Part memoir, part guidebook, part cookbook, and all parts hilarious, Two for the Road shares the lessons the Sterns have learned during thirty year...
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reviews
Aug 28, 2009
Michael
rated it: 
I personally had never heard of either Jane or Michael Stern before reading this book, and it wasn't until a few chapters in that it clicked that they are the folks behind roadfood.com, which I certainly *had* heard of.
This book is really just a collection of stories and musings that Jane and Michael have collected over the past 30+ years about seeking out the best (and often times, worst) in road food.
There's not really an order to the book necessarily, but then again, t More...
This book is really just a collection of stories and musings that Jane and Michael have collected over the past 30+ years about seeking out the best (and often times, worst) in road food.
There's not really an order to the book necessarily, but then again, t More...
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Jun 28, 2009
Sara
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I known Jane and Michael Stern exclusively from their segments on Lynn Rosetto Casper's "The Splendid Table." I always appreciate their unbridled enthusiasm in their voices and the rhythm with which they rhapsodize over their meals and regularly interrupt each other. My one complaint is that it seems that they are always talking about barbecue. I don't care if barbecue gets a substantial amount of their attention, but every single week they claim that they have discovered the best b
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Jun 25, 2009
Bit
rated it: 
If you want to know what it takes to find, track down, and eat food, all day, every day, check this one out. Jane and Michael Stern, of "Roadfood" fame, give us and entire tour from their humble beginnings to their present day fame.
Each chapter addresses a different aspect of their life as roadfood recorders from their issues with hotels, to problems with weight, and what to do with food that is just plain inedible. Told with humor, insight, and a great deal of foodie des More...
Each chapter addresses a different aspect of their life as roadfood recorders from their issues with hotels, to problems with weight, and what to do with food that is just plain inedible. Told with humor, insight, and a great deal of foodie des More...
Jan 12, 2011
Toni
rated it: 
A better title for this book would be "How To Become Grossly Obese." The writing was okay and often funny, but the amount of food the authors say they ate--12 meals a day, ordering steaks weighing "a couple pounds," eating three slices of pie at tea--is disgusting. I have to admit that it really bothered me as well that while Michael took up running to combat the huge number of calories, Jane went and bought Amish underwear & big flowing clothes and then criticized another
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Mar 09, 2009
Jen
rated it: 
this book was really endearing and sweet. a tale of a couple who spends their better years together, traveling across the country searching out the best diners, bbq and cafes around the country.
first off this books deals with two things i LOVE:
1. road trips
2. food (especially mom and pop diners)
it took a while to get used to their first person/third person way of writing, but eventually i managed. however, my inherent jealousy of their experience was borderi More...
first off this books deals with two things i LOVE:
1. road trips
2. food (especially mom and pop diners)
it took a while to get used to their first person/third person way of writing, but eventually i managed. however, my inherent jealousy of their experience was borderi More...
May 25, 2009
Russ
rated it:
I'm a fan of the Sterns and their wonderful website Roadfood.com. I especially enjoy their great writing style (or, more likely, Michael's great writing style). The Sterns could make a piece of cardboard sound appetizing, and their descriptions of the textures, tastes, smells and more of each food item make you want whatever it is they're describing. Let's put it this way: They have a way with words.
Two For The Road is their sort-of biography. They tell some of the thousands of More...
Two For The Road is their sort-of biography. They tell some of the thousands of More...
Apr 01, 2008
Jeremy
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First of all, the "Roadfood" books contain some of my flat-out favorite writing. Sometimes I think I'd rather read a Stern-scribed paragraph devoted to a cheeseburger than eat one. The paragraph is often at least equally satisfying, and doesn't magically turn into a poor-smelling brown thing that begs to exit your asshole while you're in the middle of a particularly good "Seinfeld" you haven't seen in awhile. I'm just trying to get the poop reference out of the way early h
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Mar 01, 2011
Another good one. Jane and Michael Stern are a husband/wife food writer team. They travel the back roads of America looking for offbeat diners, restaurants and eateries. They write about the food, the restaurants, the people they meet, and their travels in general. This book is informative, entertaining and sometimes funny. Very easy to read and really interesting. It inpired me to try to eat at all locally owned places on our upcoming trip. This is much easier with a GPS!
Dec 04, 2011
Debra
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I love to cook...but long ago decided that I am not a fancy, fine dining type chef but a road food type person. Just good road food. Needless to say, I love the Sterns' concept.
This book is a series of loosely related chapters, some better than others. Definitely do not want to travel with them, but I do envy them finding some of these places.
Several of the interspersed recipes sound worth trying. We shall see.
This book is a series of loosely related chapters, some better than others. Definitely do not want to travel with them, but I do envy them finding some of these places.
Several of the interspersed recipes sound worth trying. We shall see.
Sep 03, 2010
Kate
rated it:
This was an homage to American road food. I would kill someone for fried chicken and a biscuit right about now, after finishing it. And barbecue, oh barbecue..mmm...Ok, no more drooling. Besides the amazing food descriptions, I liked how it was written in sort of a combination first and third person. It's "we" but "Jane said this" and "Michael said that." It was a little disconcerting at first, but worked really well.
