♪ SHAYNA: THEY LADLE IT UP AT COMMUNITY EVENTS. MAKE IT BY THE GLISTEN AT LOCAL -- BY THE GALLON AT LOCAL MARKETS. AND WOLF IT DOWN AT LUNCH COUNTERS ALL OVER TOWN. PROVIDED YOU'RE IN THE ONLY TOWN WHERE IT EXISTS. I PRESENT TO YOU THE WANSOCKET DYNAMITE. ONE OF THOSE DISHES WE LIKE TO CALL HOME PLATES. FOODS WITH A DEVOTED REGIONAL FOLLOWING THAT VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN ANYWHERE ELSE. DOWN IN CENTRAL CONNECTICUT, THEY'RE HOT AND BOTHERED OVER THEIR STEAMED CHEESEBURGERINGS IN. FALL RIVER THEY'RE ALL IN ON LOCAL FAVORITE CHAO REESE AND CHIPS. ORDER A HOT DOG WHEN YOU'RE DOWN EAST IN MAINE AND YOU MIGHT WONDER IF IT WAS BOILED AT A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. WE'LL GET TO THOSE IN A BIT. BUT RIGHT NOW THINK CLOCK IS TICKING ON THIS WONSOCKET DYNAMITE. >> THIS IS "CHRONICLE" ON WCVB CHANNEL 5. SHAYNA: YOU COULD CALL IT SLOPPY JOE'S WEIRD WONSOCKET DYNAMITE. >> WE TELL PEOPLE WE HAVE DYNAMITES. THEY'RE LIKE WHAT IS A DYNAMITE? I PROMISE IT'S NOT AN EXPLOSIVE. SHAYNA: A MIX OF GROUND BEEF, ONIONS, SPICES. A GOOD DYNAMITE SHOULD HAVE SOME KICK. >> IF A FOOD COULD BE DESCRIBED WITH A PERSONALITY, DYNAMITES WOULD BE SASSY AND SAUCY. SHAYNA: AT DOWNTOWN LUNCHEON WONSOCKET, SHE'S UP TO HER NECKS IN WIENERS BUT DYNAMITES ARE POPULAR TOO. ARE THEY BEST TO EAT WITH YOUR HANDS OR A KNIFE AND FORK. >> NO, GOT TO USE YOUR HANDS. SHAYNA: AT FUNDRAISE IRS THEY ROUTINELY BRING OUT THE DYNAMITE TO LURE CROWDS IN. >> IT'S ALMOST UBIQUITOUS IN CERTAIN GATHERINGS. SHAYNA: WE'LL BE BACK TO WITNESS THIS MASS CONSUMPTION EVENT IN A BIT. FOR NOW LET'S GO TO CENTRAL CONNECTICUT AND THE HANDSOME SMALL CITY OF MERIDEN. THEIR CHIEF CULINARY CLAIM TO FAME MIGHT BE ITS DEVOTION TO A PECULIAR METHOD OF COOKING HAMBURGERS. >> WE DO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. WE CHARTED OUR OWN PATH OVER THE YEARS. WE DO AN INTERESTING FOOD OPTION CALLED THIS STEAMED CHEESEBURGER. SHAYNA: STEAMED CHEESEBURGERS. SOUND ALL WET IN NOT TO LOCAL DIEHARDS. >> I LOVE THESE THINGS. BEEN COMING HERE SINCE I WAS A LITTLE PEANUT. SHAYNA: STEAMED CHEESEBURGERS CAN BE FOUND AT IN POTS BUT TOWERING OVER THEM ALL A IS A TINY JOINT CALLED TED'S. >> WE'RE THE QUINTESSENTIAL HOLE IN THE WALL. IT IS COZY. YOU'LL BE SHOULDER-TO-SHOULD WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS EATING ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER. SHAYNA: IT'S BEEN FULL SEEM AHEAD FOR ED'S FAMILY SINCE 1949. >> WE BOIL WATER, TAKE ABOUT FIVE OUNCES OF FRESH GROUND BEEF, PUSH IT INTO A RECTANGULAR PATTY, TAKE TWO OUNCES OF CHEESE, IT TURNS ALMOST INTO A FONDUE AND MELTS OVER THE TOP OF THE BURGER. SHAYNA: THE RESULT, MOUTH FEEL MAGIC. DAVE FUJI COMES IN EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS. >> IT'S THE SMARTEST THING IN THE WORLD. NO GREASE INVOLVED. STEAM, BABY, STEAM. HOW DO YOU THINK I KEEP THIS GIRLISH FIGURE? SHAYNA: AFISH YO GNAW DOES OF THE CLASSIC AMERICAN HAMBURGER MAY BE AWARE THAT THE NUTTING ME STATE IS KNOWN FOR ECCENTRIC APPROACHES TO THE BURGER. A FEW MILES AWAY IN NEW HAVEN, LUIS -- LOUIE'S LUNCH IS DECADES INTO COOKING THEIR BURGERS IN BROILERS. THEY SERVE THEM UP WITH ONIONS AND TOMATO ON WHITE BREAD TOAST. AS FOR KETCHUP -- ASK FOR KETCHUP AND YOU'LL BE ESCORTED OFF THE PREMISES. COMBINE LOUIES AND TED'S AND IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY THIS AREA IS A DOUBLE BARRELED PILGRIMAGE SITE FOR THE BURGER-OBSESSED. >> I SAID A STEAMED CHEESEBURGER, WE GOT TO TRY THAT. >> WHEN ROBIN AND KEVIN PLANNED THEIR TRIP TO NEW ENGLAND THIS YEAR THEY HAD THREE FIRM OBJECTIVES. ANOVER NIGHT AT A LIGHTHOUSE IN MAINE. A COUPLE OF DAYS IN BOSTON. AND A STOP IN MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, TO EAT A STEAMED CHEESEBURGER. >> WE DID IT. I GOT IT. WE MADE SURE TO STOP AND HAVE A STEAMED CHEESEBURGER. AN HONESTLY, I THINK IT'S MY FAVORITE WAY TO EAT A CHEESEBURGER NOW. A STEAMED CHEESEBURGER. SHAYNA: THE STEAMED CHEESEBURGER GOES BACK TO THE 19 30'S. STEAMED CHEESE ON A ROLL WAS A PERFECT QUICK MEAL FOR DEPRESSION-ERA LOCAL WORKERS. ONCE THE ECONOMY STARTED RECOVERING THEY STARTED ADDING