From the Back Cover
America has a rich history of regional cooking. From Brooklyn bialys to San Francisco cioppino to southern fried chicken, traditional food is as large a part of the local culture as the landscape and the monuments. Some dishes are so famous that they are an essential part of any trip - imagine going to Chicago without sampling deep-dish pizza? Or New Orleans without trying jambalaya? Or Miami without tasting key lime pie?Now you don't have to travel any farther than your own kitchen to enjoy these specialties. I'll Have What They're Having offers time-tested, tried-and-true recipes for more than 130 hidden gems of regional fare - home cooking at its most creative, the kind of food that you want to bring back from your travels and make again and again.Recipes include helpful tips on appropriate eating etiquette and making each dish with authentic touches that reflect its cultural origins. In addition, you'll learn about the stories - both humorous and historical - behind these delicious and sometimes off-beat local favorites. Did you know that the proper role of the pinto bean in chili is a 150-year-old argument, one that is known to have led to a riot in an Oklahoma prison and a series of barroom brawls in Texas? Or that Hangtown fry, a mouth-watering, one-skillet meal of eggs, oysters, and bacon was originally sold to gold miners in the 1800s for $6.00 a plate - the equivalent of hundreds of dollars today!Part cookbook, part history lesson, this engaging collection celebrates the flavors and traditions that showcase the best of American cuisine. (8 1/2 x 10 1/4, 256 pages, b&w photos, recipes)
