Saturday, January 9, 2010

MORE DINERS, DRIVE-INS AND DIVES: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
MORE DINERS, DRIVE-INS
AND DIVES

A DROP-TOP CULINARY CRUISE THROUGH
AMERICA'S FINEST AND FUNKIEST JOINTS
BY GUY FIERI
AND ANN VOLKWEIN

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Food Network star Guy Fieri takes you on a tour of America's most colorful diners, drive-ins, and dives in this tie-in to his enormously popular television show, complete with recipes, photos, and memorabilia.

Join New York Times bestselling author Guy Fieri, host of the hugely popular Food Network show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, as he takes you on a tour of 60 more of the best local restaurants across America, as featured in his very favorite episodes. Bursting with his iconic personality, the book will follow his hot-rod trips around the country, mapping out the best places you′ve never heard of. Wherever he goes, Guy showcases the amazing personalities, the fascinating stories, and most important, the outrageously good food provided by these American treasures. Replete with recipes, photos, and memorabilia, and featuring Guy′s hilarious voice and rampant enthusiasm for these hidden culinary gems, DINERS #2 is the perfect gift for the his countless fans and for lovers of the American food scene.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Only two short years ago, Guy Fieri competed on and won season two of The Next Food Network Star. Today he hosts three popular shows on the Food Network, including Guy's Big Bite, where he teaches viewers how to make creative dishes with bold flavors; Ultimate Recipe Showdown, where he showcases home cooks' best recipes; and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, where he travels across America to find the most unique food America has to offer. From daytime to primetime, Guy brings his unique personality to Food Network multiple times a week.

This likeable laid-back California "guy" with his trademark bleached-blond spiky hair began his love affair with food at the age of ten, selling soft pretzels from a three-wheeled bicycle cart he built with his father named "The Awesome Pretzel." Through selling pretzels and washing dishes, Guy earned enough money in six years to study abroad as an exchange student in Chantilly, France. While there, he gained a true appreciation not only for international cuisine, but the culture and lifestyle associated with it.

Guy attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management. He began his career with Stouffers, managing their flagship restaurant in Long Beach, California. After three years, Guy became District Manager of Louise's Trattoria, where he oversaw six restaurants and was in charge of recruiting and training for the growing chain.

In 1996, Guy and his business partner, Steve Gruber, embarked on a Sonoma County Italian restaurant, Johnny Garlic's. They opened their first location in Santa Rosa in the fall of 1996, a second outpost in Windsor in 1999, and a third debuted in Roseville, California, in late 2008. With the success of their first restaurant concept, they developed Tex Wasabi's, a Southern BBQ and California Sushi restaurant in 2003 in Santa Rosa, California. Guy opened a second location in Sacramento in 2007. In addition to their thriving restaurants, customers can buy fun products, including T-shirts, squeeze bottles, aprons, hats, and more.

Guy has been a three-term President of the Restaurant Association of the Redwood Empire, serves on the Board of Directors for the Educational Foundation of the California Restaurant Association, and most recently was Grand Marshal for NASCAR in Sonoma. Guy believes in using his celebrity to help others, and in the fall of 2007, the Navy flew him to the Persian Gulf to entertain and cook for the troops.

Guy lives in Northern California with his wife, Lori, and two boys: Hunter and Ryder. When he isn't on the road or in a studio, he loves to spend time taking road trips with his family, cooking, and restoring his classic race cars and dirt bikes, and riding his lifted monster golf cart.

Ann Volkwein is a food and lifestyle writer and editor based in New York City and Austin, Texas. A graduate of the Institute for Culinary Education, she is a former culinary producer for Food Network. Her previous books include The Healthy Table (with Luis Ratto), The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, and the forthcoming Austin Style.


