Longtime readers know I have mentioned David Shaw in previous postings. He was a food critic (and media critic) for the Los Angeles Times. Shaw died on August 1 from complications of a brain tumor at the age of 62.
Despite his Pulitzer Prize winning background, I hadn't really followed him until this year. His food piece from April 6 of this year captivated me.
True, Shaw went even further on a subject I adored than I would have: the dream burger. He went off on restaurants that won't serve a burger at medium, medium-rare, or rare. While I like mine medium-rare, he loved his burgers rare.
Shaw told stories about going into several places to order a rare hamburger and leaving when his request wouldn't be done. The nice twist is that he researched California law and found nothing that prohibits serving a burger rare if a customer asks for it.
He said every place that serves hamburgers should closely monitor the quality and care of its meat. Perhaps, he noted, a legal waiver could be available to customers.
The piece was one of the inspirations for this blog. Most food writing is flowery without being critical. He could be critical and praising at the same time.
Writing about rare burgers was rather daring, even given his legendary career as a journalist. You can easily find many wonderful accolades about his career. For me, he was a man who spoke up against the horrors of overcooked burgers.
Thanks, David. You will be missed.
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