Jucy Lucy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This page is about a type of cheeseburger. For the English blues-rock band, see Juicy Lucy (band).
A jucy lucy (or juicy lucy) is a cheeseburger having the cheese inside the meat patty rather than on top. A piece of cheese is surrounded by raw meat and cooked until it melts, resulting in a molten core of cheese within the patty. This scalding hot cheese tends to gush out at the first bite, so servers frequently warn patrons to let the sandwich cool for a few minutes before consumption.
The jucy lucy was apparently invented at Matt's Bar in South Minneapolis, Minnesota, though this is disputed. The 5-8 Club, a short distance south of Matt's, also claims to have invented the sandwich; this establishment uses the "juicy lucy" spelling. Concerning this spelling, Matt's Bar proudly boasts on posters that "if it's spelled correctly, you're at the wrong place".
The jucy lucy can be considered the cheesesteak of South Minneapolis, as it engenders similar feelings of protectiveness in many locals. However, reinterpretations of the lucy are encouraged, rather than quashed (unlike better-known signature dishes of some other cities, such as the cheesesteak or the Chicago style hot dog); for example, the Groveland Tap in neighboring St. Paul serves a "Cajun Lucy" featuring jalapeño peppers floating in pepper jack cheese.
[edit] References
- Edge, John T. (2005). Hamburgers & fries : an American story. G.P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 0-399-15274-1.
- Cook's Country magazine, July 2007 issue
