Tv Dinners To Roadside Diners

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Adam Gopnik

20121119

20140512 (R3)

Five leading American writers write about the cultural history of their favourite comfort food. Far from haute cuisine, these choices are a cake, a snack, and a dish in a box, a hearty homemade dessert and a thick gooey ubiquitous spread. The writers explore with delight and authority how these foods became American, they explain why they continue to be iconic and popular and compare regional preferences.

In this edition, New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik makes his mother's Cheesecake.

Later in the series are Joyce Maynard on popcorn, novelist Michael Cunningham on Mac n Cheese, Simon Winchester on pies and Alice Sebold on peanut butter.

Some of these foods are served at roadside diners and others are best eaten in front of the TV, curled up on the coach. Each author has a story about why his or her choice has a strong personal connection. Most were introduced to their comfort food in childhood and now they share them with their families. None of these foods are good for the waistline but each is so loved that there is little guilt about indulging in traditional mouthfuls of pure heaven.

Writer Adam Gopnik makes his mother's cheesecake and discusses the appeal of this dessert.

Joyce Maynard

20121120

20140513 (R3)

In this edition, author Joyce Maynard writes lovingly about how she curled up with her family during the gales of winter at their rural home, sharing bowls of popcorn.

American writer Joyce Maynard talks about winter gales and bowls of popcorn.

Michael Cunningham

20121121

20140514 (R3)

Five American writers write about the cultural history of their favourite comfort food. Far from haute cuisine, these choices are a cake, a snack, and a dish in a box, a hearty homemade dessert and a thick gooey ubiquitous spread. The writers explore with delight and authority how these foods became American, they explain why they continue to be iconic and popular and compare regional preferences. None of these foods are good for the waistline but each is so loved that there is little guilt about indulging in traditional mouthfuls of pure heaven.

Novelist Michael Cunningham, best known for his novel The Hours, wonders why he was so more attached to the macaroni and cheese that came in a box, than his mother's cooking. And he's struck by the promise that this instant food conjured up a space age world of endless leisure. He despairs that this humble dish has become an unrecognisable gourmet food in some restaurants.

American Novelist Michael Cunningham on his attachment to macaroni cheese in a box.

Simon Winchester

20121122

20140515 (R3)

Simon Winchester makes different pies during the year on his farm in New England. He travels America in search of the best shoofly, huckleberry and pumpkin pie. His story begins with one slice of blueberry pie at a roadside diner that turned him into a slave to pies.

Simon Winchester goes in search of the best shoofly, huckleberry and pumpkin pies.

05 LAST

Alice Sebold

20121123

20140516 (R3)

Alice Sebold, author of the best-selling The Lovely Bones, explains her ultimate obsession: peanut butter.

Novelist Alice Sebold confesses her ultimate obsession - peanut butter.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Adam Gopnik	20121119	20140512 (R3)	Five leading American writers write about the cultural history of their favourite comfort food. Far from haute cuisine, these choices are a cake, a snack, and a dish in a box, a hearty homemade dessert and a thick gooey ubiquitous spread. The writers explore with delight and authority how these foods became American, they explain why they continue to be iconic and popular and compare regional preferences. In this edition, New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik makes his mother's Cheesecake. Later in the series are Joyce Maynard on popcorn, novelist Michael Cunningham on Mac n Cheese, Simon Winchester on pies and Alice Sebold on peanut butter. Some of these foods are served at roadside diners and others are best eaten in front of the TV, curled up on the coach. Each author has a story about why his or her choice has a strong personal connection. Most were introduced to their comfort food in childhood and now they share them with their families. None of these foods are good for the waistline but each is so loved that there is little guilt about indulging in traditional mouthfuls of pure heaven. Writer Adam Gopnik makes his mother's cheesecake and discusses the appeal of this dessert.
02	Joyce Maynard	20121120	20140513 (R3)	Five leading American writers write about the cultural history of their favourite comfort food. Far from haute cuisine, these choices are a cake, a snack, and a dish in a box, a hearty homemade dessert and a thick gooey ubiquitous spread. The writers explore with delight and authority how these foods became American, they explain why they continue to be iconic and popular and compare regional preferences. None of these foods are good for the waistline but each is so loved that there is little guilt about indulging in traditional mouthfuls of pure heaven. In this edition, author Joyce Maynard writes lovingly about how she curled up with her family during the gales of winter at their rural home, sharing bowls of popcorn. American writer Joyce Maynard talks about winter gales and bowls of popcorn.
03	Michael Cunningham	20121121	20140514 (R3)	Five American writers write about the cultural history of their favourite comfort food. Far from haute cuisine, these choices are a cake, a snack, and a dish in a box, a hearty homemade dessert and a thick gooey ubiquitous spread. The writers explore with delight and authority how these foods became American, they explain why they continue to be iconic and popular and compare regional preferences. None of these foods are good for the waistline but each is so loved that there is little guilt about indulging in traditional mouthfuls of pure heaven. Novelist Michael Cunningham, best known for his novel The Hours, wonders why he was so more attached to the macaroni and cheese that came in a box, than his mother's cooking. And he's struck by the promise that this instant food conjured up a space age world of endless leisure. He despairs that this humble dish has become an unrecognisable gourmet food in some restaurants. American Novelist Michael Cunningham on his attachment to macaroni cheese in a box.
04	Simon Winchester	20121122	20140515 (R3)	Five American writers write about the cultural history of their favourite comfort food. Far from haute cuisine, these choices are a cake, a snack, and a dish in a box, a hearty homemade dessert and a thick gooey ubiquitous spread. The writers explore with delight and authority how these foods became American, they explain why they continue to be iconic and popular and compare regional preferences. None of these foods are good for the waistline but each is so loved that there is little guilt about indulging in traditional mouthfuls of pure heaven. Simon Winchester makes different pies during the year on his farm in New England. He travels America in search of the best shoofly, huckleberry and pumpkin pie. His story begins with one slice of blueberry pie at a roadside diner that turned him into a slave to pies. Simon Winchester goes in search of the best shoofly, huckleberry and pumpkin pies.
05 LAST	Alice Sebold	20121123	20140516 (R3)	Five American writers write about the cultural history of their favourite comfort food. Far from haute cuisine, these choices are a cake, a snack, and a dish in a box, a hearty homemade dessert and a thick gooey ubiquitous spread. The writers explore with delight and authority how these foods became American, they explain why they continue to be iconic and popular and compare regional preferences. None of these foods are good for the waistline but each is so loved that there is little guilt about indulging in traditional mouthfuls of pure heaven. Alice Sebold, author of the best-selling The Lovely Bones, explains her ultimate obsession: peanut butter. Novelist Alice Sebold confesses her ultimate obsession - peanut butter.