grease, in perfect harmony,
Let there be grease on bread, and let it all be in me.
I like White Castle burgers, I can kill a whole sack with no problems. I dare not ruin it by trying the frozen ones.
How is White C. different from Krystal?
Just curious. I had a Krystal burger in 1978. That was enough. Never had a White Castle.
Why can't White Castle open up a place in CA? I would love to try theirs burger, and no not the ones in the frozen isle, but I don't have time to travel to the east coast. Please...
www.BrickPizzeria.com
I LOVE the "flavor holes". Order them with extra pickles and onions--I wouldn't say "delicious", but sometimes they just taste so good.
They're called "sliders" because they slide right through your digestive tract. It kills me that so many restaurants have adopted the term "sliders" for their miniature overpriced hamburgers.
One of these things is not like the others...
Hula burger---fail.
Pizza burger-----fail.
White Castle----not for everyone, but a very successful chain that's been around for years. They have a loyal fan base.
I get it. You don't like them, but to put them next to two true failures of the fast food industry is kinda silly.
If you don't think so, here is my list of "dark moments in...+READ
One of these things is not like the others...
Hula burger---fail.
Pizza burger-----fail.
White Castle----not for everyone, but a very successful chain that's been around for years. They have a loyal fan base.
I get it. You don't like them, but to put them next to two true failures of the fast food industry is kinda silly.
If you don't think so, here is my list of "dark moments in soda history".
1) New Coke---massive failure when Coca-Cola decided to change their legendary formula.
2) Crystal Pepsi---Clear Pepsi? Nobody cared. Nobody bought it.
3) Mountain Dew---I've never been a fan of this soda.
See how silly that looks?
Here is a real burger failure for your list: The McDonald's Arch Deluxe. My memory is that it was ok, but tasted very peppery. Here is the link to Wikipedia where it talks about the huge failure that is the Arch Deluxe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_Deluxe-COLLAPSE
I'd try the hula burger.
White Castle is simply what it is. And it can be addictive. Perhaps best when consumed while intoxicated or not. But one shouldn't diss one of the chains that started it all a long time ago and is still successful. There must be something to it.
havent had em in ages. think the double cheeseburgers were awesome and the fish. not good left over tho
White Castles and Krystals are awesome for what they are: wads of dough and fat, to be consumed only when drunk, that have an intestinal half-life of twenty minutes before your pants self destruct. I'd trade all the gourmet seared ahi tuna and fois gras sliders in DC for ONE bag of Little Tavern sliders.
I loved White Castle burgers as a kid growing up in Indiana and still do though sadly there are no White Castles where I live in Wichita KS. A few months ago our local supermarket chain, Dillons (owned by Kroger) teamed with White Castle to celebrate the anniversary of both chains. The portable White Castle kitchen rolled into the parking lot at one of our Dillons and served White Castles until...+READ
I loved White Castle burgers as a kid growing up in Indiana and still do though sadly there are no White Castles where I live in Wichita KS. A few months ago our local supermarket chain, Dillons (owned by Kroger) teamed with White Castle to celebrate the anniversary of both chains. The portable White Castle kitchen rolled into the parking lot at one of our Dillons and served White Castles until they ran out (long before the scheduled ending time). Hundreds of folks waiting up to two hours to get their White Castles. I was lucky, I arrived early enough to have to wait "only" one hour for my trip down memory lane.-COLLAPSE
I just had white castles while on vacation Labor Day weekend in Cincinnati... fireworks & a sack full! It's all good in moderation. At home it is all whole grain nothing fried anfd high fiber... that sack was a treat, memories of my childhood. I had Skyline chili too!:)
When I was a kid I used to love White Castle, I'm guessing its because they were cute tiny burgers. My dad was in love with them too. So I was in Saint Louis a couple years ago when I saw the White Castle, I was compelled to go and pick up 2 as a snack and a taunt at my father. I ate them, wanted to die, they were so terrible. SO TERRIBLE. Then proceded to call my father and then taunt him with...+READ
When I was a kid I used to love White Castle, I'm guessing its because they were cute tiny burgers. My dad was in love with them too. So I was in Saint Louis a couple years ago when I saw the White Castle, I was compelled to go and pick up 2 as a snack and a taunt at my father. I ate them, wanted to die, they were so terrible. SO TERRIBLE. Then proceded to call my father and then taunt him with the White Castle I had just had, neglecting to tell him about the horribleness. I then called my mother and told her how horrible it had been and had no idea what I was thinking as a kid. I then made her promise not to tell my dad that I had not enjoyed the experience at all.-COLLAPSE
Keybar, you took the words right out of my mouth. I'm not a huge White Castle fan but my husband and teenage son are, and so occasionally (no more than twice a year) we indulge. With a Zantac chaser. That said, one thing surely LESS appetizing than a White Castle slider is the condescending tone of this piece.
I've been a vegetarian since 1974 but my favorite childhood memories involve White Castle burgers; also the chocolate shakes with fries- you dip the fries in the shake - my grandfather lived around the corner from one and on Sunday afternoons we would go visit and he would always have some pennies saved for us to count out, then go to the WC. They were 12 cents at the time.
Steamed meat can be delicious (Shumai anyone?). And there are plenty of burger joints that do sliders (I'm not talking about mini-burgers, that's a different beast), and do them right. Like Cozy Inn Burgers, delicious little sliders, and housemade potato chips = win. http://www.cozyburger.com/
still love to have them on a work day for lunch.
The leave stink bombs in the executive elevator later that day.
Too funny.
I haven't had White Castle burgers since I was a kid. I thought they were kinda gross. As a kid. This is back when I liked Little Caesars and those tubes of tangy corn syrup marketed as 'squeezable lollypops'.
Sorry, but I still love the occasional sack o' sliders. I know they're not good, even vaguely terrible, but my dad used to surprise me a couple of times every summer when I was a kid and home from school, taking half a day off work to take me to White Castle and then a movie ('The Empire Strikes Back' being a particularly memorable instance). Maybe twice each summer, but it meant an awful lot to...+READ
Sorry, but I still love the occasional sack o' sliders. I know they're not good, even vaguely terrible, but my dad used to surprise me a couple of times every summer when I was a kid and home from school, taking half a day off work to take me to White Castle and then a movie ('The Empire Strikes Back' being a particularly memorable instance). Maybe twice each summer, but it meant an awful lot to me as a kid. So they're beneath the contempt of the average self-proclaimed 'foodie,' so what? Your snark is not welcome here.-COLLAPSE