Michael Stern (1) (1946–)

Jane & Michael Stern met in grad school at Yale, where they both studied art. Newly graduated, the found that life hit them hard – parents died, a relative was institutionalized – and they just wanted to run away for everything. In a fit of genius – or desperation – they proposed a book about truck-stop dining to a young editor friend. He loved the idea and gave them a contract and an advance. The only problem is that they knew nothing about truck-stop dining, and didn’t even have show more a car. It took them awhile to discover a routine (and route) that would work, but Roadfood was a success and their careers as professional eaters were born.

This is a delightful memoir of decades spent on the road in search of quintessential American food, served in mostly out-of-the-way locations with little fanfare. We’re talking food that will fill the emptiest stomach and satisfy one’s need for comfort. They’ve sampled and enjoyed chicken dinners in Iowa, pork barbecue in South Carolina, cherry pie in Michigan, hot dogs in Rhode Island, and gallons of sweet tea served ice-cold.

The book should come with a warning label. I think I gained 10 pounds just reading about all this food! Parts are laugh-out-loud hilarious; my outbursts drew curious (or frightened) stares from people in the beauty shop and glares from the library staff (two of my favorite places to read – the beauty shop and the library). The section on menu misprints … well I start chuckling just thinking about it. (Fried Clamps, anyone? If that sounds too tough, how about Tender Oven-Baked Children?)

As an added bonus, there are recipes sprinkled throughout. I plan to try the Doris Gulsvig’s Rhubarb Crunch (will have to wait till next year, as rhubarb season is over and we didn’t freeze any) or Mildred Brummond’s Beet Cake (which better be really good, if it’s going to beat my friend Carol’s recipe).

I have to go make something to eat now … show less

It's a cookbook with over 300 recipes, but it's really cultural anthropology, with a lot of reverence, and a lot of snark. The 1920s to the 1950s: Tea Rooms, Ladies' parties, Family dinners, Nursery fare, WWII rationing, and post-war suburban cooking where suburbanites consume 52 cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup a year, without ever eating a bowl of mushroom soup. Square Meals is a delightful read. This would be a good companion textbook in an American history class.
School Cafeteria show more Macaroni and Cheese, p. 89 is not like any school cafeteria that I remember. 5 stars. Ginger Tea Cakes with Butter Frosting, p. 37, very good, but only if someone else is doing the cleanup. show less

Authors Jane and Michael Stern have spent hours combing through old cookbooks to locate recipes that remind us of a certain time and place from our past. The recipes are generally from cookbooks from the 1920s to 1950s and take us back to the foods that provided comfort. Each chapter is prefaced with a discussion that is certain to please most lovers of culinary books. Having lived in Cincinnati for a number of years, I was delighted to find a recipe for Cincinnati style chili that I'm going show more to have to try, even though I have several other recipes for it and can purchase Skyline chili in both canned and frozen forms where I reside. There are some classic recipes that have become a definite part of American culture. For example, the authors include recipes for Chex snack mix and for Rice Krispie treats, although they call them by different names that may have been used when the recipes were first published on the boxes. I chose to read this one from the library, but I enjoyed it so much that I may have to purchase a copy anyway. I enjoyed the old photos and graphics, but I would have loved it if there had been color photographs of some of the photos. The entire book has a "vintage" feeling, and I suppose those color photos would be out of date, but it might help today's readers get a better idea of the foods if they were not part of their region's or family's cuisine. show less

Two for the Road recounts the highs and lows of Jane and Michael Stern's decades-long meanderings in search of the best road food in America. Their beat ranges from small-town diners and cafes to BBQ joints to hole-in-the-wall seafood shacks. They rhapsodize about flaky biscuits, golden fried chicken and the best 'naner pudding. They share tips for spotting the best places to eat (hint: look for an edible animal on the roof) and the worst places to stay the night (hint: never stay in places show more with the TV chained to the wall). Despite unnecessary jibes at what they consider 'fancy' food, the Sterns have created an enjoyable collection that captures a rapidly fading slice of American pie. show less