Forays into Culinary weirdness part 2 - Hey Gooberrrrr!

Goober is a Southern word for peanut.  It can also be a term of endearment, or an insult depending on how you use it, and WHO you use it on.  Andy of Mayberry also had a friend Goober, who ran the local gas station.  He had a brother named Gomer.

Goober Pyle

Continuing my summer sojourn into the weird, I stayed south (sort of) and found another thing weird to try - a Goober Burger.  Supposedly these originated at a place called the "Wheel-in Drive in" in Sedalia, Missouri.  It closed for good in 2008, so don't think about running out there and trying one.  You'll have to get your fix somewhere else.

I saw an episode of "Bizarre Foods" with Andrew Zimmern where he bit into a Goober burger (made in Minnesota) with gusto, and loved every bite.  I also perused some blogs that raved about them, and a friend of mine also swears by them.  Ok...to me (a food purist) that just sounds weird and potentially stomach turning, but I figured "what the hell".

I assembled my ingredients and decided to spring this on my unsuspecting family. The less they know the better.  Ben must have had a premonition that I was up to something that may have gastronomical implications, because he decided not to show up for dinner at the last minute.  That left hubby as the sole guinea pig for my gooberish experiment.  Since Mother Nature decided to dump some much needed rain in our vicinity, grilling was not an option, so I chose to pan fry the burgers.  I put a dollop of Jif on the burger and let it get gooey, as per instructions.

I then toasted the bun, and slathered mayo on both sides. You know, my stomach still turns as bit as I think of this.

I then added the obligatory lettuce and tomato, cut the burger in half, and served it to my unsuspecting hubby.  "It's an experiment" is all I said.  I repeat...the less they know...the better.

He took a bite, chewed thoughtfully, then said "Does this have peanut butter on it?" I nodded.  He then replied "I think peanut butter is best left off a burger" threw his half out, and chowed down on the one on his plate, and the extra in the pan.

I really can't see what all the hoo-ha is about.  It tastes like peanut butter on meat.  If you can imagine that, then no need to waste a burger and try it.  I don't think it enhances the flavor of the beef, I don't think it adds anything - if anything the peanut butter detracts from the beef.  I don't find it yummy at all.  I much prefer my burgers pristine - a slice of cheese, some onion, lettuce, tomato.  Nothing else, nothing weird unless it's avocado, which I don't think is weird at all - although some people might - especially from Europe, where they don't see avocados really.  Once I made some guacamole for a group of Danish students, and getting them to even TRY it was difficult - "But...it's...GREEN!" they would say in their lovely Danish accents..."Yes" I would reply "But it's GOOD - and so are other green things like veggies - TRY it!"  Finally, ONE student tried it and pronounced it "gud!" everyone else was chicken.  Of course, the Texas kids lapped it up.  They know good when they see it :)

However, to be honest, I think this is one of those things where you either love it or you hate it - there's no "meh" in Goober Burgers.  It's either YUK! or YUM!  So, if you are epicurious, go ahead and try one.  Put the peanut butter on, let it get gooey - dollop of mayo (or slather the bun) pickle, lettuce, tomato (although some say lettuce and tomato are optional) and let me know if you are in the YUK or YUM camp.