Ted's Restaurant

{{Short description|Hamburger restaurant in Meriden, Connecticut, USA}}

Ted's Restaurant is a hamburger restaurant established in 1959 that is known for its steamed cheeseburger.{{citation |page=252 |title=Blue-Collar Pop Culture: From NASCAR to Jersey Shore |volume=1 |author=M. Keith Booker |publisher = ABC-CLIO |year=2012 |isbn=9780313391989 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=D2BwllvrlxsC&q=Ted%27s+Restaurant}} Its original location is in Meriden, Connecticut, in the United States. It also operates a food truck and a concession stand.

Early years

The steamed cheeseburger, also referred to as a "steamer"Edge, J.T. (2005). Hamburgers & Fries: An American Story. G.P. Putnam's Sons. p. 67. {{ISBN|978-0-399-15274-0}}. or "cheeseburg", is believed to have been invented at a restaurant called "Jack's Lunch" in Middletown, Connecticut, in the 1930s.{{cite book |title=Images of America: Middletown |first1=Robert |last1=Hubbard |first2=Kathleen |last2=Hubbard |author3=Middlesex County Historical Society |year=2009 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |page=94}} However like many restaurant food icons the origin is somewhat unclear, but despite this it is undisputed that Ted Duberek opened his namesake restaurant serving the steamed burgers in 1959 in Meriden, catering to the then significant local factory worker population. Early on, as the local factories were working around the clock, Ted's would stay open until 4:00 A.M.

Steamed cheeseburger preparation

Instead of being fried in a pan or grilled on a grill like typical cheeseburgers, the steamed cheeseburgers at Ted's Restaurant are cooked via steaming in a stainless-steel cabinet which contains small trays that hold either an individual hamburger patty or a chunk of cheese.{{cite book | last=Motz | first=G. | title=Hamburger America: Completely Revised and Updated Edition: A State-by-State Guide to 150 Great Burger Joints | publisher=Running Press | year=2011 | isbn=978-0-7624-4234-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5-cSGkAv_L4C&pg=PT50 | access-date=November 16, 2017 | page=pt50-51}} This method of cooking causes the fats in the meat to melt away and they are then drained from the tray once the patty is fully cooked.{{Cite web|url=https://www.courant.com/ctnow/food-drink/hc-teds-steamed-cheeseburgers-at-hartford-xl-center-20171027-story.html|title=Ted's Steamed Cheeseburgers Now At Hartford's XL Center|last=Griffin|first=Leeanne|website=Hartford Courant|date=26 October 2017 |access-date=2019-09-10}}{{cite web |url=http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/Ted-s-steamed-cheeseburgers-at-XL-Center.html |title=Ted's Restaurant in Meriden now selling famous steamed cheeseburger during XL Center events|website=myrecordjournal.com |first=Bryan |last=Lipiner |date=October 25, 2017 |access-date= 2019-09-10}}

The end result is a moist, juicy burger which is then served by scooping the meat onto a bun and then pouring the melted cheese over the meat. The burger comes with a choice of customary toppings.{{Citation | author = Patricia Harris and David Lyon | title = Getting steamed is the only way at Ted's in Meriden, Conn.| newspaper = Boston Globe | date = 21 September 2013 | url = https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2013/09/21/fork-road-getting-steamed-only-way-ted-meridien-conn/2O3M11Po5FIvX9LsoaNEZP/story.html | access-date = 26 April 2016}}

Changes in ownership

Over the years the local factories began moving their manufacturing overseas, yet Ted's remained in business, though with shorter hours. After Ted Duberek died in the early 1970s, his son Paul Duberek took over, running the business until 2007. That year, Paul sold the business to his nephew Bill Foreman who had worked at Ted's while he attended high school and college.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Meat-and-cheese-in-every-bite-Ted-s-brings-11555968.php |title='Meat and cheese in every bite': Ted's brings steamed burgers to North Haven |first=Ann |last=DeMatteo |website=New Haven Register |date=November 22, 2011 |access-date=2019-09-10}} Bill has continued running the business with few changes and the steamed cheeseburger remains the featured menu item.

Expansion attempt

Ted's expanded in the 2010s with the addition of two more restaurant locations in Cromwell, Connecticut and North Haven, Connecticut but by 2018 they had both been closed.

In the media

Ted's was featured on a second-season episode of the Travel Channel's Man v. Food in December 2009.{{Cite web |last=Gendreau |first=LeAnne |date=2009-12-21 |title=Man v. Food, Connecticut Style |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/man-v-food-connecticut-style/2061071/ |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=NBC Connecticut |language=en-US}} Then in June 2013 it was featured on another Travel Channel show, Burger Land.

"Steam Machine" food truck

Ted's operates a food truck named the "Steam Machine" and it sells steamed cheeseburgers at Bushnell Park in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, at the Xfinity Theatre amphitheatre also in Hartford, and at UConn Huskies football games at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.{{Citation | author = Sara Grant | title = Ted's Steam Machine: Cheesy Goodness In The Park | newspaper = Hartford Courant | date = 3 July 2014 | url = https://www.courant.com/2014/07/03/teds-steam-machine-cheesy-goodness-in-the-park/ | access-date = 27 April 2016}}

PeoplesBank Arena concession stand

Ted's sells steamed cheeseburgers at a concession stand located behind section 101 in the PeoplesBank Arena arena in Hartford, Connecticut.

Hartford Yard Goats promotion

In August 2018 Ted's was the featured food vendor during a special promotion by the Hartford Yard Goats minor league baseball team. For one home game the Yard Goats changed their name to the "Hartford Steamed Cheeseburgers" and wore special one-off uniforms resembling the food item. Ted's sold made-to-order steamed cheeseburgers to fans at the "Hartford Neighborhood Flavors Cart" that was set up at the stadium.{{Cite web|url=http://collinsvillepress.com/2018/08/playing-as-steamed-cheeseburgers-yard-goats-pay-tribute-to-another-state-legend/18767/|title=Playing as Steamed Cheeseburgers, Yard Goats pay tribute to another state legend|last=deSimas|first=Gerry|date=August 12, 2018|website=The Collinsville Press|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-10}}{{cite web |url=http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/Hartford-Yard-Goats-to-be-Steamed-Cheeseburgers-for-a-day.html |title=Yard Goats to become 'Steamed Cheeseburgers' for one game |website=myrecordjournal.com |first=Devin |last=Leith-Yessian |date=February 16, 2018 |access-date=2019-09-10}}

References

{{reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite book | last1=Lehman | first1=E.D. | last2=Nawrocki | first2=A. | title=A History of Connecticut Food: A Proud Tradition of Puddings, Clambakes & Steamed Cheeseburgers | publisher=Arcadia Publishing Incorporated | series=American Palate | year=2012 | isbn=978-1-62584-079-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DLJ2CQAAQBAJ&pg=PT141 | access-date=November 16, 2017 | page=141}}

{{cite book | last=Monagan | first=C. | title=Connecticut Icons: Classic Symbols of the Nutmeg State | publisher=Globe Pequot Press | year=2017 | isbn=978-1-4930-2734-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1v41DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA60 | access-date=November 16, 2017 | pages=60–61}}

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