A turkey burger Caribbean-style, topped with
a grilled pineapple slice. Photo courtesy
Kikkoman.

America is burger crazy: Burgers are our most popular food. And those burgers are usually beef.

But there are other burgers, equally delicious: bison, grain (usually sprouted), lamb, legume (black beans, lentils), turkey and veggie burgers.

The next time you cook burgers, try a “burger bar” with an assortment of proteins. We’ve become converts to lamb burgers—plain, curried or topped with feta cheese. Lamb lovers will find them so much tastier than beef.

With so many burgers consumed, there’s lots of room for creativity. Check out:

Do you know the history of the hamburger?

Three of scores of different styles of
mustard. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE
NIBBLE.

We get very comfortable with the brands we buy. Sometimes, we never venture farther than what our mothers bought.

But there are new discoveries waiting on every grocer’s shelf.

Take something as basic as mustard. There are scores of different type beyond the familiar American mustard (a.k.a. ballpark and yellow mustard, like French’s).

In the B’s alone, there are Bahamian, Bavarian, Beaujolais, blackcurrant, black mustard seed, Bordeaux, brown and Burgundy mustards. Varying widely in flavor, they—and many other mustard types—add panache to food.

So pick up something new, just in time for Memorial Day. You may discover a more exciting condiment for burgers, franks, potato salad and sandwiches.

You’ve never added a tablespoon of mustard to potato salad? Consider that second Tip Of The Day (and for starters, try Dijon mustard).

Today, we’re passing on tips from the GreenBrideGuide.com, a resource for couples who desire an ecologically conscious wedding. The website’s cocktail and barbeque tips can also help you have a green(er) Memorial Day celebration.

Here are five ideas to make your outdoor event green or greener. It can also help to make family and friends more conscious of what can small steps can be taken to help the environment.

1. Use All Natural Charcoal
Cook with natural charcoal. One brand to look for is Lazzari natural mesquite charcoal. Made from ecologically harvested wood, it is a carbon neutral alternative that provides better flavor than briquettes. You can purchase it online. Also check out Hardwood Lump Charcoal. Here’s why it’s better than briquettes.

2. Serve Refreshing Green Drinks
Serve eco-friendly beer, and make your Mojitos from organic rum, organic limes and crushed organic mint (you can grow it in your garden, though not in time for this Memorial Day). Check out The Organic Spirits Company, which sells organic gin, rum, vodka and scotch.

Before you put a shrimp on the barbie, think of what you can do to create a more sustainable Memorial Day celebration. Photo by Atif Gulzar | SXC.

Serve drinks in recycled glass containers or reuse Mason jars as hefty, shatter-resistant drinking glasses (they can become your signature party glass). You can also get biodegradable straws (or simply buy paper instead of plastic).

3. Use Sustainable Serving Ware
Buy heavy-duty paper plates: They’re biodegradable. If you must use plastic, look for sustainable plastic plates. Susty Party Plates are made from recycled plastic and can be reused. Also check out the Bambu line of biodegradable bamboo plates. Put a “Recycle Your Utensils” bin next to the trash can so plastic flatware can be washed and used for the next party (it usually can be put it in the dishwasher).

Use paper plates and cups, not plastic. Photo
courtesy Creative Converting.

4. Get Green Grilling Tools
The next time you buy grilling tools, look for greener alternatives, like this Eco BBQ Set, constructed from FDA compliant materials such as stainless steel and bamboo.

5. Bug Off With Citronella
When the sun sets, nothing ruins an outdoor party faster than mosquitoes! Try all natural citronella torches like these Big Dipper Wax Works. Made from bug repellant beeswax and soy candles with essential oils, they burn for eight hours. Then, you can pop another one into the reusable bamboo base. Beeswax is 100% natural and a renewable resource that actually cleans the air by emitting purifying negative ions.

 
 
Want to plan greener parties? Start with the best-selling The Green Bride Guide: How To Plan An Earth-Friendly Wedding On Any Budget. Any event can be made greener with its guidelines.

There will be a lot of mustard served this weekend at barbecues across America. It’s your opportunity to try something new and exciting in this low-calorie-condiment category.

Even though you think the crowd likes yellow ballpark mustard, delve into the more exciting types of mustard.

Bring out the Dijon, the flavored mustards and the old-style grainy mustard. You can even bring a selection of gourmet mustards to your barbecue hosts.

See the many different types in our Mustard Glossary.

Find more of our favorite condiments—chutney, hot sauce, mayonnaise, olives, pickles and more—in our Gourmet Condiments section.

How about some blue cheese mustard?
Photo by Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.

Beyond planning barbecues and celebrating the three-day weekend, many of us have forgotten the meaning of Memorial Day. There are fewer parades of marching veterans, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts; fewer veterans sell paper poppies to raise money for the families of fallen soldiers.

Memorial Day grew from the Civil War: Before the end of the War, Southern woman began honoring their fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flags and flowers. An official Decoration Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of the Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The holiday was celebrated by the Northern states; Southern states did not participate, honoring the Confederate dead on other days.

After World War I, the holiday evolved to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war. It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May, declared by the National Holiday Act of 1971. Passed by Congress to ensure a three-day weekend for Federal holidays, the National Holiday Act also formally changed the name of the celebration to Memorial Day.

Now that you understand the history (and you can find layers of detail online), share it with your guests as you toast those who have fallen in battle.

Serve red, white and blue drinks for
Memorial Day. Photo courtesy Bacardi USA.