Compiled by Polly Campbell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Required reading

Feeling patriotic? Eat a burger. But there's no reason to limit yourself to the same old beef burger on a bun. In The Great Big Burger Book (Harvard Common Press; $15.95), Jane Murphy and Liz Yeh Singh have collected recipes for every kind of burger, from the Rich Man's Hamburger with cognac, Dijon and capers to cumin-scented turkey burgers with orange chipotle sauce to the healthy mahi mahi burger with tomato and leek salad.

I especially like all the methods for classic beef burgers, from recipes adding Guinness, one that imitates a Big Mac, or a late-night beef burger with cheddar, horseradish and onion.

Timely tips

From The Great Big Burger Book, some tips:

• Don't fuss with the burger mixture. The less you handle it, the juicier and more tender your burger will be. Mix the ingredients together until just combined.

Form the patty gently between your hands. This is not a stress ball - don't knead the mixture, pack it too tightly or pummel it.

• Weigh the cooking pros and cons. We think nothing beats an outdoor grill when it comes to cooking burgers. But a cast-iron skillet also will do an awesome job. A regular skillet is good - especially for delicate fish and veggie burgers or for burgers that are simmered in sauce.

Avoid grill pans, which make dry burgers and don't sear well. Broiling is a good alternative to grilling.