Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

http://www.seattlepi.com/food/181592_frugal10.html

AB's persona on the show--two parts science professor, one part smart alec--is a lot of fun to watch, but it's far more interesting to listen to him talk candidly here about food issues that interest him.

And he's right. Although I dip into a lot of recipes from multiple cultures, when I cook comfort food you can tell immediately that my ancestors were Dutch and Swedish immigrants. I instinctively reach for spices my great-grandma would have approved, and I can't lay out a cold cut tray without trying to compose it a bit, thanks to my grandfather.

I remember watching the Frugal Gourmet with my grandfather all the time when I was little. It's sad to know what was going on behind the scenes, but I'll always remember both fondly.

Along with Julia child, his show was one of the first cooking shows that I watched. As a kid, although I loved Julia I also found his food and his techniques much easier to understand. I don't know much about the allegations, but I hope they aren't true.

Jeff Smith (January 22, 1939 – July 7, 2004) was the author of a dozen best-selling cookbooks and the host of The Frugal Gourmet, a popular American cooking show which began in Tacoma, Washington and aired on PBS from 1988 to 1997, and consisted of 261 episodes.

His cooking show was truly the best I've ever seen. I'd never watched cooking shows before until The Frugal Gourmet, but it was an amazing education delivered with compassion and caring. I got a chance to meet with Jeff on several occasions and he was always the most caring and gracious person. Yes, he was a minister and came from a Methodist background. In his shows and his books he often shared messages of compassion to care for our elderly who ate TV dinners alone, or to remember to put meaning in our holidays.

He was certainly the cooking celebrity of his time and I don't know if he was guilty or simply a target that money, not jail-time satisfied. We will never know what really happened, but there but for the grace of God go you and I. It is wrong to judge someone without walking in their shoes and knowing the facts. I can only speak to my experience of his deeds which spoke volumes of caring and compassion.

(In the same spirit of peachypear's suggestion) Invest in a nice set of tupperware, including ones that are fit to hold sandwiches.

Have to agree with Michal Z and disagree with the original post re: bananas. There are other ramifications of buying organic other than just one's personal health. Buy organic bananas--as well as shade-grown coffee-- if you possibly can--it is critical to habitats.

Be a freegan?
http://lifehacker.com/5112449/how-to-live-freegan-and-die-old

Hey, my wife and yellow lab are taking the same trip in the fall of 09 as well. We began the same way you have; picking up books, maps and searching the internet for tips and ideas. In addition to LaQuintas, many Best Westerns are also pet-friendly. Over the winter and spring I plan on calling a number of places to talk with folks live regarding having pets at motels and eating establishments and will let you know what I find out. Happy planning!!

Try perry...it's cider made from pears. Not as sickly sweet as most apple cider.

Also, look out for local ciders. I live in Cambridge, and the university club has a cloudy, non-fizzy cider made locally which is incredible. Just because it's local doesn't mean it's good, but it's a great way to expand your palate and learn what you like.

Thanks to Adam for reviving this thread and thanks to all who are replying. I am making notes of all the replies as well as studying road guides, websites and a great DVD series I bought. We are thinking about our trip just about every day!

If you want to scope out some of the classic eateries along Route 66, I'd first suggest finding a copy of "The Route 66 Cookbook" by Tulsa native Marian Clark. She researched places along the entire stretch of Route 66 and gives synopses of many diners, burger joints, restaurants, etc. She even includes recipes. You can get great ideas from the book. If you settle on a place that you see featured in the book, you might want to check an online phone directory and call ahead, as some of the places are known to shut down. It'd be a drag to set expectations on a place only to pull up and find that it's been shuttered.

As for the Oklahoma stretch of Route 66, I can also enthusiastically suggest stopping for a fried onion burger in El Reno at any of the places mentioned by previous commenters. And as OKLibrarian mentioned, Serapio's is a great place to enjoy Tex-Mex (also in El Reno). I have an unfortunate fondness for their homemade flour tortillas. I say that it's an unfortunate fondness because they are really good and I tend to eat more than one.

Tally's Diner, as mentioned, is a good place for breakfast. You get a lot of food for a little money. They serve gigantic cinnamon rolls, a meal in itself and served anytime, and not for those counting calories. The last I knew, Tally's was open 24 hours so you can stop in anytime you might be passing through. I can't really vouch for the lunch and dinner menus at Tally's (maybe the fare just wasn't to my personal tastes) but it's been a couple of years since I've eaten there so things might have changed.

Just east of Oklahoma City, in Arcadia, check out Pops (pops66.com). They have a selection of around 500 sodas of all flavors and brands. There's a small restaurant area when you can get burgers, shakes, etc. You can even fill up your car out front. It's a popular place and is most often packed. If you can visit/drive by at night, there's a cool neon soda pop bottle out front. Pops has been open less than two years but is a Route 66 icon that blends old-time Route 66 charm with a modern hipness. It's popular with locals and tourists alike. Sorry if I sound like a commercial for Pops but I just think it's a neat place.

It's probably too soon to wish you safe travels since your trip is still 10 months away, but have a good time!