Book Review: The Blue Plate Diner Cookbook by Tim Lloyd & James Novak

"The Blue Plate Diner Cookbook" opens up with some delicate history about the Atwood neighborhood in Madison, WI, where the Blue Plate Diner is located. From a nostalgic post-WWII blossoming to a brief but sleazy 70's slip, the neighborhood has experienced great change. Now it's in "a great renaissance," according to [author of the introduction] Monty Schiro, and the Blue Plate Diner is right in the middle of it. In fact, the Diner has played a major part in it with its service, dedication and - most important - its great food.

Anyone who eats in the Blue Plate Diner has seen the cookbooks for sale and, undoubtedly after eating, has wondered the secrets behind the excellent dishes. Well, the secrets aren't all that difficult, or exotic, or exclusive. The cookbook demonstrates an insightful approach to both down-home and, for lack of a better word, funky cooking. While the ingredients are seemingly basic, and the directions are easy to follow, the dishes are some of the most delicious to prepare in (mostly) less than a half an hour.

It's amazing what Blue Plate Diner signature dishes can be made in thirty minutes or less: Moroccan chicken, complete with couscous; grilled chicken salad; beef & barley; and a variety of vegetarian dishes. Of course, the kids' dishes are the simplest and quickest to make, and they're lunch-friendly too. And there are longer, more complicated dishes as well, such as the notorious 'meatloaf of the gods.'

Overall, the cookbook features a plethora of flavors that are easy to maneuver and digest. The ingredients are relatively simple to attain and fairly cheap. Just looking at the book is easy too; the Blue Plate Diner Cookbook is full of color and entertaining graphics. It's spiral-bound with a hardcover, which makes it practical and long-lasting, and is split into five different sections: soups & salads; big bowls; sandwiches; pastas & entrees; and kids & desserts.

But do the recipes turn out as well as the restaurants'? Of course - if you do them right. At times the recipes feel a bit bogged down with specific instructions. But as the book specifies, 'food is an art.' That means the instructions are only there to help, to provide suggestions, which explains some of the distance in the instructions. With some innovation and creativity, readers can kick the Blue Plate Diners into high gear, although they're already speeding on the flavor odometer.

At the end of the book, authors Tim Lloyd and James Novak give their background stories. They write of their humble beginnings in cooking, which relate perfectly to the Blue Plate Diner and its meals. "The Blue Plate Diner Cookbook" is a fantastic way to bring home a piece of this culinary culture. And it's a great tool for cooking some of the easiest and most delicious meals.