American food is no longer just steak, potatoes, and apple pie. Over the past 50 years, dishes that were once exotic have become essential parts of the American menu. Here, for the first time, David Rosengarten has created a definitive cookbook of truly American favorites, ranging from coast to coast, back into the past, and into the cuisines that have merged with the American mainstream in recent decades. Rosengarten places authentic Cajun recipes alongside the sizzling Cuban specialties of Miami. He unveils the mystery behind Philly cheesesteak sandwiches and Maryland crab cakes. He retrieves American classics like chicken pot pie and tuna melt from Junior League cookbooks and restores them to their glory. From breakfast, where he gives the secrets for perfect scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns, to an array of indulgent late night desserts, David Rosengarten has written an unpretentious and accessible adoration of the American kitchen. This celebration of our nation's wonderfully varied cuisine belongs on every home cook's bookshelf.

Author Biography: David Rosengarten was the host of Taste on the Food Network from 1994-2000. His articles have appeared in Gourmet, the New York Times, Newsday, Food & Wine, and Bon Appetit. He is the author of three previous cookbooks based on his cooking show. He lives in New York.