As those fortunate enough to have ridden the great passenger trains of America at their peak will attest, no part of the experience survives so vividly in the memory as that of a sumptuous meal in the dining car: crisp linen, polished silver, attentive service, the passing panorama of American life - all accompanied by great food. Dining by Rail tells how that experience was created, recapturing the lively history of eating on the train and presenting several hundred wonderful recipes that entertained and fortified the hungry traveler from coast to coast.The year 1930 marked the high point of passenger food service as practiced by the great American railroads. Over 1,700 dining cars on 63 railroads served upwards of 80 million meals - nearly a quarter million meals each day - on steel wheels. And what meals they were! Among the award-winning dishes in Dining by Rail: Melon Mint cocktail on the Pennsylvania's Broadway Limited; Roquefort Dressing on the Great Northern's Salads; Fillet of Sole as You Like It from the Southern Pacific; Fresh Asparagus Delmonico on the Rock Island Rockets; Old-Fashioned Raisin Pudding from the Illinois Central; French Toast from the Santa Fe Super Chief.Menus featured consistently unique items made of fresh, natural, native American ingredients available today in stores everywhere. The recipes require only ordinary kitchen tools, and because they were designed to be cooked quickly in a small kitchen, they allow today's cook to turn out a gourmet meal in record time - truly high-speed cuisine.Dining by Rail also serves up the rich and colorful history of "the golden age of American railroading." Discover how railroads went from tolerating vendors hawking soot-covered hotcakes, eggs soaked in lime water, and gritty black coffee, to providing meals that won awards in international competition. Learn how chefs on forty-eight railroads prepared such unique and tasty dishes as canteloupe pie, cream of sweet potato soup, and a hot strawberry sundae. Enjoy more than two dozen distinctive salads and dressings by which railroads used to identify themselves. Share the secrets behind quickly preparing rich and flavorful sauces for meat dishes.Dining by Rail provides over 325 simple and easy-to-follow recipes. It is fully indexed by railroad and menu item. Over 150 illustrations help to give a complete picture of this most important aspect of travel: finding something good to eat, wherever you go. Read Less