Yesterday I had the immense pleasure of being 1 of 7 judges for the Maher Not So Annual Hamburger Cook Off. I had been volunteered to participate and I was expecting some low key backyard bbq, but I was wrong. They were serious!! And this was serious competition! The coveted "golden spatula," was something that had been coveted throughout this family for generations and there have been loves lost and blood spilled over this thing.

Golden Spatula

So there were 7 competitors...yes, do the math...that would require me to eat 2 FULL hamburgers!! I can't even tell you the last time I ate one hamburger...let alone 2...I seriously should have started fasting weeks ago.

Each of the burgers had to be judged on 3 areas-flavor profile, cooked appropriately and visually appealing. Yes, we actually had score cards! There was a total of 210 possible points and recognition was given to the top 3 contestants!


The judges table was a mix of family and non-family members. "Neighbor Lisa" and I were definitely the sweet "Paula Abdul" style of judges.


Where as others were a little more fiercely analytical over their burgers...bordering on down right scary!


Some judges even went so far as to compromise their ethics for a vote...

Bribe negotiation caught on tape

There were definitely a few perks to sitting at the judges table. We had our own trash can, which was helpful because I went through a crap load of napkins.


The judges table also came complete with it's own bottle service, seriously how do you beat that?

I have to be completely honest here, after trying 7 burgers, they really started to blend together for me, but there were a few stand outs for me, which I will show you a bit later.


The burgers were brought to the table one by one. We did not know which Chef cooked which burger. The MC gave a brief description of each burger and then the rating began.


Burger #1 was probably the most traditional in my opinion. It reminded me of a 1950's hamburger, however it did have a hint of BBQ sauce.

Burger #2 had bacon and as many of you know I love anything with bacon.


So this was one of my top burgers!


Burger #3 if I remember correctly reminded me of fish and chips, which was a bit odd in a burger, and it was a little soggy.


Burger #4 was a standout for the entire judges table. I described it as a "grilled cheese on steroids."


Burger #5 was served with a shot of wine, so that won me over from the get go. It was a pulled pork burger, which some of the judges took as being under cooked. They were wrong!


It also was a bit of a deconstructed burger as it had optional condiments on the side, which some judges loved and others despised. My personal opinion is that those judges just got overwhelmed with the choices.

Burger #6 came complete with a name and for me this was definitely the winner when it came to visual appeal.


The "Italian Stallion," came complete with kabobs that consisted of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and pickled vegetables. Unfortunately due to all of the visual distraction, the burger got lost.


Burger #7-I am just going to be honest I was so burgered-out by this time that I don't even remember it. I think it was served on sourdough bread, but I am not really sure.



Overall, I was truly impressed with the creativity, dedication and perseverance demonstrated by all of the contestants.

The contestants

Action shot

The creators of burger #5

The reigning champ from last year returned to attempt to hold onto his title, but alas he was sadly disappointed.

The winner of the competition went to Burger #4. The competition was stiff and he came in dead last in the previous years competition so he was bound and determined to come back with a vengeance...and that he did. It is hard to beat the look of euphoria on his face as he celebrated his victory, with his wife, who also tabulated the scores...think of that what you may.



However, a good time was had by one and all. It was a lot of fun and I just felt so honored to be included in this event. They were a really energetic and entertaining family and I was thrilled they welcomed me with open arms. Next year I will be in the contestants chair...watch out!! Happy Labor Day!!

My favorite set of twins!!

This maple cake was amazing!! Neighbor Lisa if you see this I want the recipe

Cuddling with one of the contestants, after the event of course

One more burger picture to end this...just because I can