SOME people divvy up the year by the seasons.
I prefer to do it based on what I like to eat.
Fall is for just-picked basil and heirloom tomatoes - think Sungold or Flame -in a Caprese salad, corn on the cob, coq au vin, wild mushrooms, and apple and pumpkin pies.
Winter is for braised beef short ribs, butter creamed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, sautéed greens and sticky toffee pudding.
Spring is when we get spot prawns (right now, for those who love them) and halibut. I like to lighten up with roast chicken and fresh asparagus, followed up by lemony tarts or meringue.
Summer's got it all, of course. I live for local strawberries and blueberries, Okanagan peaches and cherries, crunchy salad greens, just-picked peas, grilled wild salmon, crab boils on the beach, and of course, burgers.
Whether it's the aroma of them sizzling on the grill or the ease with which they can be cooked and stacked for outdoor eating, there is nothing quite as suited to summer as a saucy burger, piled high with fixings.
So with a glimpse of warmer weather this week I decided to hit up Vera's Burger Shack on Lonsdale.
I first wrote about Vera's, not long after it opened, in the fall of 2008. To say it was an uneven dining experience would be kind -there were some early bugs that needed to be worked out in terms of customer service and timing.
The bugs did get worked out though; Vera's has become one of my go-to burger joints over the past few years. I'm a sucker for those thick, never-overcooked patties stacked high on a soft, fresh bun with my favourite toppers.
So I was surprised when Vera's owner Gerald Tritt sent me a note to say Vera's had a new franchisee. The little outpost closed for a minor refresh and reopened a few weeks later, tidier, re-arranged, with playoff-ready flat-screen TVs and boasting a brand-new attitude.
When I dropped in with Big J and Thing 2 (the younger of my offspring), we were immediately greeted with a super warm welcome.
This is still not fast food. There are choices to be made: beef, turkey, chicken or veggie? What toppings and fixings? Then the fresh patties have to be cooked to order. I'm happy to wait when I'm getting something good though, and it wasn't long before our orders were up.
Big J's Canuck Burger was as good as ever, topped with thick bacon, sharp cheddar and all of Vera's Usual Suspects: ketchup, mustard, relish, lettuce, tomato and Vera's Sauce.
With great hesitation I'd decided on The Turkey Burger with cheddar. Trepidation was unwarranted, it turned out - the bird is full-on juicy and full of flavour.
Thing 2 was delighted with his allbeef Hot Dog, scored with a crosshatch pattern and grilled until blistered.
Double-fried sweet potato fries and regular fries landed hot and crisp.
We weren't able to order a beer with our burgers (the liquor licence hasn't yet been sorted out, we were told) but all of our drinks, sides and accoutrements were provided with efficiency and a friendly smile.
The bill for dinner for three added up to $36.77, including HST.
Vera's Burger Shack is at 1842 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver. Call 604-929-2499 for information or takeout; verasburgershack.com.
