Because there is always a Latin connection…

The July Bon Appetit showed up in my P.O. Box and promised juicy reads about burgers with chipotle, mint raita and piquillo peppers (they’re from Spain, I learned.)

OK, fabulous read and all, but let’s talk about Cuban fritas and Uruguayan burgers dripping with poached eggs and salsa. And, because they can pachanga like the Latinos, we’ll even throw in a tip of the spatula to Aussie burgers with “the works” — pickled beet, pineapple slice and fried egg. Heaven and a heart attack.

First, the fritas, pues claro. Small burgers covered in crunchy shoestring potatoes in between two greasy buns. A sweet mamey shake is a must with that for me. Preferably should be eaten on Calle Ocho.

On to Uruguay. In the early ’90s, my husband and I went to Montevideo. Beautiful, colorful city filled with beautiful, colorful people. At the food, flower and bird market downtown, we chanced illness and ordered one hamburger from a truck. When we noticed it had an egg on it, neither of us wanted to try it first. After the first bite though, we were fighting for the whole thing.

Have you had one? If not, try one. Seriously. Here’s a recipe for a traditional Uruguayan “chivito.” Not the truck burger of my delight, but hey, it’s got an egg on it. (Know any Uruguayans with a recipe?)

A few years later, we went to Australia (yes, my passport got a lot of action pre-beba) and discovered that the Aussies also put a fried egg on their giant burgers. And, as mentioned, beet and pineapple. (I wonder if Nicole Kidman eats burgers with “The Works”) We loved them so much that when we got home, we had an Aussie burger party for the Nashville neighbors. Not all got down with the Down Under. Fools. Recipe here.

Back to the Latin…What I hope to answer in the next few days: Chimichurri, condiment of the gods, and a fried egg on a fat burger.

Any other fabulous Latin burger combos? Or did I just make some of you ill?