A trip of gastronomic proportion

From Master Chef, celebrity chefs to the explosion of cookery TV shows, we are fast becoming a nation obsessed with our stomachs, with two thirds of Brits (63%) choosing a holiday purely based on food.

Travellers hungry for the ultimate taste bud adventure however, can now whet their appetite with the World’s first trip of gastronomic proportion – The Burger Pilgrimage. Launching online today, this adventure traces the origins of one of the most ancient foodstuffs – the burger!

The Burger Pilgrimage Trip, dating back to AD times, devised by Burger King with the help of leading food historian Caroline Yeldham, takes food aficionados on a journey to the birthplaces and cities, which are pivotal to the burger’s evolution. Spanning over 8 countries, 16 cities and three continents, the Pilgrimage takes over 35 days to complete and is available to buy from STA Travel shops for a whopping £3,400.

And whilst this trip could be a tasty option for travellers hungry for a new adventure, the price might be difficult to stomach, so bite sized trips are also on offer starting from £149.

Whilst the Pilgrimage has been created to satisfy the appetites of those bitten by the Gastro-tourism bug, it also aims to clear up the many myths surrounding the origins of the burger. Contrary to popular belief, the burger originated in its most basic form as a meatball right back in Classical Roman times with more sophisticated versions being developed during Medieval times. Many also believe a burger patty was first conceived after the Tartars placed raw meat under the saddles of their horses to cook, but this is a pure myth.

The meat patties were coined as hamburgers, as a result of their cooking methods during the 18th century. German sailors transported raw salt beef between Hamburg and New York and enjoyed it mixed with onions and breadcrumbs on American shores. With the invention of the meat processor, the Hamburg steak could be ground up and fed to hungry customers who had a new desire to eat on the go.

This new consumer trend started an explosion of eateries all across the US claiming the mantle of creating the first hamburger served in a bun. For more information on the history of the burger visit: burgerking.co.uk/respect

Sarah Power, Marketing Director, Burger King, UK and Ireland comments: “Contrary to popular opinion, the burger has both an interesting and surprising history, which this new trip highlights. As a company, we have over 50 years of experience making some of the finest burgers on the high street but now customers can explore all the other cities that have made the burger into the food icon that it is today.”

Celia Pronto, Marketing Director, STA Travel said: “It seems that our taste for foreign food and travel has really developed over the years, so it’s great to see that so many of us are now travelling abroad for love of our favourite food. Likewise, in the current economic climate, 50% of people are now considering a foreign trip if they lose their job or can’t find one post University – so this ground breaking, new Burger Pilgrimage trip is a great opportunity for those travellers who want to see the World and expand their culinary repertoire!”

For details on how to book a place on this mouth-watering adventure visit the STA Travel website at statravel.co.uk.