The name of the foods: the origin

The culinary vocabulary is very rich: “strozzapreti”, “smoothie”, “hot dog”, “pretzel”… behind the names of many dishes and foods there are curious stories and popular traditions. Let’s learn some of them!

The hamburger, a typical American dish, has very interesting roots.

The famous battered meat between two slices of bread takes its name from a navigation company named Hamburg – Amerika Line through which European migrants, between 1800 and 1900, used to travel from Hamburg to the United States. During the crossing, passengers were offered a cheap meal: minced meat flavoured with herbs and onions, then grilled.

The dish was so successful that people became to propose it again once arrived in America, giving it the name of the company. It was not until the end of 1800 that the hamburger got its typical sandwich shape.

Today the hamburger is one of the most famous dishes worldwide and it even has a dedicated day, on the 28th May.