Diner Desserts (Paperback)

~ (Author), Clark Irey (Photographer)
Key Phrases: small offset metal spatula, cake keeper, brownie base, Basic Flaky Pie Crust, New York, New England (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Diner fare has become mythic. Though much of this food is best left to nostalgic recollection, the desserts served at places with names like the Silver Top or Miss Albany's were often choice. Tish Boyle's Diner Desserts celebrates this fact with its collection of more than 60 favorite recipes that includes old favorites like Banana Cream Pie and newer enticements like Chocolate Cheesecake Bars. In such evocatively titled chapters as "Under the Cake Keeper," "From the Soda Fountain," and "Dunkables--Doughnuts, Muffins, and Pastries," Boyle presents a wide range of tempting recipes. Standouts include the Sky-High Lemon Meringue Pie, Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake with a gingersnap crust, Apple-Raspberry Crisp with Pecan Crunch Topping, and, of course, that Banana Cream Pie. There's a nice collection, too, of cookie, bar, and brownie recipes, as well as a section devoted to the likes of the Root Beer Float, Hot Fudge Walnut Sundae, and a Triple-Threat Banana Split. Photo-illustrated throughout and laced with diner anecdotes (the sundae began in reaction to the Sunday prohibition of soda drinks), Diner Desserts offers both browsing fun and cooking satisfaction. --Arthur Boehm

From Publishers Weekly

This fun collection celebrates exactly the desserts you'd expect from America's diners: fluffy Chocolate Cream Pie, three-layer High and Mighty White Cake and chewy Old-Time Peanut Butter Cookies. Although Boyle waxes nostalgic about the diners in her life, most of the recipes don't hail from specific eateries so much as they represent a kind of ur-diner cuisine. There are a few exceptions--mostly regional treats such as Southern Sweet Potato Spice Pie and New York City's famous Classic Black and White Cookies. The book's design, though a tad busy, keeps up the retro style with page numbers in the form of prices and black-and-white photos of typical diners from San Francisco to the diner's birthplace in Worcester, Mass. A chapter on sweets from the soda fountain includes a Really Rich Double Chocolate Milk Shake and a S'more Sundae with marshmallow spread and chocolate sauce, and another on "dunkables" offers Diner-Style Powdered Buttermilk Donuts and Raspberry Twists. There's nothing revolutionary here (the fanciest item is probably a Blueberry-Lemon Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Crust), simply reliable recipes for the desserts Americans still crave with a dollop of whipped cream and a strong cup of coffee.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811824497
• ISBN-13: 978-0811824491
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #327,539 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hanging out at the diner..., May 18, 2000

By	Wes F. (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews

The recipes in this book-mile-high cakes and drippy cakes and puddings and cookies-take you back to the good old days when we were bad, hanging out at the diner, insulting each other and flirting and watching the muscle cars in the parking lot. The photos are great black and white shots of diners from across the country. The short-order cooks, the counters, the menus, the cakes under glass. The recipes are well written and work (so far!). I haven't got out of the pudding chapter yet (you have to try the Banana Caramel pudding) but I have my eye on the cakes, especially the Chocolate fudge Layer Cake. This is a really unusual book, and even if you have a big cookbook collection, you won't have anything like this.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top Recipes for all Bakers, May 11, 2000

By A Customer

As executive pastry chef at the Reno Hilton, I'm always on the lookout for dessert recipes that work great at home and at work. The recipes in Diner Desserts do just that. This cookbook includes the best desserts from every diner you've ever eaten in. At the high end, you get Toasted Almond Crunch cake. At the other end of the scale, the author devotes a whole chapter to puddings. In either case, her detailed and accurate recipes meet the needs of bakers at every level - this is a book that I'll use again and again.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Book and Fun to Read, Too!, October 27, 2001

By	J Keistler "[e-mail]" (Lake Jackson, Texas USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this book from amazon based on reviews.

When it arrived I was delighted by the beautiful design of the book. Through a combination of photography, graphics and printing, it succeeds in conveying the 'feel' of a diner to the reader. For those, like me, who buy cookbooks to read as well as cook from, this one will be a treat.

The recipes are well laid out and detailed, with each receiving a short introduction. The recipes are well-written and complete; after making about ten of the recipes I haven't noticed any missing ingredients or steps.

The difficulty factor changes quite a bit from recipe to recipe. None are difficult to make, but some are more involved and require more time than others. However, everyone will find items suited to their abilities, and may use the book for trying new techniques and more complicated recipes.

My personal favorite in the book is the recipe for 'High and Mighty White Cake'. This recipe produces a beautiful cake suitable for any occasion. I have used this cake, with various frostings, for a number of occasions and it has always gotten complements. Her carrot cake recipe is also excellent. The 'Old Time Peanut Butter Cookies' are also a great option, with just the right balance between sweet and salty. The 'Classic Diner Cheesecake' is nothing unusual, but it does make an excellent cake. As stated in the book, the 'Devil's Food Cake' is intensely chocolate for people into that, and I've had great results with her accompanying white frosting, and with chocolate frosting on it. The 'Lemon Layer Cake' has become another favorite of mine and a hit with those for whom I've baked it, giving plenty of lemon flavor accompanied by a lemon-y frosting.

I haven't tried any of the puddings, etc., because they aren't what I like to make.

This book is an excellent buy for the money. Though softback, the binding and cover are of particularly high quality, with the cover being a heavy plasticized paper. It will make a much-appreciated gift for any bakers on a gift list!