There’s no question that a good hamburger on the grill is a summer staple. Whether turkey, chicken, or beef, there’s lots of room for these in my summertime diet (or should I say, lack of diet).

However, because they’re so often served to company at this time of year, the key is to keep them interesting. Guests will truly appreciate a little extra effort to polish them up with some interesting and unexpected toppings:

1) Turkey burgers pair extremely well with cranberry mayonnaise and sage seasoning. But don’t be intimidated. Buy a can of good quality cranberry sauce and mix equal parts cranberry with equal parts good quality mayonnaise. For the sage seasoning, use dried sage and mix 2 teaspoons with a 1/2 cup of melted butter, then brush the burgers with the mixture near the end of their cooking time. 

2) For chicken burgers, the sky’s the limit. I like them paired with spicy salsa, sharp cheddar and fresh sliced avocado. But you can also grill some some red and green peppers (until soft and charred) and that does wonders for presentation and taste. If you really want to enhance that flavour combo, add a dollop of hot marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

3) The classic beef burger needs little else than ripe tomato, lettuce, and pickle slices. But they also go really well with sauteed mushrooms (that you can cook ahead of time) or grilled asparagus to add colour and crunch.

Even if you serve one interesting topping in addition to the classic condiments, you can count on someone to think you’re a budding Martha Stewart.

Now get out there and grill.