Jane and Michael Stern are a (formerly) married couple who've become famous for their guide to roadside dining throughout the U.S.
Roadside attractions are such a popular topic in the media that you often see them featured on Facebook and Twitter, and on TV shows, and over the years (40), Jane and Michael Stern have gotten a lot of publicity. Something reminded of this book which I had always meant to read. I knew the library would have it, and they did.
I was surprised to see that I have not been to even one of the restaurants listed in the book in my part of the world.
First of all, I don't know what my expectation of this book was exactly: I supposed I thought that there'd be roadside places, on major highways, sometimes in rural areas, and that the food would be cheap, delicious, and served in restaurants and roadside diners that would be kitschy in their name or appearance.
In the introduction to this edition, the Sterns explain that they coined the term "roadfood" to describe local eats around America. Their goal was to "get people to pay attention to what we considered a neglected national treasure: regional food." I haven't thought about this concept before. As I scan the "Roadfood Honor Roll: The 100" (the Sterns' top 100 picks from around the country) I see a lot of hot dogs, pizza, seafood and BBQ. I am the only person I know uninterested in BBQ but I love the other items. The Sterns' Illinois list surprised me. I hadn't visited any of their selections, even though I was familiar with a couple.
The guide lists Hot Doug's, a famous hot dog spot that was for several years an institution and which won awards. Sadly, it is closed. Its owner, the eponymous Doug, took orders personally and was a beacon for customer service.
Other mentions must include the famous Superdawg which does offer kitsch in the form of tall hot dog statues on the roof (can't miss it), and the Wedron Office, in Ottawa, Illinois (near Starved Rock State Park) and which offers whitefish. I plan to check it out.
Al's, which claims the crown for having invented Italian beef sandwiches, also makes their list. Italian beef really is a regional food in that I've had it many times but never at Al's. Here's a little article on Al's: https://www.eater.com/2014/7/8/6198993/the-italian-beef-sandwich-at-als-in-chicago
Roadside attractions are such a popular topic in the media that you often see them featured on Facebook and Twitter, and on TV shows, and over the years (40), Jane and Michael Stern have gotten a lot of publicity. Something reminded of this book which I had always meant to read. I knew the library would have it, and they did.
I was surprised to see that I have not been to even one of the restaurants listed in the book in my part of the world.
First of all, I don't know what my expectation of this book was exactly: I supposed I thought that there'd be roadside places, on major highways, sometimes in rural areas, and that the food would be cheap, delicious, and served in restaurants and roadside diners that would be kitschy in their name or appearance.
In the introduction to this edition, the Sterns explain that they coined the term "roadfood" to describe local eats around America. Their goal was to "get people to pay attention to what we considered a neglected national treasure: regional food." I haven't thought about this concept before. As I scan the "Roadfood Honor Roll: The 100" (the Sterns' top 100 picks from around the country) I see a lot of hot dogs, pizza, seafood and BBQ. I am the only person I know uninterested in BBQ but I love the other items. The Sterns' Illinois list surprised me. I hadn't visited any of their selections, even though I was familiar with a couple.
The guide lists Hot Doug's, a famous hot dog spot that was for several years an institution and which won awards. Sadly, it is closed. Its owner, the eponymous Doug, took orders personally and was a beacon for customer service.
Other mentions must include the famous Superdawg which does offer kitsch in the form of tall hot dog statues on the roof (can't miss it), and the Wedron Office, in Ottawa, Illinois (near Starved Rock State Park) and which offers whitefish. I plan to check it out.
Al's, which claims the crown for having invented Italian beef sandwiches, also makes their list. Italian beef really is a regional food in that I've had it many times but never at Al's. Here's a little article on Al's: https://www.eater.com/2014/7/8/6198993/the-italian-beef-sandwich-at-als-in-chicago
No comments:
Post a Comment