Staff Pick
All-American Eats is a travel book/cookbook dedicated to longtime restaurants that have stood the test of time. These are restaurants that have perfected their recipes with years of customer feedback, and earned awards from the James Beard Foundation. As well as recipes, many of the restaurants have shared their background stories so you can get a feel for the place even if you haven't had a chance to visit it in person. Most of the recipes border on comfort food: Banana Pudding from Bowen's Island Restaurant in Charleston; Stuffed Cabbage Rolls from Kramarczuk's in Minneapolis; and Pesto Minestrone from Nick's Italian Café in McMinnville, Oregon. (That is a little shout-out to our own Nick's, beloved by many a Portlander out on a day trip through wine country.) James Beard's All-American Eats is for the cookbook lover who likes a slice of history served with their meal. (Featured Cookbook, "On the Table") Recommended By Tracey T., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
The renowned James Beard Foundation chooses the greatest of America’s homegrown eateries and presents recipes for their craveworthy foods. Every town has one: a humble restaurant serving up soul-satisfying food, a place that pulls the whole community together. Maybe it’s in a cinderblock shack or a clapboard house, but it’s the kind of place you take for granted—until you leave town and an uncontrollable craving takes over. These are America’s Classics—local eateries recognized by the James Beard Foundation as timeless institutions within their communities. This cookbook brings together eighty of their recipes so the home cook can re-create such regional favorites as St. Elmo’s Crab Mac and Cheese, The Shed’s Red Chile Enchiladas, Aunt Carrie’s Indian Pudding, Bowens Island Frogmore Stew, Totonno’s White Clam Pizza, Camp Washington’s Cincinnati Chili, and Gott’s Roadside Cheeseburger (with the secret sauce!). Just as good as the food are the inspiring tales behind these mom-and-pops, told in oral histories: how an immigrant grandfather turned an heirloom dish into a booming business, or how a vengeful lover’s recipe for spicy fried chicken earned a cult following. James Beard's All-American Eats is a tribute to the local treasures and unsung heroes of true American cooking, as well as a collection of recipes for craveable classic dishes.
Review
“We were lucky enough to have spent time with James Beard who was a passionate advocate of the food of this nation in an era when the press wrote only about the cooking of France and Italy. Jim encouraged our earliest Roadfood adventures, and we know that this handsome book would have made him smile. It is a perfect homage to American food at its best.” Jane and Michael Stern, authors of Roadfood
Review
“This wonderful collection of America’s Classics award winners is so true to James Beard’s spirit, and shows the deep affection and respect we all share for hard-working mom-and-pop cooks.” Ted Allen, JBF Award–winning host, Food Network’s Chopped
Review
“This tome of mouthwatering classic recipes beautifully celebrates the history and the diversity of quintessential American dishes.” Carla Hall, chef, author, and co-host of The Chew
Review
“You hold in your hand some great food, and some even better stories.” Andrew Zimmern, host, Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods
About the Author
The James Beard Foundation is America’s most prestigious culinary organization, with a mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor the country’s diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire. A cookbook author and teacher, James Beard was a champion of American cuisine who helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts.
Andrew Zimmern is an author and the host of the Travel Channel’s hit shows, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and Bizarre Foods America.