My family and I enjoy burger days every other week in the summer. We all hang outside on the deck while my dad grills burgers. This tradition lets us talk, connect and get closer. It sounds like a pretty basic thing for an American family to do, but, to me, it feels really special. In addition to connecting with my family, these nights also helped me become a better cook. I watched my dad grill the food and help my mom and siblings prepare the sides and toppings.

When we're not gilling burgers together, you can usually find us down the road at the Itty Bitty Bar eatting them. The best one: the “Bitty Burger.” It might be the most basic menu item of all time: a beef patty with cheese on a bun. On the menu it even says, “Try it our way first before you ruin it." And they're right. In my family, we regard it as the best burger ever and I think anyone else who has had it will probably agree. The bare-bones nature of the burger just makes me think about how sometimes the most basic food is the most influential to someone’s life. 

I enjoy a hamburger in one of two ways: very basic or, the complete opposite: the works. A burger with nothing on it but maybe cheese and ketchup can be awesome. Some of the best ones are just a warm juicy burger that gets your hands nice and greasy; no crunch, no frills. The other way can be great too. A firm bun, crunchy lettuce, complex sauces, and onions and pickles to finish it off. 

As a country, hamburgers are definitely an integral part of our culture. America is a country where the culture is formed by the culmination of a lot of people and places. Burgers are integrated deep into American way-of-life. Making memories and building your character with anything can make it a part of your culture. For me and my family, hamburgers are are a big part of what makes us who we are.