The Ultimate Route 66 Cookbook

The Mother Road. Those words have special meaning for me.  My father, the son of an Ohio farmer, travelled Route 66 to California to create a life in a warmer climate.  My mother, the daughter of a Nebraska blacksmith, did the same. When I was a wee little lad we travelled back to visit relatives several times.  When I am on Route 66 I know I have been there before.

My Sweet Lady Wife and I were visiting the Route 66 town of Seligman Arizona (Home to one of only four A&W restaurants left in Arizona) and I spied The Ultimate Route 66 Cookbook in one of the souvenir shops.  Like many foodies, I have a weakness for cookbooks.

Not all the recipes come from roadside diner (Each recipe includes the name of the contributor) but all are clearly straight out of the 1950’s.  For example, Easy Overnight Sausage Rolls from Sharon Stevens, Stevens Farm Inn, Marshfield Mo. Simple, tasty road food.

There is some history in here too.  For example,Page 48 contains the recipe for Red Chili Chowder from Rod’s Steakhouse in Williams Arizona. The following page is devoted to the story of Rod’s Steakhouse, its founder Rod Graves, and the current owners: Lawrence and Stella Sanchez.

When you are looking for a meal that is simple and nostalgic The Ultimate Route 66 Cookbook is a great source of inspiration.