Part of me feared the Quest because I had an inkling where it might lead. But really, I had no idea it would go this far.
When you love a food as much as I love burgers - and I covet cheeseburgers, in particular - undertaking a mission like this is to flirt with a dangerous, lipid-laced obsession.
It is one thing to simply seek out the best burger in the land, objectively nibbling my way through a few dozen would-be contenders. But what actually happened during the six months of steady research, as I devoured more than 50 burgers across the region, surprised even me:
I began dreaming of the ideal patty when I slept at night, constantly mulling the perfect combination for every sandwich. I composed burger poetry, and, then, one night, I unexpectedly awoke humming a cheeseburger tune.
This little burger roundup - or shall I say "ground-up" - literally acquired its own soundtrack (with a music video! Check it out online at http://go.philly.com/cheeseburger).
It also reconnected me to the roots of my own eating passions, and it revealed some telling truths about the state of food in Philadelphia, and America at large.
Of course, I also savored my share of memorable burgers along the way - both spectacular and atrocious.
The Quest took me from the grease-shined griddles of classic luncheonettes to the white linen of some of the city's most luxurious tables, as well as every gastro-pub, funky diner, and new-school burger chain in between.
It was a challenging regimen to maintain. But by the end, I found myself still singing.
I'm not the only one obsessed with a great burger, it turns out. It's a national phenomenon, according to the North American Meat Processors Association, which this month declared "high-end burgers the hottest trend in food service." Burger boutiques are all the rage in Manhattan. And in Vegas you can spend $5,000 for a truffle-spiked foie gras-Kobe beef double at Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay.
