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The original Johnson and Wales (J&W) school was founded in 1914 by Gertrude Johnson and Mary Wales in Providence, Rhode Island, to provide business training for young women. From that small beginning, it has grown into a pre-eminent chain of universities in the field of culinary arts and hotel and restaurant management.

The two main campuses, still in Providence, make up the largest such institution in the country. There are also branches in Denver, North Miami and Charlotte, North Carolina. Graduate degrees have been offered for some time, and the course offerings are growing apace with the student body each year.

In conjunction with the Elderhostel program, J&W offers several classes with a range of subjects. These are the most desirable Elderhostel courses, and there is often a waiting list of several hundred people.

While visiting J&W during an Elderhostel in Providence last fall, our group toured their museum, housing a wonderful display of ancient tools, old kitchen equipment and implements, as well as sculptures in various kinds of food: chocolate, marzipan, baked dough and others. We were fortunate to have the museum director take us into his favorite section, devoted to the American diner.

Diners actually began in Providence in 1828 as wooden wagons drawn by horses. They arrived at lunch time for laborers in the town, serving primarily beans, franks and chowder. Eventually, the wagons turned into trucks, and finally became stationery in strategically located areas. By latest count, there are now more than 2,000 diners in America, mostly in the northeast. Some famous ones have been moved from Rhode Island to places like Montana, Minnesota and Illinois. It’s extremely expensive to move one and relocate it, and then the owner runs into local codes, permits, licenses and other roadblocks. It’s probably best to build a diner from scratch, which is also an expensive proposition. Half a million might get you started. Three large companies used to manufacture diners but quit to go into building modular homes.

Modern diners can be vegetarian, Chinese, organic, gourmet or of various other types. The Seaplane Diner in Providence still sports the “streamlined” style that was trendy in American design in the 1930s for trains and planes as well as restaurants. It’s still a gathering spot for natives and visitors alike.

Many diners now function as a modern equivalent of the old country store, where a group of men once gathered around a pot bellied stove. They come now in the mornings before work to settle the fate of the nation, or else retired men congregate to do the same.

As you might suspect, diner fare varies widely today, depending on the type you find. Five miles from our home in a small New England town, a flashy modern version opened in the 1970s with great fanfare. The breakfast menu was lengthy and the luncheon offerings dazzled. The incomparable dinners catered to the upscale trade until midnight, when the fare changed back to breakfast items for the late crowd. For a long time, it was a heady experience to dine there, and “I’ll meet you at the diner” became a common phrase. Unfortunately, it closed its doors and later became the home of a seafood chain.

Diner recipes are as varied as the diners themselves, but some crop up over and over, and here’s a small selection. Many of these recipes are pretty high in cholesterol, fat and calories, as befitted the earlier times in America.

Eggs in a Nest

For each serving:

1 slice firm white bread

1 egg

Butter or bacon grease for frying

With a biscuit or cookie cutter, remove a circle from middle of bread slice. Melt butter or bacon grease in a skillet, and place bread “frame” in the skillet. Carefully break an egg into the center hole and cover the skillet. While egg cooks, toast the circle of bread separately. Now turn the egg in its nest carefully and cook on the second side. Timing is up to you — my family always liked the white part firm and the yellow part soft. Serve each person with one egg and the toasted circle of bread and furnish butter and jam. They can salt and pepper their own eggs as desired.

Oven Potatoes

On-line cookbooks are loaded with recipes for potatoes in the diner section: killer potatoes, hash browns, cottage fries and so forth. This is a family recipe adapted from a long-forgotten diner dish.

Peel potatoes (enough to serve the family or the crowd) and cut into bite-sized pieces. Rinse and soak in a bowl of water with a dash of lemon juice or vinegar added to keep them white. Melt bacon grease in a pan, perhaps a tablespoon for each potato — this is a judgment call. Cool the grease and place it in a plastic bag. Drain and dry the potatoes, and add to the bag, along with salt, pepper and paprika. Hold bag closed and move potatoes around to coat them well. Place them in a shallow baking dish and bake in a 400 degree oven for at least 45 minutes. Do not stir or otherwise bother them. They should be brown and crispy on the edges and soft inside.

Blue Plate special

1 pound ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

2 Tablespoons flour (more if needed)

2 cups water

Salt, pepper, paprika

Mashed potatoes

Peas and carrots

Brown the beef and onions in a skillet, breaking up the meat as much as possible during the cooking. Remove with slotted spoon to a plate and keep warm.

Drain the excess liquid from skillet, leaving just enough to mix with flour to make a paste. Stir well and slowly pour in the water. Cook and stir until smooth and bubbly, then return beef to skillet and heat thoroughly. Season to taste and serve this mixture on top of mashed potatoes with a side of cooked peas and carrots, to be authentic.

Many argue that diners invented the club sandwich, meat loaf and drinks like root beer floats. We will never know, but diner food can still be lots of fun and bring back memories.

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Marion Nicolay is a regular contributor to the Marco Eagle. Contact her via e-mail at marion387@earthlink.net.