Two for the Road: Our Love Affair With American Food

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 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 show more 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

3.5 stars

Jane and Michael Stern are married and have been travelling across the US since just after they married in 1970 to find local eateries (aka “roadfood”) and review them. This is a memoir of their travels and the food.

This was entertaining. Many chapters focused on an area and at the end of each chapter they included a couple of recipes of things they mentioned in the chapter. (Except the chapter on the awful food they tried (or smelled and didn’t try!) The recipes at the end of that chapter included foods that many people dislike). I’m not one who reads recipes, but each recipe had a story to go with it, so I did read that. I bake more than cook, and I’m not an adventurous eater. That was one of the nice things about show more this book – though there were some odd things, much of it was just “American” food (bbqs, pies, ice cream, steak, etc.). Although I don’t eat meat often, I really want to try a steamed cheeseburger (head to Meriden, Connecticut for that one)! show less

I'm usually not into "foodie" books, but this was freakin' hysterical. I especially loved the rules for picking safe hotels (avoid motels with the TV's chained to the walls), the correlation between the number of Jesuses on the wall and the quality of the food, and the stories about the New York State Troopers and the Country Fried Ham Incident.

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 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.

Jane and Michael Stern is the couple behind Roadfood, which started as a book and now is a great website, where you can find local and better alternatives to McDonald's and Taco Bell when you are traveling. They seek out small family-owned places that still serve homemade regional specialties like barbecued pork, breakfast pancakes, and lobster rolls. This book is also autobiographic, explaining how it all started when they went on their first road trip to investigate food maybe 30 years ago. Their writing is delicious and funny, and they often write about tiny details such as the exact price of a hot dog, the curtain's color and the smell from the oven at a small diner, and how many cats the owner has. If you want to know more about show more American food and not read about fancy restaurants, this is the book for you. It has recipes too!

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Under Creative Commons License: Attribution show less

An engaging memoir of Jane and Michael Stern's road trips across America as they sought authentic American cooking, recipes, and meals. Full of anecdotes, it prompts you to laugh or cry as they try to eat multiple breakfasts, lunches, and dinners to review the restaurant fare in rural states. Don't expect urban food, nouvelle cuisine, or healthy diets. Fans of the Stern's road food books will enjoy this look back at the research that led to earlier publications.

If you have ever been curious about the lives of restaurant reviewers, this is a great book for you! I was amazed to discover that the Sterns eat up to 12 meals a day as they drive around America. Their adventures in wonderful diners and terrifying hotels are a must read.