Now I can't order a rare cheeseburger?!!

[szweig]

Lat Sunday in Long Beach, California, I stopped by a popular watering hole for a sandwich and a beer. I ordered the $8.95 1/2 pound cheeseburger. The bartender asked how I wanted it cooked. "Medium-rare" said I. She then informed me that it was their policy not to serve burgers less than medium. I replied that it was MY policy not to eat them more than medium-rare. She informed me that there was a new city/county (I'm not sure which) ordinance that requires restaurants to cook burgers to 165 degrees (medium). After a short go-round I left. I wandered a few blocks to a Rock Bottom Brewpub. They said no problem to a rare burger.

[szweig]

So, what's up with this? Where does the gubmint get off telling a restaurant how to cook food which I ORDER TO MY LIKING? Or is this the g*ddamn lawyers mucking up our lives again?? SSZ

[Maceman]

No over easy eggs, either. Salmonella, you know.

[mlo]

The government has regulated food safety issues for a long time. You just now noticed?

Not defending the regulation, but you ought to reconsider your burger preference. It really IS dangerous. It is not like eating a rare steak. Because it is ground, any bacteria that was on the surface of the meat got all mixed through. It is necessary to cook it to kill the bacteria.

[sheik yerbouty]

California's state motto should br "The Nanny State"!

[Stingray51]

The same thing happened to me when I tried to order a cheeseburger at the Irish pub at Whistler in British Columbia. The waitress (who was not Irish) looked at me with that Left Coast sneer reserved for those who are suspected of being "intolerant" or of doubting the horror of global warming. She said "oh no, all beef must be cooked to BC Standard" which of course excludes all but burgers burnt to the consistency of shoe leather.

This is truly the end.

[Senator Pardek]

Don't feel bad. A few years ago, NJ passed a law outlawing the serving of eggs sunny-side up (the laws was later repealed by red-faced politicos).

[Silly]

I thought the important thing was to cook the meat to a certain temperature...?

[NC_Libertarian]

This has been around for years in NC I beleive. But usually they'll do it anyway.

[Unassuaged]

What that means is: "This meat may have come from Canada, and therefore was not USDA inspected, therefore it may kill you if it is not cooked to 165 degrees

[Stingray51]

Nonsense. If you are not in a high risk group (e.g., a tiny baby, elderly, weakened immune system, early in pregnancy), it is very unlikely that you will get sick (let alone seriously ill) from eating a medium rare burger. If you have statistics to the contrary, please cite them.

[A CA Guy]

There are issues of health in raw meat in recent times. You are free to go buy your meat and take it for a walk if you wish to. LOL

A store owner is out of business if they expose their patrons to harm and "YES" lawsuits are a reason for a lot of these causions being taken.

Maybe you should order a coffee and pour it in your lap and threaten to sue unless you get a medium/rare burger? LOL

[opbuzz]

There is a company in England that sells irradiated hamburger, killing the bacteria and, once again, enabling the ordering of the rare "rare" burger.

[UncleWes]

The e-coli risk is only that of a stomachache to those about 15/16 and older. It is only children who are at risk.

In addition, bad and undercooked seafood is the single greatest food poisoning risk, but it gets little media scrutiny. That's why you can order sushi in supermarkets, but not rare burgers.

Personally, I prefer steak tartare.

[A CA Guy]

That is all well and fine except it is kind of like the stock market. Truth be damned, it's the perception that counts. So business owners are now being more carefull.

How did the meat that was undercooked get all those people sick at Jack In The Box by the way? Harmless? Maybe not!

[cva66snipe]

Not defending the regulation, but you ought to reconsider your burger preference. It really IS dangerous. It is not like eating a rare steak. Because it is ground, any bacteria that was on the surface of the meat got all mixed through. It is necessary to cook it to kill the bacteria.

True enough but how many times in your life have you seen butchers taste raw meat they cut? It used to be a common occurance. I got to admit it's been a few years since I've seen it. But regulations and inspections were a lot more lax then too and you did not hear of E-coli either.

[Fred Mertz]

You sound like a brainwashed Califonia guy. LOL

[Focault's Pendulum]

Don't feel bad. A few years ago, NJ passed a law outlawing the serving of eggs sunny-side up (the laws was later repealed by red-faced politicos).

I wrote Trenton on that one, and "splained to them that Egg's in a Skillet in Nutley would go out of business. Seems a few of the pols used to gather there after an evening of adult beverage consumption. I used to see some of them there after my weekly poker game. (I live in South Jersey but for poker I will commute).

Never before had I received such speedy replies to my mail.

[Jefferson Adams]

So, what's up with this?

Not to worry - it's just "your" government protecting you from yourself.