Customer Rating: 
Summary: Great variety of Flavors
Comment: I got this book as a Christmas present about two years ago. Since then, we've made chili every week or two during the cold months and have NEVER gotten bored with it yet. I like to cook something different almost every night. We're a family that does not have a short list of meals that we cycle through. The recipes in this book are so diverse -- and still taste good. It's been so fun eating through the different regions. -- Havanah Moon Chili with the latino flavor influence, Gilroy Garlic chili, with FOUR HEADS of garlic -- cooked down to sweet perfection, Pork and Peanut chili, expertly flavored, Pork Poblano and Cream Cheese Chili... I could go on and on. All great!
Sometimes it's hard to find the exact chili (I have to admit, I cheat in a pinch). But the descriptions are very helpful and there is also a "where to find it" section. I really enjoy reading the introductory paragraphs for recipes and the Sterns give a really intro ones that are often an entire page or two. It satisfies my interest in the how and why of a recipe. Now if they could just do a cookbook for spaghetti nation!
If you enjoy chili, this is a great book to add to your collection.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Everything is better with chili
Comment: This is a really fun book. I like how the various chilis are identified by the region that enjoys them. One of my favorites is the Cincinnati chili, which has chocolate in it. Hey, anything with chocolate has to be a good thing, right?
I found another book like this for hot dogs, which also have a lot of interesting regional differences.
Great American Hot Dog Book
Customer Rating:
Summary: A great little book that's worth more than the ticket price
Comment: I admit--I first got this book on a whim to top up an order for Super Saver Shipping. It's now one of my most reached-for cookbooks, and is almost falling apart from use! CAVEAT: Don't buy this book unless you have access to most of the various chilies--fresh, dried, and canned--in the book; using the listed ingredients really DOES make a difference. However, the Internet is a great resource for finding hard-to-find items, and dried chilies stay forever in a bag in the freezer. Also, the contents of an opened can can be frozen in a baggie...having said that, I have won more than one informal pot-luck prize with the gems in this book.Not all chili has to be watery, or contain starch--many of the recipes are for what I call "Texas-style" recipes--all meat, no beans--which leaves you to choose your own side-dish to temper the heat. This book runs the gamut of recipes from ultra-mild to very hot, vegetarian to carnivore paradise. Almost every single recipe requires only one pot, and can easily be increased for a crowd. For solitary folks, nothing beats a batch of chilie--eat half over a few days and freeze the rest for a great meal when you're in a rush.
Get this one and have fun!
Customer Rating: 
Summary: I'm a citizen!
Comment: I have to admit that I enjoy reading the Sterns' books primarily for their food writing. Even if I never prepared a single recipe out of any of their many titles, I would still value their books and, generally, give them pretty high ratings. In other words, I'm a fan of "food lit."From that standpoint, this book was a little disappointing, in that it's split fifty-fifty (almost literally, given the fifty states plus D.C.) between recipes and commentary. This utilitarian little guide doesn't have the foodie allure of "Roadfood," which remains, to this point, my favorite Stern book. I readily admit that for most people, though, and especially for chili-heads who may not necessarily be Stern fans, this title has a lot to offer.
Specifically, what it has to offer is chili -- fifty-one recipes ranging from the classic (Massachusetts' Rock-ribbed bean-and-beef chili) to the exotic (Hawaii's Paniolo macadamia nut and chipotle chili) to the, frankly, bizarre (West Virginia's Fried bologna chili). I was expecting Washington to offer some kind of salmon-based chili, and was intrigued to find instead a recipe featuring our other well-known export, coffee. What you won't find is a "basic" chili -- each recipe is an unusual, not to say unique, regional variation on a theme that is left unstated (kind of the "Enigma Variations" of food, I guess).
With all this diversity, there's something for every taste, including vegetarians. Even if you're not a chili-head, it's worth the effort to track down this book and give a few of the selections a try.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Just Plain Fun!
Comment: I bought this book on a whim about a year ago, and simply love it. Its both a cultural adventure and a delicious trek accross America. If you are a chili purist, you might have trouble with some of the recipes. If you just like tastey food, you'll love the variety of recipes paying homage to what is arguably our nation's favorite food. The cultural anecdotes preceding the recipes for each state and the District of Columbia are interesting and lend insight into why the ingredients for the recipes were selected. They are fun, easy to make recipes that your family will truly enjoy. We particularly love the Whistle Stop Chili from Alabama, the Arizona version featuring pork, and the Nebraska Chili Mac and Cheese.
I think you will enjoy this trip across America as much as we did.