REVIEW:
Guy Fieri gives readers the sequel to his best-selling DINERS, DRIVE-INS and DIVES, by taking another tour around the country. In doing so, he serves up some of the best food he can find on his tour as well as lots of side orders of hilarity and fun. With a foreward written by none other than legendary Chef Emerial Lagasse, this MORE DINERS, DRIVE-INS, AND DIVES book is a tour as well as Lagasse giving the readers a pass to backstage while Fieri's show is going on. The interview with Guy himself is included as well as lots of fun backstage photographs explaining how things work including Guy's top 5 pranks!

On the tour itself, Guy divides the country into regions like in the first book. This time they are Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South, Midwest, and West and Southwest. Within each region, he chooses about 12 to 18 places. The recipes are so delicious looking and sound so yummy that it is hard to be reading and not be with him having a taste. From things like Cheddar Cheese Burgers with Jezebel Sauce to Bar-B-Q FRIED Chicken sound incredible! So many breakfasts, burgers, sandwiches, main courses, side orders and sweets can be found in this book that you just might put on a few pounds reading it. I can tell you this, you will surely put on a smile as you enjoy the travels of "Great Guy" and his traveling show.

If you are looking for a cookbook per say, this is not what you want. If you want an enjoyable food book with some recipes in it, then here it is. The many photographs are wonderful and the index covers the recipes in groups such as breakfasts, burgers and sandwiches, condiments and sauces, starters, dinner mains, and sides and sweets. They also include a list of all the restaurants featured on the show and the book in case you want to plan your own gastronomically tasty tour! A great read and makes a super gift!

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO SHAWN AND MY AMAZING
FRIENDS AT HARPER COLLINS, I HAVE
FIVE AUTOGRAPHED COPIES OF THIS
DELICIOUS BOOK
TO GIVEAWAY!!!!



--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!
HOW TO ENTER

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT THIS COOKBOOK OR AUTHORS FROM THE DESCRIPTIONS OR THE VIDEO

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON A FAVORITE FOOD TREAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AT A LOCAL DINER, DRIVE-IN, OR DIVE!

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND THEN COME BACK AND LEAVE A LINK

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT 6 PM, EST,
JANUARY 15 FOR THIS BOOK!


HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO
ENTERED DURING THE BLOGIVERSARY
WEEKEND ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE
GRAND PRIZE TO COME ON JANUARY 16...
THAT IS THEY WIN ALL 12 BOOKS

NOTE: BLOGIVERSARY WEEKEND
GRAND PRIZE ELIGIBILITY IS OVER!

BUT YOU CAN STILL WIN THIS BOOK!

105 comments:

scottsgal said...

Guy enjoys restoring dirt bikes and classic cars
msboatgal at aol.com

scottsgal said...

Sometimes there's just nothing better than a greasy burger from a local diner
msboatgal at aol.com

Zia said...

The signature recipes! Oh and the jacked up golf cart heh.

Zia
ziaria(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I just think it's great people like Guy are so inventive, mixing BBQ with sushi and etc!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I just think it's great people like Guy are so inventive, mixing BBQ with sushi and etc!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Zia said...

I twittered about it also: http://twitter.com/Ziaria

holdenj said...

I love good onion rings and those are the best at a real diner!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Benita said...

I learned that Guy started "his love affair with food at the age of ten, selling soft pretzels from a three-wheeled bicycle cart he built with his father named "The Awesome Pretzel." Through selling pretzels and washing dishes, Guy earned enough money in six years to study abroad as an exchange student in Chantilly, France. While there, he gained a true appreciation not only for international cuisine, but the culture and lifestyle associated with it."

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

As a treat from the local diner I have Malibu Chicken. It's chopped chicken in pita bread smothered in Greek Tsaziki sauce made from yogurt. It's heaven.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

rubynreba said...

The Navy flew him to the Persian Gulf to entertain and cook for the troops in 2007.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

I love a nice thick malt or shake!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Anonymous said...

I learned that Guy, at the age of 10, sold soft pretzels from a three-wheeled bicycle cart he built with his father.

Sheila
skkorman@bellsouth.net

Carol W. said...

