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I'll
Have What They're Having: Legendary Local Cuisine
by Linda Stradley
 America
has a rich tradition of regional cuisine, from widely
loved Southern Fried Chicken, Boston Baked Beans, and
Philadelphia Cheese Steak to lesser know (but equally
loved) Kringle, Spiedie, and Burgoo. This fascinating
cookbook presents recipes for America's regional specialty
dishes and tells stories and history of how they came
to be.
This
book is a celebration of one of the world's greatest
cuisines - American. It tells the story of what Americans
eat and why. Many people think that American food has
become homogenized and nationalized, but this books
shows that regional cuisine is very much alive. It has
expanded to include new and exciting foods and dishes
that we now call our own.
It
has been a challenge to search out the origins of the
foods we eat and their culinary histories and traditions.
Together, the recipes and stories in this cookbook tell
a wonderful tale. Let us rediscover the flavours and
traditions and renew our love of true American cuisine.
Let us also discover cooking trends and culinary fads
and fashions of today.
Did
you know . . .
- Folks
in Broome County, New York love their Spiedies (marinated
meat sandwiches) so much that they ship commercial
Spiedie sauce to loved ones away from home.
- Hoppin'
John, a rich bean soup made of black-eyed peas simmered
with spicy sausages, ham hocks, rice, and tomato sauce,
is shared among Southern families on New Year's Eve
as a tradition of good luck for the coming year.
- Burgoo
is a Kentucky specialty and a "must have dish"
on Kentucky Derby Day. Political rallies, church suppers,
horse racing events, and other large gatherings often
inspire the up-to-30 hour preparation of Burgoo stew.
- Legends
tells of a California miner concocting the Hangtown
Fry to celebrate his new found fortune of gold dust.
Bacon, eggs, and oysters - difficult ingredients to
obtain in late 1800s California - remain the mainstay
of this popular dish.
- Loco
Moco, a favourite comfort food in Hawaii, is so popular
that people eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Served in fast food, drive-in, and mom-and-pop restaurants
throughout the Islands, this mountainous meal of white
rice, hamburger patty, sunny-side-up egg, and gravy
is more
What's
Cooking America (July 2005)
Reviewer: Susan Wright "Recipe Collector"
(Oroville, CA)
Linda
Stradley walked into my bookstore one day promoting
her newly published cookbook. She opened it up to
page 77 and pointed at the recipe "High Tea Lemon
Cookies". She said, "Try this recipe. It's
one of my favorites in this book". So I bought
"WHAT'S COOKING AMERICA" and she signed
it for me. I have tried so many of the recipes in
this book and never been disappointed but my favorite
will always be the "High Tea Lemon Cookies".
They melt in your mouth. They are so easy to make
and after nearly 7 years they are still requested
when I go to parties, pot lucks, etc.
Pass
the bialys and lutefisk, please (December 2004)
Reviewer: Michael K. Smith (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
Foodies
who travel a lot are always on the look-out for local
or regional specialties when they visit a new area.
Like Ropa Vieja or a Cuban Sandwich in Miami, or Cincinnati-style
chili (always "five-way"), or a Garbage
Plate in Rochester, or a Beef on Weck in Buffalo,
Hot Brown in Louisville. I think I would argue that
some of what the author considers "local cuisine,"
though, is too widely available to qualify - like
Chicken-Fried Steak (which originated in south Texas
but you can get it anywhere in the western half of
the country), or breakfast tacos (now ubiquitous,
even in supermarkets). She organizes dishes by courses,
but there's a regional index in the back. Each recipe
is introduced by a sometimes lengthy sociological
essay. I have to say those for gumbo, muffulettas,
and king cakes were pretty good renditions (though,
naturally, everyone has their own "best"
version). I believe I'll pass on the "prairie
oysters" and the Hangtown Fry, though.
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