Christopher Peterson Reviews “Roadfood” by Jane and Michael Stern

Christopher Peterson Reviews “Roadfood” by Jane and Michael Stern

Published by Broadway Books, New York, 2008



As Americans, we like to think that our palates are developing at light speed and are catching up rapidly to the sophisticated tastes of our French and Northern Italian neighbors. We can’t invade the dining rooms fast enough at those haute establishments serving Asian Fusion, Nouvelle Cuisine, small plates, or neo-molecular fare. If you are one of those millions of Americans who can’t wait to see what fantastic new cuisine will be the new “in” thing, do yourself a favor, stay away from Jane and Michael Stern’s “Roadfood.”

Long before Guy Fieri hit the airwaves in Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” the Sterns were out pounding America’s two-lane highways in obscure towns finding the best our country has to offer in terms of REAL American food. As their book boasts on the cover, it’s a coast-to-coast guide to 700 of the best barbeque joints, lobster shacks, ice cream parlors, highway diners, and much, much more. The Stern’s and their food-crazed network of followers make it their mission in life to ferret out the places that fed our collective souls before the dreaded chain restaurants overran our towns and our psyche.

If you are like me, travel is fun primarily because it gives you an opportunity to eat stuff that you don’t ordinarily get a chance to eat, or even better yet, to eat food that you have not even heard of before. When you have an opportunity to travel to the far-reaches of our vast country, taking a quiet seat in the back-corner of one of these mom-and-pop diners is a great way to learn more about the people and what they think than you ever would walking the sidewalks and visiting state parks with a camera strapped around your neck. If that’s how your mind works, do what I do. Carry a copy of “Roadfood” in your glove box or in your suitcase. I consult “Roadfood” long before I plan a trip or even look at a map.



Christopher Peterson lives in Incline Village, Nevada with his family. He is an amateur collector of cookbooks and maps.