I always try ordering rare, and have been repeatedly told I can't have one. But I've never been sure if it's restaurant policy, or a bigger official thing.

This was the subject of an entire episode of "It's Like, You Know..." I even referenced said episode when we went to The Pantry a few weeks ago.

The grindedness of burgers makes contamination waaaaaaay more likely.

Isn't the meat they make into burger the lesser cuts--the ones closest to the intestines which often get nicked in the butchering process, allowing for more likely e-coli contamination, etc?

Plus, lots of different cuts get tossed into the burger grinding process which makes it easier to contaminate than the pricier, special cuts.

I just know most of the e-coli cases seem to have come from burgers (and usually fast food burgers, for that matter). But I can see individual restaurants wanting to keep their liability to a minimum.

I wonder if Zaphod Beeblebrox gets his headaches two at a time...

Oh, ita, I'm sorry you have to be up at such an hour, and for such a reason.

I think the thing about e-coli is that it likes to live on the surface of meat. So if you're cooking a steak rare, it's fine, because the putside and all the nasties are getting sizzled. With a burger though, stuff that used to be on the outside gets all mixed into the middle, so if you dont cook it right through then the bacteria can still be thriving in the middle.

Hey, Nilly! I got the package! They opened it, which was rude, but assuming you sent four, it arrived perfectly intact. Thank you so much.

if you dont cook it right through then the bacteria can still be thriving in the middle.

There is this place in Detroit that served these raw burgers that were creamy rare. So delicious. I miss that...stupid bacteria and stupid lawsuits.

I wouldn't be surprised if most steak tartare is hand-ground at the restaurant from a beef cut the chef knows comes from the Organic Hygienic Kosher Ranch, where the steers wandered around with little booties on their hooves and diapers.

I only wish I could order a rare hamburger. I think it's been over ten years since I had a real one. SIGH

On to other, better things, such as the day ahead of me!

They opened it, which was rude

They opened my suitcase when I was in the USA, on the local flight and on the flight back to Israel. I didn't even need their note in order to know that they did, because there was a problem with the zipper, and they ruined it completely.

assuming you sent four

Yup, I did. Yay, I'm so glad they arrived! I hope they're still OK for you to eat, what with your dietary changes and all.

If Zaphod has an headache in both heads, and he bumps them one into each other, does it help, or does he lose consciousness completely?

Also, I just found The Meaning of Liff recently, so playing with it is still fresh fun for me.

I wouldn't be surprised if most steak tartare is hand-ground at the restaurant from a beef cut the chef knows comes from the Organic Hygienic Kosher Ranch, where the steers wandered around with little booties on their hooves and diapers.

I'd pay for the analogous burger. Do you hear me, restauranteurs?

they ruined it completely

Ugh.

No worries about the dietary changes. I'm not actually making any of the recommended ones, certainly not until I get back the ten pounds I lost.

The meaning of Liff is a thing of beauty, especially if you don't know the place names. I still use the word abilene, if only in my head.

In counterpoint with the tacky lamp searching the other day, I have now fallen in love with a vase WAY too expensive to justify buying: Goebbels Mucha vase