hamburgers vs. tortas

versus

wed 1/21/2009

food	Hamburger.	Torta.
country of origin	U.S.	México.
affectionately known as	Burger.	Tortuga.
bread	Hamburger bun.	Telera or birote.
veggies	Lettuce, tomato, onions, avocado.	Lettuce, cabbage, tomato, onions, beans, avocado.
cheese	American, cheddar, swiss, jack, mozzarella.	Cotija.
meat	Ground beef.	Beef, chicken and pork including chorizo, carnitas and al pastor.
condiments	Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, thousand island dressing.	Mayonnaise, mustard, sour cream.
pickles?	Cucumbers.	Jalapeños.
usually accompanied with	French fries and a soft drink.	Agua fresca.
popular variations	Cheeseburger and chiliburger.	Torta ahogada, tecolote (torta with chicharrón) and cemitas.
culinary cousins	Veggie burger, patty melt, sloppy joe.	Torta Cubana, torta milanesa.
calories	Between 200 and 1500 calories.	Between 200 and 500 calories.
super-sized	Largest burger in the world (134 pounds) was made in Michigan.	Longest torta in the world (48 yards) was made in Mexico City.
over the counter overkill	100-patty burger from In N Out.	Torta de tamal y torta de chile relleno.
in pop culture	"Flipping burgers": to have a low-paying job.	"Se comió la torta antes del recreo" (She ate the torta before recess): to get pregnant as a teen.
songs	Hamburger Train by Primus and We Can Make Sandwiches by Detroit Grand Pubahs.	Chuy Lizarraga's La Torta and Los Espuelos' La Torta Ahogada
famous fiends	Harold and Kumar, Wimpy and Hamburglar.	El Chavo del Ocho.
festivals	National Hamburger Festival in Akron, Ohio.	Festival De La Torta in Mexico City.
the critics	Chow.com: "The burger is so closely associated with American culture that it might as well be emblazoned on the U.S. flag."	Restmex.com: "The torta is the staple of the sandwich industry in Mexico. Just about any city in Mexico has its own tradition of making tortas."