Customer Reviews

Blue Plate Specials and Blue Ribbon Chefs

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been a fan, and buyer, of the books of the Sterns since the original Square Meals many years ago. I've enjoyed their books on all sorts of different subjects, not only their food books. Therefore, I picked this book up without even looking inside.

What I found in this book, more than new material, was the impression that this was a book made up on short notice out of the Sterns's existing files. It was neither as comprehensive or descriptive as earlier food reviews. Certainly nowhere near as comprehensive as Road Food, sort of like a little abridgment. Additionally, a bunch of the eating places in the book aren't in business anymore.

I'm looking forward to trying the fried chicken recipe given in the review of the Bon Ton Mini Mart, but this book left me feeling like a hungry man on a diet--satisfying somewhat, but left feeling like something was distinctly missing. I really got the impression that this was a 'quickie', and not up to the standards of their other books.

I love reading the Sterns, and seeing them on TV, and hope this isn't the beginning of a trend.

If the excellent "Roadfood" can be thought of as the complete guide to America's roadside eateries, "Blue Plate Specials" would be the Greatest Hits collection, at least in the opinion of our tireless guides, Jane and Michael Stern. This book is a fine collection of some of the Sterns' most distinctive and interesting roadside restaurant experiences, along with a memorable recipe (or facsimile of one) from each. Sadly, some of the restaurants discussed here are no longer in business, but the Sterns help keep them living in memory.

Personally, I found this title less evocative than "Roadfood." That book made me want to toss a copy of it in the glove compartment and head out on a cross-country tour, hitting one great-sounding diner or rib shack after another. This book didn't. It was nice to read about the Sterns' experiences in their travels, but I didn't catch the passion of it all like I did with "Roadfood." Your mileage may vary.

Still, if you're a fan of the Sterns, this is a title worth checking out -- not, perhaps, as a guide to your own future travels, but as a good example of "foodie lit" and the vicarious excitement of sitting down and studying a never-before-seen menu.

Although there are recipes in this book, it is much more than a cookbook. It is an interesting and entertaining look at America's eateries. Each entry contains a short history or background on the establishment, its food, and the people who work there and eat there, followed by a recipe or two.

Anyone who travels and has eaten "roadfood" (or just dreams of it!) will enjoy this well-written book. And for those of us who will never get to visit even a small percentage of the eateries examined, it is a wonderful glimse at these businesses and the people who love working at them and eating at them.

Another reviewer stated that some of the places listed are no longer in business. With a book of this nature, that's inevitable. So many small, family-owned businesses are closing up fast. I'm just glad that the Sterns were able to document their existence for us enjoy, if only from the comfort of our easy chairs. I put this book on my list of must-haves and look forward to reading other books by the Sterns.

Some of America's most unique and talented cooks serve in humble roadside cafes and friendly neighborhood eateries. Jane and Michael Stern have gone "on the road" to encounter and retrieve outstanding recipes from the culinary heartland of American "blue plate specials" and showcased them in Blue Plate Specials & Blue Ribbon Chefs: The Heart And Soul Of America's Great Roadside Restaurants. As much fun to browse through as it is to cook from, this compendium of roadside cafe introductions and wonderful dishes ranges from Every-Friday Haddock Chowder; Becky's Whoopsie-Pie Cake with Poor-Man's Icing; and Enrico Biscotti's Almond Macaroos; to Tennessee Cornbread; Horseradish Pickles; and Mrs. Rowe's Summer Squash Casserole. Blue Plate Specials & Blue Ribbon Chefs is a wonderful addition to any personal or professional cookbook collection.

Had to counter the only other review on this book. Also a big fan of the Sterns, didn't think of this as "rehashed" from earlier Sterns material, but rather, a celebration of all the great places they've discovered in their years of searching out the off-the-beaten-path shrines to American food. I loved this book--it reads like a National Geographic special on home cooking! To me, anyone who can get you excited about the thought of trying fried chicken from the Bon Ton Mini Mart must be doing something right--they've got my attention!

This is a wonderful book because my husband and I love trying local places to eat when we travel. This one provides a little extra because it has recipes also. "Emmy's Big Buns" are fabulous. The only down side to this book is that it is somewhat dated as some of these places are no longer open. Still worth getting for the ones that are open and for the recipes.