Having seen this entertaining show, I am aware of Guy's captivating personality. When I read that the book includes some of Guy's "pranks", I knew it would be a book both my husband and I would enjoy.

wolfcarol451(at)gmail(dot)com

Carol W. said...

I'd love to go to a diner, drive-in, or dive and order macaroni and cheese!

wolfcarol451(at)gmail(dot)com

Kaye said...

It's good that the book lists all the restaurants.


florida982002{at}yahoo.com

christina said...

YAY! I am totally into this. I love this show!

c (dot) beumer (at) gmail (dot) com

Kaye said...

Johnson's Drive-in in Marshfield MA had the best fried clams, ever! They still had car hop service too when I was a teenager.

Great memories!

florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Lacey said...

guy started by selling soft pretzels from a three-wheeled bicycle cart he built with his father named "The Awesome Pretzel." Very cool!!

Lacey914@sbcglobal.net

Anonymous said...

I love running over to Pizza Time for a hot Italian ... sub, that is! Oh, and then there's also the tiramisu—yummy to the extreme!

Sheila
skkorman@bellsouth.net

Lacey said...

My favorite treat at a local diner is a root beer float

Lacey914@sbcglobal.net

Anonymous said...

I learned that Guy Fieri lives in Northern California, is married, has 2 sons and that this book is a sequel.

Donna
dlhaley@hotmail.com

Lacey said...

http://twitter.com/HtxAstrosFan/status/7573736385

tweet!

Lacey914@sbcglobal.net

Linda Kish said...

Guy's book is divided into regions of the country with 12-18 restaurants in each region.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I usually only have a plain hamburger and a soda.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

bermudaonion said...

I learned that Guy earned enough money to study abroad by selling pretzels.

milou2ster(at)gmail.com

bermudaonion said...

I love a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich at a diner near my parents'.

milou2ster(at)gmail.com

DarcyO said...

The Navy flew Guy in to the Persian Gulf to entertain and cook for the troops.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

I'd love a great cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate shake at the Flameburger.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Unknown said...

I thought it was interesting that Guy was an exchange student to France!

One of my favorite local diner treats is the combination of an omelet and pancakes. Eggs, sausage and cheese wrapped in a giant pancake. Yum!

jgbeads(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I found it interesting that Guy graduated with a bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management. I always thought he went to culinary school instead.

shopgurl101@gmail.com

Unknown said...

We have this drive in at a nearby city called checkers. They have the best fries! YUMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

shopgurl101@gmail.com

sharon54220 said...

WOW!! He started at the young age of 10 selling soft pretzels.

sharon54220@gmail.com

sharon54220 said...

I love a good Pizza Burger.

sharon54220@gmail.com

Angie said...

I like that the book is divided by regions. Each region has their specialties that they make better than anyone else.

aksimmo at brainerd dot net

Angie said...

Favorite treat is a chocolate malt from 371 Diner. Nobody makes them better!

aksimmo at brainerd dot net

Reading said...

I love that Guy won The Next Foodnetwork Star contest.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Reading said...

I just love fries with melted cheese! They are so good, and so bad for you.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Jessica ( frellathon ) said...

I love that Guy is so enthused about food. As a fellow food lover it's catching gotta admire that love of what he does.

jessica(at)fan(dot)com

Jessica ( frellathon ) said...

Omg is there anything better then a burger, fries and a shake? I think not.

jessica(at)fan(dot)com

Cheffer said...

I never knew that Guy started a business with his father. I thought it was cool that he had a pretzel cart called the Awesome Pretzel.

Fourevermandm@aol.com

Cheffer said...

My favorite food is from my local dinner Georgios Kitchen they make the best fried pickles and homemade dipping sauce!

Cheffer said...

Tweeted this giveaway!
https://twitter.com/PastryChefSam

Fourevermandm@aol.com

Anonymous said...

He started in the food industry at a very young age, 10.

Wendy
ebeandebe at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Fries, the greasy, not good for you fries!

Wendy
ebeandebe at gmail dot com

Wrighty said...

