White Castle Burgers

"Nicknamed "Sliders" and "Gut Bombers," these famous tiny burgers were one of the earliest fast-food creations. It all started in 1921 when E.W. Ingram borrowed $700 to open a hamburger stand in Wichita, Kansas. He was able to pay the loan back within ninety days. Ingram chose the name White Castle because "white" signified purity and cleanliness, while "castle" represented strength and permanence, and stability. White Castle lived up to its name, maintaining permanence and stability by growing steadily over the years to a total of 380 restaurants. Ingrams inspiration was the development of steam-grilling, a unique process that helped the burgers retain moisture. The secret is simply to grill the meat over a small pile of onions. Five holes in each mini-burger help to ensure thorough cooking without having to flip the patties. Today customers can still buy these burgers "by the sack" at the outlets, or pick them up in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Source; "More Top Secret Recipes" by Todd Wilbur...."