READ THIS: How to Feed Friends and Influence People: The Carnegie Deli-A Giant Sandwich, A Little Deli, A Huge Success by Milton Parker and Allyn Freeman

Rarely do we write a review on a book that is not hot off the press, but as Peachy Deegan ate at The Carnegie Deli last night and got this book, this is an exception.  It was not her first time there, however, it had been quite awhile and after experiencing it as a critic for the first time you know she had to read the book immediately. (Plus she is one quick reader!)  Published in 2005, How to Feed Friends and Influence People is a rich history of how The Carnegie Deli came to be from its roots in 1937 to the present day-or until six years ago anyway!  It is not only the history of the deli but it is also a rich cultural history of Manhattan and you know how much we love that with Peachy having a B.A. in American History from Boston College (and a minor in hockey stats.)  Back then she was doing term papers on Filene's Basement and eating at Durgin Park...


Every time we review a restaurant, we are going in to see how much the ownership cares, across the board.  Obviously the cuisine must be tops, but a restaurant goes beyond the food and the history and depth of a business distinguish the so-sos from those that will really go down in history.  Of course, the Carnegie Deli is the latter and now that Peachy knows the whole history she wants to go back, but she thinks she should finish her leftovers first which could take quite awhile even though she had corned beef for breakfast.


For anyone that's not Jewish and not from New York, like Peachy, you will gain a wealth of knowledge about the culture that has been here for generations that led to this kind of food.  And did you know Carnegie Hall is named after Carnegie Deli!?!  Ha ha, we joke on this point it is the exact reverse but we want to make sure you're reading.  Until Peachy read the recipe for Egg Creams she had no idea that no egg was actually in it; the world was kidding her for many years but what can you expect from an Irish Catholic girl from Connecticut.  


This is a study in business just as much as it is a study in food and culture.  There are big reasons why certain businesses work and obvious mistakes about why they don't....but you'll have to read the book to see what they are!  Keeping it simple and making big sandwiches clearly works here.  Scratch big...MONSTER sandwiches.


If you don't know Sandy Levine, the book will tell you a) why the current owner has MBD behind his name...b) how the lines got started...c) how they saved New York during a blackout...d) what the pastrami conflict was and how it was resolved....e) how Sandy became a murder mystery solver...f) and lastly, how Sandy will even give you the shirt off his back if you ask nicely!  We love the cute quizzes that punctuate the text.   In fact, the only thing we did not like was the typo we found on page 125 but surely since this was published in 2005 they know about it by now...they need "of" in the sentence: Milton Parker realized that Sandy's time was running out as the head [insert of] the import-export clothing firm.  You know we are super-detail oriented at Whom You Know...


Best of all?  If you are a fan of cheesecake, there is a coupon at the end of the book for a free slice!  Whom You Know highly recommends How to Feed Friends and Influence People.


And we hope our next post will remind you a little bit of Mimi Sheraton in 1979!


READ THIS before your next visit to 854 Seventh Avenue.  
You can buy the book here:
http://store.carnegiedeli.com/books-and-dvds-c9.aspx