What terrific giveaways! My hubby loves this show and we're watching it right now. I knew that Guy won the contest to get his show but I never knew that he started out selling pretzels from his own cart. Very enterprising!

5wrights1[at]verizon[dot]net

Wrighty said...

I live in a small town with a couple of diners that have been around a long time. Our most popular has been here for over 80 years and the third generation of the family now operates it. They are famous for their hot dogs, Texas Hot style!

5wrights1[at]verizon[dot]net

brokenteepee said...

I love that Guy sold pretzels from a cart. I used to buy pretzels from a cart in Philadelphia when I was a child.
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

I love strawberry shortcake in diners. It's always so...big
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

I follow by google and email thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

Jane said...

I had no idea that Guy Fieri hosts three shows on the Food Network.

janie1215 AT excite DOT com

Jane said...

I love ordering cheese fries at the diner.

janie1215 AT excite DOT com

Jane said...

I'm already a GFC follower.

janie1215 AT excite DOT com

justpeachy36 said...

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

Ohhh I wanna win this one. I would like to eat at every single place LOL...

Unknown said...

I like that this cookbook is a food book with recipes...my favorite format!

Unknown said...

I love Sonic Cheddar Bites when near a Sonic....we don't have those around where I live now.

ashleymaymott(at)aol(dot)com

Alyce said...

I love watching the Diners show on the Food Network, and had no idea that he got his start at such a young age selling pretzels from a bike.

akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com

Alyce said...

One of our local restaurants makes these awesome shoestring deep fried breaded onions that are just to die for (they are sprinkled with parmesan and served with both ranch and bbq sauce). Ok, now I'm hungry. :)

akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com

Unknown said...

I learned that he won the 2nd season of the Next Food Network Star. It would be fun to travel around the US and eat.
amandarwest at gmaildotcom

Mitzi H. said...

I love all the picture...what an awesome book.

mitzihinkey at sbcglobal dot net

Mitzi H. said...

One of my favorite foods at a greasy spoon is "Chicken Fried Steak".....Yummy!!!

mitzihinkey at sbcglobal dot net

Mitzi H. said...

I'm a follower

mitzihinkey at sbcglobal dot net

Michelle Stockard Miller said...

I have watched this show many times, but I did not know that Guy won The Next Food Network Star.

miller4plusmore(at)bellsouth(dot)net

Michelle Stockard Miller said...

I like the country fried steak toaster at Sonic!

miller4plusmore(at)bellsouth(dot)net

LoveMyCoffee said...

I love this little hole in the wall that serves the best burgers.
I learned that Ann has written a book called, The Healthy Table.

Google follower

Dutchlvr1(at)aol.com

nfmgirl said...

In 2007, the Navy flew him to the Persian Gulf to cook for the troops.

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

When I think of diners, I think of western omelets and malted milk shakes. My Dad got both in diners while we traveled.

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I love that Guy went to the Persian Gulf to entertain and cook for the troops.

nbmars AT yahoo DOT com

rhapsodyinbooks said...

My favorite food treat at a local diner is a milkshake in the silver container and you get to keep the container with you to add more to your glass!

nbmars AT yahoo DOT com

booklover0226 said...

Well, Guy has been a three-term President of the Restaurant Association of the Redwood Empire!

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 At gmail dot com

booklover0226 said...

There is a diner about 20 minutes from me that serves the best fries and gravy!

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 At gmail dot com

Wickdogg said...

I enjoyed watching him when he was on The Next Food Network Star that he won


wickdogg AT gmail dot com

Wickdogg said...

I think it has to be the skinny french fries from Steak & Shake

wickdogg AT gmail dot com

Renee said...

find it interesting that he drives a monster golf cart


reneesuz82@msn(d0t)com

Wendy said...

I had no idea Guy has been to the Persian Gulf to cook for the troops! Wow!

I simply love Guy and he's a bit of a local hero here where I live in Northern Cali. He really was a go-getting from a very young age and I admire that!


Thanks for the entry!

