From Green Giant and Hamburger Helper to Jiffy Pop and Jell-O, syndicated columnist Wyman reveals the fascinating origins of America's favorite "food" products.

The first-ever (and long overdue) popular history and homage to the luncheon loaf that became America's "miracle meat." 200+ illustrations & photos.

Including the DVD, This Is My Cheesesteak Philadelphia cheesesteaks are known and loved everywhere! THE iconic Philadelphia food, cheesesteaks are one of a handful of regional foods—like bagels, cheesecake, and crab cakes—that are loved around the world. Attempts at creating Philadelphia cheesesteaks occur, not only in many parts of the United States, but beyond—including Greece, Japan, Israel, Norway, Kenya, Tanzania, St. Maarten, and Mexico. They are made in truck stops, diners, delis, and four-star establishments. During the Democratic caucus in Philadelphia, Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton each made it a point to have a cheesesteak. During the 2004 presidential campaign, John Kerry made the mistake that may have cost him the election: he ordered Swiss cheese on his cheesesteak . . . a big mistake! There is no book on the market about the cheesesteak—not a cookbook, not a guidebook, not a scholarly look into the ordering process . . . nothing. With reviews of more than 100 local and world-wide eateries, accompanied by original and creative recipes, this fun guide is sure to delight tourists and locals alike.

A history, guidebook, and cookbook showcasing the chocolate chip cookie! Wyman tells the true story of the cookie's invention; provides a state-by-state survey of bakeries and restaurants known for their chocolate chip cookie creations; and provides recipes for sour cream, pudding, kosher, vegan, and gluten-free cookies, as well as tips for taking your recipe to the next level.

Offers a close-up look at the history of this popular fruit-flavored dessert, describing its marketing and sales strategies, detailing such offbeat uses for the product as JELL-O shots and JELL-O wrestling, and presenting a variety of common and unusual recipes.

Who didn't grow up on Jell-O gelatin? Hospitals dished it out after your tonsils were removed, & Mom always stashed a box for dessert. Fast, easy, & cheap, Jell-O has reigned as America's Most Famous DessertÓ for more more than 100 years. But where & when & how did it all begin? Junk-food authority Carolyn Wyman answers these questions & many more in this painstakingly researched biography of the fruit-flavored dessert (& sometimes salad). With more than 200 photos, illustrations, & recipes, this book shares the sweet story of the primordial slime's success.

Forget lobster rolls and crab cakes. The dish East Coast residents really clamor for are clam cakes and fritters. In Maine, it's a deep-fried clam patty; in Virginia, a clam-filled pancake; in Southern New England, clam doughnut holes that are a summer sacrament despite their bad nutrition, frequent greasiness and limited availability (or actually, maybe, because of those things). The Great Clam Cake and Fritter Guide digs into the origins of these cultish regional treats, profiles 50 of the best clam-cake/fritter-making restaurants and shacks and details the most significant artistic and event tributes to this food on Family Guy, in Don Bousquet cartoons and a Pulitzer Prize-winning short story, among others. Do-it-yourselfers will delight in the book's bike and car clam cake crawl itineraries, guides to cake-side beaches and 20-plus recipes. The Great Clam Cake and Fritter Guide is the definitive clam cake/fritter history, cookbook and travel guidebook, and your dream of lounging around beautiful seacoast settings stuffing your face with delicious fried seafood come true!

Chronicles the personal life and singing career of the well-known jazz artist and discusses her impact on contemporary music.

Food columnist and junk-food fan Carolyn Wyman has unearthed a treasure trove of unconventional, surprising, and just plain weird recipes sure to provoke even the most jaded palate. From community cookbooks, food manufacturer promotions, recipe contests, and local lore come dishes that get their "zing" from secret, unexpected ingredients (chow mein candy, twelve-tea-bag soup); delicacies that make the most of nature (dandelion mini-pizzas, rattlesnake chili); concoctions that evolved from food fashions and obsessions (Velveeta fudge, apple lasagne), and other landmarks - and land mines - of culinary experimentation. The Kitchen Sink Cookbook also includes food art projects - great rainy-day activities for kids of all ages; memorable recipes for holidays and special occasions; instructions on creating food-based health, beauty, and household-cleaning products; mail order sources for rare delicacies like emu jerky and grilled steak-and-onion potato chips.

Offers brief histories of American foods and their manufacturers, including cereals, breads, coffee, frozen foods, snacks, canned foods, rice, baking products, soft drinks, candy, condiments, meat, and cookies