Hamburger is one of the most common foods eaten around the world. It is composed of a patty put between two slices of bread and garnished with vegetables and other spices. It all started in the early 1200s when the Mongol army placed slabs of lamb and mutton under their horse saddles as they rode into battle. After the meat was tenderized by the saddle and the back of the horse, they would consume it raw, as if it were an uncooked beef patty. This strange but practical method eventually developed into the creation of modern ground beef. Now that you have ground beef, you know what has to come next: the hamburger.
Some believe that the hamburger came from a meatball stand owner who flattened his meatballs between two slices of bread. He then called his new on-the-go creation “Charlie’s Hamburgers”. Others believe that the hamburger originated from a hotdog vendor who decided to substitute their hotdogs for beef, naming this invention the “hamburger” after their location, Hamburg, New York. On the other hand, Texans believe that the burger was a reincarnation of the breakfast patty- a beef sandwich squeezed between two slices of French toast and garnished with glazed onions.
Although all of these instances have hit hamburger history, it is still uncertain which one of them is the true story behind the birth of the hamburger. However, no matter how you sliced it, the hamburger industry nowadays is nothing as it was before. Hamburger franchises have spread their ways across the nation and continue to find innovative ways to turn their customers into loyal burger-fanatics. The hamburger industry is beefin’ up for good. This competition gave the idea to the proponents to innovate the product.
They use the banana blossom or bud with smoked fish as substitute for beef patty. They chose these as the major ingredients because these are abundant in Tagaytay. Though it literally translates to “heart of banana,” puso ng saging is technically the banana blossom or bud. Known as “banana bell” in Australia, and “plantain flower” in Sri Lanka, the blossom protects the sterile male flowers of the banana plant, and is found hanging at the end of the stem that holds the banana cluster.
The actual heart of the banana is located at the center of the tree trunk. You may have heard of the folklore behind puso ng saging: it blooms during a full moon, and swallowing the sap or agimat that falls from it bestows one with superpowers. But myth is not necessarily far from fact when it comes to this crimson-colored vegetable. The puso ng saging is a rich source of energy, micronutrients, and fiber, according to health and wellness educator Maribel Jane Galang of Manila Adventist Medical Center.
Banana Heart Burger uses a homemade patty and a transformation of the common burger that we have now. The proponents decided not to change the name of the product so that the customers will easily know that the product is nutritious. The patty is not made up of meat. Instead, the proponents used banana blossom and smoked fish (tinapa) as substitute for meat patty to make it more nutritious. This burger is very suitable for vegetarians and health conscious people. They also consider adding different flavors in the near future.
