Try a Luther Burger for National Doughnut Day

If that headline made no sense, allow me to explain. Friday June 2nd is National Doughnut Day. This was a day set aside to, of course, celebrate the doughnut. But it's more than that. It is also meant to honor Salvation Army Lassies. These were women who served doughnuts to soldiers in WW1. In fact in 1917 the ladies served the first 'Salvation Army Doughnut'. These brave women would go to the front lines of Europe as a morale boost for the troops. All volunteers. So if National Doughnut Day seems a little silly, there's something a bit more substantial and historic you can honor.

Now what's a Luther Burger? It's a cheeseburger that replaces the traditional bun with a glazed doughnut. Legend has it the burger on a doughnut was named for and was said to be a favorite of Luther Vandross. The singer, songwriter and producer may have even been the one to invent it, although that remains unclear.

How do you make one? Simple. Take any kind of hamburger you like, although cheeseburger works best, and slice a glazed doughnut in half and use as the bun. Some like to make it even thicker by using two whole doughnuts for a top and bottom and forget the slicing. Yes, you can add bacon or anything else you want. Voila, a Luther Burger. Estimated calories? Anywhere from 800 to 1,600. I only had one of these in my whole life. A former radio producer turned me on to this back in 2009. They're surprisingly good.

I don't know if anywhere in New Jersey serves these. They have popped up around the country though. A place called Mulligan's in Decatur, Georgia was known to serve Luther Burgers. In Sauget, Illinois the Gateway Grizzlies served Luther Burgers at their ballpark. There's even been a Lebanese burger joint in Astoria, Queens that sold a halal-compliant version of the Luther Burger. New Jersey needs to step up!