By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-974596.mp3
Buffalo, NY –
It seems lately that more and more people are gravitating toward healthy, wholesome foods and vegetarian lifestyles. Fried foods and red meats have become almost politically incorrect.
But there is a group of subversive meat-eaters out there and their secret burger club is bringing carnivores out of hiding. WBFO's Joyce Kryszak got a tip recently and stopped by O'Connell's Bistro one night to check out HOT MC's latest excursion.
A wonderful, sensuous aroma wafted through the night air in the parking lot even before walking inside. Chefs call it unami, most just call it mouth-watering beefy goodness. Whatever you call it, there was some serious burger-making happening in there.
"We grind all of our stuff here, so it's a mix between short rib, filet mignon and rib eye, yeah, that's good," said O'Connell.
Chef Kevin O'Connell Jr. describes the special mix he uses to create his burger masterpieces. His Burger Board is new, something he decided to do when he learned he would be receiving some very special guests.
"You know, this is a prestigious organization. We gather once a month more regularly than almost anything else I do...I wouldn't miss it for anything," said Ingalls.
Lucinda Ingalls is a veteran member of the Hamburger Of The Month Club, or HOT MC to insiders. Ingalls talks, tongue in cheek, about the popular, somewhat exclusive diners' club.
It started about two years ago with two couples who had a lust for beef. Now, it is really sizzling with about 35 members who are truly HOT for hamburgers...well at least once a month.
Kathleen rooney is a former agency Public Relations executive who now runs her own public relations business. On the side, she is the founder, coordinator and chief carnivore of HOT MC. She said it is really kind of crazy how the whole idea caught fire. Rooney said they are just a bunch of folks getting together at a different hamburger joint each month in pursuit of the perfect burger.
"There are no rules, there are no dues, it's strictly for fun," said Rooney. "It's like having a diner party every month without any of the work."
But this is a pretty big dinner party. Rooney now has to write the names of members on the back of her old business cards to arrange seating for the large group.
Rooney wants everybody to mingle and have fun. And it seems everybody wants in on HOT MC...even a couple of vegetarians. Maria Scrivani confesses she talked Rooney into letting her infiltrate the group.
"She was telling me about this thing called HOT MC, and who knows what that means...I thought it was some sort of American Idol thing...it sounded like fun," said Scrivani.
< But this group does have its limits.
"Bunny, how about bunny, or pigeon,?" one club member jokes with another.
You won't find any haute cuisine here. Just old fashioned, juicy hamburgers. Now, that is not to say these folks are not picky about their burgers.
"Well, I always have a cheeseburger, always have a cheeseburger, absolutely...I like burgers with all kinds of things on them, so I'm not a purist at all...there was a little incident though, he became concerned when we asked for mayonnaise...I'm a dill pickle freak, so if I ask for a dill pickle and it doesn't come, disappointing."
That was HOT MC newbies Ed Healy and Luciana Galante, along with Rooney and her husband John Shera talking about what they think it takes to make a perfect burger.
But back in the kitchen, Chef O'Connell is cooking up some tempting deviations that just might lure them out of their burger comfort-zones.
"That's the Black and Blue one, that's stuffed with blue cheese and then it's wrapped in apple wood, smoked bacon, and then we crisp it up in the deep fryer and then oven-roast it," said O'Connell.
And that is only one of five magnificent, towering burgers that O'Connell musters up now every night at his restaurant. He said it is simply good business.
"The burger has kind of made an unbelievable come back and they are doing a lot more gourmet-style burgers and different stuff, so we thought we'd jump in on that," said O'Connell.
So, what burger does an expert burger-maker recommend?
"My favorite burger, other than mine because it's shameless self-promotion, is the Sterling Tavern on Sterling and Hertel has got one of the best burgers in Buffalo," said O'Connell. "And he's great because he stays open late, so us degenerate burger chefs can go there about midnight and get a good burger."
But that underground world of burger lovers is coming out into the light. New HOT MC member Darren Kavanaugh says it feels good to come out of the burger closet.
"I don't know, I feel at home...no veggie burgers, just carnivores...I'm happy," said Kavanaugh. "My cholesterol is through the roof and I'm happy."
But it will take more than bad LDL levels to get into HOT MC. You have to know somebody who is already in. No worries though. As prospective member and foodie Art Page found out, all you have to do is scout the best burger joints around Buffalo - and look for a crowd wolfing down burgers.