I'll Have What They're Having: Legendary Local Cuisine

I've heard about a number of regional dishes but have not visited those areas to try them. This book not only lists those indigenous dishes and gives useable recipes, but, includes the history of the dish and local lore accompanging them. An excellent resource for food history and an entry to cooking food not native to my background.

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.

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.