Wendy
wendysfictionaddiction(at)gmail(dot)com

Wendy said...

For me, there's absolutely NOTHING better than a burger and hot, crispy fries from a diner, drive-in or dive! YUM!


Thanks for the entry!

Wendy
wendysfictionaddiction(at)gmail(dot)com

CherylS22 said...

I found it interesting that Guy Fieri was an exchange student in Chantilly, France where he gained an appreciation for international cuisine.

Thanks ~ megalon22 at yahoo dot com

CherylS22 said...

A favorite food treat would be a bacon cheeseburger with fries & a chocolate milkshake.
megalon22 at yahoo dot com

traveler said...

Thanks for this giveaway. Guy is a character. He enjoys classic cars. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I enjoy a wonderful pastrami sandwich at a diner. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Edna said...

this would be a great read as I used to go to drive-ins and the drive-in movies when I was in my late teens.


Mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net

Libby's Library said...

I've watched Guy on TV, but never knew that he had such a substantial formal educational background, in cooking!

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Libby's Library said...

Onion rings - YUM!

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Rebecca Orr said...

I am liking that it includes things like sweets and breakfast stuff. But a good burger recipe would be great too!

bekki1820cb at gmail

Rebecca Orr said...

When I go my local diner, I get a Tuna Melt with Swiss on rye bread! And curly fries. So yummy...and greasy, so I do not go very often.

bekki1820cb at gmail

Linda Henderson said...

I think it's great that he brings us foods from the best places we've never heard of. And who wouldn't want different hamburger recipes.

seriousreader at live dot com

Linda Henderson said...

Personally I like to eat the foot long cheese coneys from the Sonic Drive Ins.

seriousreader at live dot com

Nancye said...

I LOVE this show!! Guy is hilarious! I learned that in 1996, Guy and his business partner, Steve Gruber, opened Johnny Garlic's which was an Italian restaurant.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I love getting a Peanut Butter shake from Sonic. Yummy!!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/7610644007

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Missa said...

I didn't know Guy Fieri's love for food started with selling pretzels from a cart!

sweetmissa at gmail dot com

Missa said...

One of my favorite diners was actually featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (The Brownstone in Jersey City, NJ), and I looove their Pancake Roll-Ups. One is filled with apple compote, another filled with blueberries and the third with strawberries. Delicious!

sweetmissa at gmail dot com

Missa said...

Tweeted: http://twitter.com/hunniebee724/status/7611932717

sweetmissa at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

I love Guy's show. It shows me a lot of what I HAVE TO AVOID... haha...

Unknown said...

I follow with google reader.

RAnn said...

I like the way they have stuff from all over the country. ruthjoec at aoldotcom

RAnn said...

All the neighborhood places here have shrimp po-boys and they are usually very good. ruthjoec at aoldotcom

Ladytink_534 said...

I've seen him on FoodNetwork before. I'd love a chance to win!

Ladytink_534(at)yahoo(dot)com

Ladytink_534 said...

Our local claim to fame is a barbecue resturaunt called the Shed around here. It's a bit too spicy for me but I still like it once every so often.

Ladytink_534(at)yahoo(dot)com

Terri said...

I was surprised and thrilled to see that besides visiting diners, etc. he includes actual recipes. I've never seen the show but I think I'll have to check it out!

Terri said...

There's nothing like french fries with gravy from local diners! We used to have one that served super fantastic chili but sadly, it's gone...

Terri said...

Tweeted: http://twitter.com/Dahbou/status/7638907914

Sandra K321 said...

He sold enough pretzels from a cart his dad made for him to be able to go to school in France. That's a lot of pretzels.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

Sandra K321 said...

I love sweet potato fries! A lot of places make them too soft.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

KayeDean said...

I love Guy Fieri! I watched the season when he won Food Network star. He is from California.
sandym204 @ gmail dot com

KayeDean said...

Nothing better than BBQ pork (southern style of course) with fat fries and cowboy cole slaw.
sandym204 @ gmail dot com

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