James Beard's All-American Eats

The renowned James Beard Foundation choosesthe greatest of America s homegrown eateriesand presents recipes for their craveworthy foods. Every town has one: a humble restaurant serving upsoul-satisfying food, a place that pulls the wholecommunity together. Maybe in a cinderblock shack ora clapboard house, it s the kind of place you take forgranted until you leave town and an uncontrollablecraving takes over. These are America s Classics localeateries recognized by the James Beard Foundation astimeless institutions within their communities. Thiscookbook brings together 80 of their recipes so thehome cook can re-create such regional favorites as St.Elmo s Crab Mac and Cheese, The Shed s Red ChileEnchiladas, Aunt Carrie s Indian Pudding, Bowen sIsland Frogmore Stew, Totonno s White Clam Pizza, Camp Washington s Cincinnati Chili, and Gott sRoadside Cheeseburger (with the secret sauce!). Just as good as the food are the inspiring tales behindthese mom-and-pops, told in oral histories: how animmigrant grandfather turned an heirloom dish intoa booming business, or how a vengeful lover s recipefor spicy fried chicken turned into a cult following."America s Classics "is a tribute to the local treasuresand unsung heroes of true American cooking, as wellas a collection of recipes for craveable classic dishes."