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Trip Coach: August 14, 2007

On Tuesday, August 14, roadfood experts Jane and Michael Stern of roadfood.com, answered your questions on roadside dining.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007 |

Jane and Michael Stern: We've brought home literally thousands of recipes from our travels, many of which have become part of our regular kitchen repertoire. While it's not a meal unto itself (although it could be!) One of the all-time favorites is this pound cake, the recipe for which came from Elvis Presley's friend Janelle McComb. Janelle said Elvis could eat an entire cake in one sitting. When you taste it, you will understand!

2 cups sugar
12 tablespoons butter, softened
5 eggs, room temperature
2 cups cake flour, sifted twice (DO NOT USE "SELF RISING" FLOUR)
2/3 cup whipping cream (not whipped)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter and flour a 2.2 quart Pyrex pan.
Thoroughly cream together sugar and butter.
Add eggs one at a time, beating extremely well after each addition. Mix in half the flour, then the whipping cream, then the other half of the flour. Beat five full minutes. Add vanilla.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Set it in a cold oven and turn the heat to 350 degrees. Bake 1 hour or until a sharp knife inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and turn it upside down to remove from the pan onto a cooling rack. Cool thoroughly. Wrapped well, this cake keeps several days.

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Chicago, IL: Best BBQ: Texas or North Carolina?

Jane and Michael Stern: I'll beat around the bush and say that the best BBQ in North Carolina is at the Skylight Inn in Ayden: pit-cooked, whole-hog pork hacked to smithereens and dressed only with a dash of vinegar and hot sauce, plus salt and pepper: a pure pork epiphany. The best in Texas: fallapart-tender brisket at Louie Mueller's in Taylor. I'm not fool enough to say one is better than the other! Plus, what about barbecued mutton in Kentucky? That's good, too!

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New York, NY: I'm going to Montana - around Glacier National Park. Do you have any suggestions for me? Is there a Montana specialty I should know about?

Jane and Michael Stern: Sorry, I don't have a hot tip in or around Glacier, but southeast of there, if you get to Great Falls, you must try the steaks at Eddie's Supper Club: "Taste like that Ol' Marlboro Cowboy cooked them over the campfire," says the menu. As for local specialties, this time of year you should be able to find huckleberry ice cream, milk shakes, and jam.

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Albuquerque, NM: My husband & I will be on the coast of southern Maine for 2 days - Sept 19 and 20th. We will be driving from Boston and staying in the York area. We would like to make the most of our time and spend time between Portsmouth, NH to Portland, ME. I would like info about eating outside on the water at the lobster pounds I've heard so much about. All other roadside dining opportunities in the area would be welcome! Thank you, Debbie

Jane and Michael Stern: The south Maine coast is a bonanza of good eats, including Bob's Clam Hut just over the border in Kittery (next to the Kittery Trading Post), Flo's Hot Dogs up in Cape Neddick, the superb Maine Diner in York, and, in Portland, Becky's Diner on the wharf for a sleeves-up meal, and Fore Street for a high-end banquet. Underneath Fore Street is the Standard Baking Company, where the breads and morning pastries are fabulous. For the classic lobster shore dinner in an unbelievably spectacular setting, go to the Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth just outside of Portland. Here, music-to-dine-by is the sound of the surf crashing just below the picnic tables.

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New York, NY: It seems every frozen custard shop I pass on the road claims to be "the best in the country." I've tried a few that stand out (and a few that weren't worth stopping for), but I'd love to hear your opinion about which is truly the best. Thanks!

Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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