Product Description

The renowned James Beard Foundation chooses the greatest of Americas 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 its in a cinderblock shack or a clapboard house, but its the kind of place you take for granteduntil you leave town and an uncontrollable craving takes over. These are Americas Classicslocal 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. Elmos Crab Mac and Cheese, The Sheds Red Chile Enchiladas, Aunt Carries Indian Pudding, Bowens Island Frogmore Stew, Totonnos White Clam Pizza, Camp Washingtons Cincinnati Chili, and Gotts 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 lovers recipe for spicy fried chicken earned a cult following. 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.