Inaugural Post for Albany Burger Exmainer

This post also appears at www.examiner.com, Albany Burger Examiner.

Welcome to Cheeseburgers in Purgatory, and welcome to my inaugural column on a meal that most of us take for granted yet appreciate greatly: the cheeseburger. As a painter and poet, writing an article about cheeseburgers in the greater Albany area provides an opportunity to share with fellow aficionados my passion for my favorite everyday food. Along with the written description, pictures – possibly even paintings – might accompany this column.

Almost every self-respecting restaurant or bar that serves food will likely have a cheeseburger on its menu. Some will offer a number of different burgers with different toppings, naming them related to the toppings (e.g., Bacon Blues Burger at Brown’s Brewing Company) or to something specific about the area or neighborhood (the Willett at Tess’ Lark Tavern). Some will graciously allow you to create your own burger. My mission, with this column, is to explore all these options – within my means and without pushing my heart to its limits – and share my feelings on the burger, the environment in which it is served, and any other thoughts that enjoying the burger evokes.

Over time, there are three ways that this column will try to approach the burger. The first is to pick a single place, and explore all of its different burger options. The second option, is to seek out a number of different places and sample burgers with a similar design (example: a bacon, swiss and mushroom burger), or to find places that allow me to create my own burger and experiment, without limitations. This last exercise would be reserved for places that I consider the best burgers in town.

Additionally, I will write about what I drank with the burgers, whether it is a soda or a beer or a glass of wine, and how that beverage interacted with the flavor of the cheeseburger. I will also try to write about the local flavor of an establishment, if there is anything unique to it. This column is dedicated to and organized around the cheeseburger, but it is important as a writer to keep my eyes open and share experiences that you, the reader, might appreciate.

Lastly, the title of this column needs a little explaining. Due to various external and internal forces, my life is going through a period of major transition. A lot of change, a lot of movement. It is neither a utopia nor a dystopia; nor is it a heaven or hell. It is purgatory. While transitions occur, one sometimes feels that one is in a state of limbo, trying to take action but waiting for movement in any direction. This is the state I find myself. Perhaps this odyssey with the cheeseburger will push me along to a better place. At the very least, I – and my readers – will enjoy each moment as we savor our cheeseburgers in Purgatory.