Mike Urban - The New England Diner Cookbook: Classic and Creative Recipes from the Finest Roadside Eateries

Copyright 2014 by Mike Urban

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Urban, Mike, author.

The New England diner cookbook / Mike Urban.

pages cm

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-58157-179-0 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-1-58157-714-3 (e-book)

1. Cooking, AmericanNew England style. 2. Diners (Restaurants)New England. I. Title.

TX715.2.N48U73 2014

647.950974dc23

2013049169

Photographs Mike Urban unless otherwise specified

Book design and composition by Vicky Shea, Ponderosa Pine Design

Published by The Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

Photo credits:
Page 2: iStockphoto.com/nickfree. Page 6: Pancakes with syrup, upper left: Shutterstock.com/Marie C Fields; lower right: Eric Kelly (Blue Plate Diner). Page 7: pancakes: Courtesy of Laurel Diner. Page 8: Eric Kelly (Blue Plate Diner). Page 13: Janet Picard. Page 22: Janet Picard. Page 25: Courtesy of Laurel Diner. Page 40: Courtesy of Sonnys Blue Benn Diner. Page 41: Courtesy of Seaplane Diner. Page 46: Courtesy of Seaplane Diner. Page 47: Courtesy of Laurel Diner. Page 48: Shutterstock.com/Igor Dutina. Page 49: Shutterstock.com/Joy Brown. Page 52: Eric Kelly (Blue Plate Diner). Page 58: Shutterstock.com/BW Folsom. Page 63: Paul Joseph/Wikimedia Commons. Page 66: Shutterstock.com/Joshua Resnick. Page 69: Shutterstock.com/littleny. Page 73: Shutterstock.com/MSPhotographic. Page 79: Shutterstock.com/Elena Shashkina. Page 81: Eric Kelly (Blue Plate Diner). Page 90: Shutterstock.com/MSPhotographic. Page 93: Shutterstock.com/Charles Brutlag. Page 105: Courtesy of Seaplane Diner. Page 117: Shutterstock.com/tacar. Page 119: Eric Kelly (Blue Plate Diner). Page 121: Eric Kelly (Blue Plate Diner). Page 126: Shutterstock.com/Joe Gough. Page 131: Eric Kelly (Blue Plate Diner). Page 133: Eric Kelly (Blue Plate Diner). Page 139: Shutterstock.com/Brent Hofacker. Page 141: Shutterstock.com/hd Connelly. Page 151: Courtesy of Cadco Ltd. Page 157: Eric Kelly (Blue Plate Diner). Page 159: Shutterstock.com/Hannamariah. Page 160: Courtesy of A1 Diner. Page 165: Courtesy of Moodys Diner. Page 170: Shutterstock.com/Martin Gardeazabal. Page 174: Shutterstock.com/A_Lein. Page 177: Shutterstock.com/Jamie Rogers. Page 186: Sharon from Sydney, Australia/Wikimedia Commons. Page 187: Courtesy of Moodys Diner. Page 189: Courtesy of Moodys Diner. Page 200: Janet Picard. Page 204: Courtesy of Moodys Diner. Page 205: Shutterstock.com/Brent Hofacker. Page 210: Courtesy of A1 Diner. Page 216: Shutterstock.com/MSPhotographic.

To my siblings
Dave, Nancy, and Liz

Contents

D iner food is every bit as American as baseball, jazz, and Norman Rockwell. Created by a culture of hard-working people with hearty appetites, a yearning for comfort food, and a need for affordable prices, this cuisine is every bit as red, white, and blue as any other regional American cooking, and New England is the region where diners and diner food were born.

Diners first appeared as all-night eateries in the late 1800s in places like Providence, Rhode Island, and other industrialized cities. Originally called lunch wagons, these cafes on wheels catered to third-shift factory workers, newspapermen, and other night owls. The food served up was hearty, satisfying, and inexpensive, and it was prepared quickly for people on the go. In the early to mid-1900s, diner chefs put lots of time and love into developing their unique brand of homemade dishes, such as meat loaf, mac and cheese, chili, corned beef hash, homefries, and burgers, and its this distinctively American brand of cuisine thats celebrated in this book.

The New England Diner Cookbook captures the essence of diner cuisine through more than 100 recipes from some 25 diners. In addition, there are short features describing some of the best New England diners to visit, and interesting sidebars explain how to prepare diner food and where to learn more about diner culture while mastering the craft of diner cookery at home.

The book opens with an array of breakfast recipes, many of which will be familiar and some that may come as a complete surprise. From omelets to pancakes and waffles to several different types of French toast and eggs Benedict, theres plenty to try out here for that first meal of the day.

The A1 Diner, Gardiner, Maine.

Soups, Chowders, and Chilies features nearly a dozen recipes from this often overlooked category of diner fare. Some of New Englands best chowders come from diners, many of them seafood-based, while others draw their ingredients from the garden. Chili is another New England diner favorite, and though its a dish more often associated with the American Southwest, there are plenty of tasty, spicy versions to be found in the Northeastern corner of the country as well.

The heart of the book lies in the Diner Classics chapter, with its calorie-heavy comfort foods like meat loaf (several different versions), beef stew, New England boiled dinner, and chicken pot pie. Be sure to note the variations on some of the recipes. Subtle differences in ingredients and cooking methods can help turn a picky eater into an avid diner food fan. Have fun trying out these recipes, which offer broad latitude to improvise on ingredients, proportions, and cooking techniques.

Seafood isnt usually the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of diners and diner food, but New Englands proximity to some of the best, most diverse fisheries in the world helps dress up the regions diner menus with some amazing dishes. Diner seafood boasts unique lobster, clam, and scallop dishes, and there are plenty of tasty, healthy finned-fish recipes included here too. From lobster pie to beer-steamed clams to New England cod cakes, this chapter is full of pleasant seafood surprises.

Several of New Englands more progressive, experimental diners have menus and specials that greatly expand the traditional meaning of diner food. From Neapolitan-like American chop suey to grilled cheese with lobster and brie to lamb burgers laced with cilantro and goat cheese, the recipes in this chapter offer some surprising entres and side dishes that greatly expand the palette of diner recipe choices.

Speaking of side dishes, this is another culinary corner where New England diners really shine. Hash of various types, homefries, and seafood-laced fritters are some of the sides found in nearly every diner in the region, and there are several easy-to-follow recipes from which to choose.