A chili burger (also known as a chili size,
[Alternate Link]
via ProQuest. or simply size,
stemming from "hamburger size"
) is a type of
hamburger. It consists of a hamburger, with the
patty topped with
chili con carne. It is often served
open-faced
An open sandwich, also known as an open-face/open-faced sandwich, bread baser, bread platter or tartine, consists of a slice of bread or toast with one or more food items on top.
History
During the start of the middle ages, thin slabs of coarse ...
, and sometimes the chili is served alongside the burger rather than on top. The chili may be served alone, or with
cheese
Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...
,
onions, or occasionally
tomatoes as garnishes.
History
Chili burgers appear to have been invented in the 1920s by Thomas M. "
Ptomaine Tommy" DeForest, who founded a
sawdust-floored all-night restaurant, "Ptomaine Tommy's", located in the
Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Ptomaine Tommy's was open from around 1919 to 1958, where his chili burger was referred to as "size", and chopped onions as "flowers" or "violets".
The term ''size'' for a chili burger arguably derives from the portion size of the chili used at Ptomaine Tommy's.
Ptomaine Tommy "had two ladles, a large and a small"
with which to serve his chili, whether smothered on top of the burger or in a bowl;
originally the ordering lingo used by his patrons was "hamburger size"
vs. "steak size",
but later simplified to "size" and "oversize".
The use of the shorthand term "size" for burger-size portion of chili (in a bowl or on a burger) then gained currency throughout
Los Angeles.
Ptomaine Tommy was forced to close his restaurant August 10, 1958 and sell his property to satisfy creditors,
[Alternate Link]
via ProQuest. and he died just a week later.
[Alternate Link]
via ProQuest. His service to the community and his invention was noted by resolution of the
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The State Senate convenes, along with the State Assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Cal ...
that same year.
Food author
John T. Edge considers the invention the milestone that marks the start of "traceable history of burgers in LA", a first step to what he considers the "baroque" character of the Los Angeles hamburger scene.
By interviewing former customers and friends decades after the fact, columnist
Jack Smith wrote a definitive article in 1974 about DeForest and the dish that he had invented which became a very important part of the history of Los Angeles.
[Alternate Link]
via ProQuest. What helped spread the popularity of this dish was Deforest's diverse clientele which included doctors coming off the late shift at the local
county hospital, fight fans on their way home after attending matches at the
Olympic Auditorium
The Grand Olympic Auditorium is a former sports venue in southern Downtown Los Angeles, California. The venue was built in 1924 at 1801 South Grand Avenue, now just south of the Santa Monica Freeway. The grand opening of the Olympic Auditorium ...
, and people associated with the
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
film industry.
[Alternate Link]
via ProQuest.
Several US food chains specialize in chili burgers. One of these is
Original Tommy's
Original Tommy's, previously known as Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers, is a fast food hamburger restaurant chain in Southern California, United States. It is known for its hamburgers and chili burgers.
History
The original location ...
, which dates to 1946.
The chili burger is also a notable staple of
Southwestern Pennsylvania, with the Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe offering both chili burgers and
chili dogs
A chili dog is a hot dog served in a bun and topped with a meat sauce, such as chili con carne. Additional toppings may include cheese, onions, and mustard. The style has multiple regional variations in the United States, many calling for speci ...
.
Variations
Carolina Burger
The Carolina Burger is a regional variant of the chili burger served with
coleslaw, mustard and chopped
onions.
Common in local restaurants in
the Carolinas, it is also periodically offered at
Wendy's restaurants as the ''Carolina Classic''.
See also
*
Chili dog
*
Fat Boy (hamburger)
A Fat Boy or Fatboy is an iconic hamburger with a distinct chili meat sauce originating in the Greek burger establishments of Winnipeg, Manitoba. A number of Greek burger restaurants in Winnipeg claim to be the inventor of the burger, while othe ...
*
List of hamburgers
*
Sloppy joe
References
{{Burgers
Hamburgers (food)
Californian cuisine
Chili con carne
Beef sandwiches
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