Apr 26, 2011
Doug
rated it:
Not necessarily a great book, as works of literature, but great inspiration for our summer road trip, as well as some great suggestions for places to stop for meals along the way. While the sheer volume of food that the Stern's consumed in their journeys was a bit overwhelming, the idea of criss-crossing the country in search of great local eateries is wonderful.
Nov 20, 2009
Kim
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Jane and Michael Stern are amazing writers who can make a trip to a small-town diner witty and entertaining. I very much enjoyed reading this book. However, I couldn't help feeling appalled at the diet that the Sterns celebrate. They seem to only enjoy a meal if it has 3,000 calories. Deep fried dough anyone? Also, eating 12 meals a day is just disgusting.
Apr 25, 2009
Marnie
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This book was fun to read & it had some recipes that might be fun to try. Jane & Michael Stern go all over the country to eat regional American food & write about it. Most of the food is really greasy & unhealthy but it sounds like they have fun & an interesting life. They're Jewish, but they sure eat a lot of pork. I loved the descriptions of the food.
Sep 26, 2010
i will always remember reading roadfood entry by entry as a tiny kid, including states i knew i'd never get to any time imaginably soon. i knew details of how vegetables are cooked in memphis and the origin of thrown rolls, way beyond my years. ps read this review, my heart melts http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/books/...
Jul 26, 2011
Jill
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Fun and lively road trip with two serious foodies - in the long course of their "research", Jane and Michael Stern eat up to twelve meals every day! With hilarious results - after all, not all road food is good food. A perfect summer read, guaranteed to give you a growling stomach and a wandering Jones.
Jul 15, 2010
Marguerite
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I've been a fan of Jane and Michael Stern for decades, but this book is a bit disappointing. It's heavily padded with recipes, for one thing, and the idea of road food is that you eat it while you're on the road, not re-create it in your kitchen. I would rather have more anecdotes, reflection, whatnot. The Sterns' habit of referring to themselves in the third person feels awkward. I would rather see some his-and-hers takes occasionally. And, something's missing. The elephant in the room is the f
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Apr 03, 2009
Avory
rated it:
This is a fun, light read, all about food. The authors of Roadfood have a great humorous style, and describe their travels and eating adventures in a way that we can all feel ourselves clunking along the highway with them. I especially appreciated their description of Southern traditions, from barbeque to big communal dining experiences with a lazy Susan with fried chicken flying past to the typical country restaurant where all the locals know each other by name. It was also interesting to re
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Mar 22, 2009
Corey
rated it:
A fun read, if you're familiar with Jane and Michael
Stern's column in Gourmet magazine and their weekly
Splendid Table interview. Not especially well-written,
but amusing stories about traveling America's back-
highways
Stern's column in Gourmet magazine and their weekly
Splendid Table interview. Not especially well-written,
but amusing stories about traveling America's back-
highways
Feb 10, 2009
Amy
rated it:
Just a fun book. This is the autobiography of a husband and wife team who rate obscure food across the country. Their way of writing is witty and just fun to read. Be warned, it will make you hungry for texas BBQ and southern fried chicken!
Jul 27, 2011
A pleasant read about how this husband-wife team of food writers got started and some highlights from their joint career, but nothing special. Even as food porn, it's just not that compelling. Wish I liked it more.
Jul 12, 2009
Katherine
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The authors have written the original "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." Two Yale grads without direction (or directions) take to the open road and explore American roadside cuisine. Funny and sometimes disgusting.
Feb 03, 2009
Gwen
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This book was written in enjoyable and easy to read chapters. I would have given this book higher stars had the authors gone into further depth about the food and culture. That said, I found some places I would really like to go and try. Road trip anyone?
Oct 06, 2011
Leigh
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Interesting enough to finish. SOrt of a best, worst and weirdest of all their years travelling for the Roadfood column.
Mar 27, 2010
Vikki
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They went many places and ate a lot of food. Sometimes they had nine to twelve meals a day. Why would anyone do that?
Dec 29, 2008
Angie
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This book was right up my alley. I LOVE food and I LOVE road trips. Combine the two and you've got Two for the Road.
May 07, 2009
Joan
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A fun, quick read, but the "we are legion"-style shifting Jane/Michael/we point of view drove me batty.
Mar 31, 2009
I love hearing them on the Splendid Table each week so I can't wait to get a hold of this someday!
Aug 06, 2007
MBC
rated it:
Jane and Michael Stern eat twelve meals a day. They love food. For more than 30 years and 3 million miles, the co-authors of Roadfood have been traveling the country looking for barbecue, mashed potatoes, pie, and other favorite foods served in diners and cafeterias off the beaten path. In their humorous memoir, they share their adventures in eating and divulge their best recipes and tips (restaurants with plastic animals on the roof or pictures of Jesus as part of the décor always have the b
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Jul 26, 2009
Debbie (Readerbuzz)
rated it:
Great road trip, with lots of great company and great food.
