We can expect the argument to be joined in earnest shortly, with the April 7 publication of "Hamburger America, " written by George Motz.

Motz is the mind and stomach responsible for the acclaimed documentary film of the same name, which profiled eight of the greatest burger joints in the country, including Solly 's Grille in Milwaukee and the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago.

The film drew a fanatical cult following and brought Motz, who works as a freelance director of photography in New York City, a book contract.

Now the book, subtitled "One Man 's Odyssey to Find the Best Burgers in the Nation, " is finished. Motz has expanded his vision, and boldly chosen the 100 best burgers in the United States. I am pleased to report that two of them are right here in Madison, one is in Jefferson, and a fourth -- Solly 's -- is in Milwaukee.

I am particularly pleased that the Madison area is receiving this recognition because I served as an informal guide for Motz when he came through town in 2005.

Some weeks before he arrived, he had sent me the following note: "If you had to choose one place in Madison to be in our upcoming book about real hamburger places, which would it be? "

That seems like a simple question, but it haunted me. How could I nominate one Madison burger for immortality? Figuring a conservative one hamburger a week, I have eaten somewhere around 2,500 burgers in Madison over the past half century. I could have given Motz a couple of dozen great burger places in the city.

Motz asked in the first place because he had read a column I wrote attacking a GQ magazine piece, written by Alan Richman, titled, "The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die. "

The piece was wrong-headed on a number of counts. Richman praised something called the "California burger " at a chain called Houston 's in Santa Monica. "This burger had no flaws, " Richman wrote. "Zero. The roll: soft and sweet, almost like brioche. ... The condiment: a touch of honey-mustard dressing. Avocado and arugula are another great touch. Houston 's California burger is a rainbow of colors. "

Arugula is some kind of salad green and belongs in a bowl, not on a burger.

Richman then disgraced himself further by taking a cheap shot at Solly 's in Milwaukee, which he deemed the worst burger in the United States. "I 'd say it came with close to half a stick of butter soaked into the bun and the burger and finally pooled on the plate. It was like slurping dairy drainage. Wisconsin, the Dairy State, should be renamed the Death-by-Dairy State. "

After I wrote a column calling Richman misguided, George Motz copied me a letter he had sent Richman calling him an idiot.

Since we 've gotten to know each other, I 've come to look upon Motz almost as a hero. This is a guy who pounds hamburgers yet has cholesterol of 129. He 's not overweight. Best of all, he has somehow managed to devote his life to hamburgers -- and his wife is a vegetarian. This is a man who can handle a situation.

Motz deftly handled my protest that I couldn 't recommend just one Madison burger. He came to town on the day before Thanksgiving 2005. We met at the Plaza Tavern downtown, where he easily downed a Plaza burger slathered in sauce. Next, we went to Dotty Dumpling 's Dowry, where Motz raved about the quality of the meat to owner Jeff Stanley.

I told Motz he also had to try the burgers at the Nitty Gritty; the Oakcrest; the Avenue Bar; the Village Bar (where a cabbie took Jerry Seinfeld when Seinfeld inquired about a great burger); the Harmony Bar; the Stadium Bar; the Blue Moon; the Main Depot; and many others.

"You might have to move here, " I said.

In the new book, Motz selects the Plaza and Dotty 's -- giving nice write-ups to each -- as two of the best burgers in America. He also includes Peterson 's -- a little shack in Jefferson -- which had been recommended by the owner of Solly 's in Milwaukee. Peterson 's was sold in 2007 and is now called Wedl 's. If you get the book, when it comes out next month, a DVD copy of the movie is included.

Motz hopes to get to Madison on his book tour. I still remember with awe how he left town the last time. Having put away two burgers, with Thanksgiving looming, he stopped at the door of Dotty 's.

"Can I get two orders of fried cheese curds for the road?"

Contact Doug Moe at 252-6446 or dmoe@madison.com.