The Fog City Diner Cookbook

This book would get the full five stars from me based on its inclusion of one of the single most fabulous recipes I've ever made - the Grilled Eggplant Sandwich with Fontina and Watercress. My, oh my, I salivate at the mere thought of it. It's a fantastic thing to eat, even if you decide to forgo making the buns from scratch! Just don't skip making the Tomato Chutney which is sheer magic combined with the smokiness of the eggplant, the creamy, tang of the Fontina and the clean whiff of the watercress. Cindy Pawlcyn is a most remarkable chef. I know people (yes, plural) who literally swoon at the mention of the Pork Chop served at Mustards, her wonderful restaurant in Napa Valley. (That Pork Chop must certainly be one of the most legendary foods on the West Coast.) In any case, she is a master of combining and juxtaposing sometimes surprising ingredients to coax the most intense and exciting flavors out of food. With this book, Pawlcyn elevates diner food to a gourmet art form and then some. I've not been disappointed with any of the recipes from this book. They are just plain fun. Although I don't usually like cookbooks that include skipping all over the pages to find the recipes within recipes, I have to make an exception with this book. The sub-recipes have been well-worth the trouble. Needless to say, I also recommend the Mustards Cookbook - almost as highly as I recommend dining at the restaurant.

I have been lucky enough to visit the Fog City Diner many times over the last 15 years or so. I think Cindy is gone on to other things but I was there when she inspired the place. My first exposure was on that credit card commercial that featured the FCD and showed the Red Curry Mussle Stew because the dish was soooo good. I was going mad trying to figure out how to cook this at home. Then came the cookbook. Problem solved. The book is overall very enjoyable and it has some great little stories. The dishes are unusual and easy to make. Recommended!

I like to browse different types of cookbooks, and to find recipes that I may not find anywhere else. This cookbook did not disappoint. Even though I have not visited the Fog City Diner, I have been to many diners in my day. I was surprised at the large variety of recipes available, and the eclectic ingredients included in the book. Some of my favorite recipes include: Split Pea and Apple-Smoked Bacon Soup, Mushroom Toast, Cheesesteak Sandwich, Cobb Sandwich, Chicken Curry Pot Pie, Apple Dumplings, Vanilla Caramel Custard, Hot Toddy, and Seasoned Nuts. Enjoy!

for many years i was wondering what that german deli down the block from me, was putting in its' tuna salad that gave it a unique wonderful taste. i could never figure it out and was addicted to the tuna salad so was spending a good chunk of my food allowance on it. tuna is a food that if you can get it to taste great you have a very cheap meal that is good value. tuna as a whole i don't care for except for this german deli tuna. well i relate this story because the secret ingrediant that i could never figure out is in this book. for this alone the book was worth the money spent on it.

Sad to say, I have never been to the Fog City Diner, so I cannot compare my outcomes with the originals. But, the book is great! Enough detail so that even I can get it right, and where necessary (i.e. pie crust) the measurements are PERFECT. The ceviche recipe is an especially excellent one (orange+lemon+lime juice marinade - who knew?). Hearty comfort food with a lot of spirit and panache.