Let's Ride... Again!
Feasting on Asphalt 2

Building on the success of the first Feasting on Asphalt program, Alton Brown and his gang of chowhound bikers head up the Mississippi River to look for more true American grub.

In the six episode series, Alton meets and eats some gator, trades the cycles for a barge, stops in a Midwestern town with a super cool name and commemorates the journey with some ink.

Feasting on Asphalt 2 opening monologue:

The American story is an ode to movement. We’ve never been able to stay put, which explains the intricate mesh of highways and byways that connects this country to it inner self. It is any wonder then that our national cuisine evolved at tarmac’s edge? Let’s face it, not matter what sophisticated urban chefs create deep down what we really crave is what the diner, the café and the truck stop can offer. Alas, the modern Interstate has rendered our palates comfortably numb with its rolling miles of paved pabulum. And that is a shame because if we don’t savior the flavor road then our editable heritage will soon become history. So, America it is with full tank and an empty stomach that I say to you in the words of my forefathers… let’s ride!

Feasting on Asphalt Rules:

1. There will be not freeways. By pass them at all costs
2. Not eat any industrial chain fast food
3. No whining
4. Seek authentic food and tell the stories attached to it so we will know more about who we are and where we’re going

Feasting on Asphalt 2 Crew:

* Alton Brown: host, mastermind
* Ramon Engle: cameraman
* Lamar Owen: cameraman
* Mike Clark: sound
* Jean Claude (JC) Dhien: photographer
* Mark Apen: logistics
* Bobby Ernhardt: lightning
* Bob Woodridge: handles the bikes
* Brian (Bear) Lamar: handles everything else
* Bret Soll: something complicated with video and computers

Episode 1:
A Strong Brown God

Alton said the title wasn’t a tribute to himself, but taken from T. S. Elliot’s description of the Mississippi River

City	Location and people Alton met	Food	Highlights Favorite lines
Venice, Louisiana	Where the Mississippi River ends		Opening and going over the "rules" Alton surveys the land in a helicopter ride
New Orleans, Louisiana	Luzianne Tea Factory Louis Diaz, Tea Guru		The company kept employees on salary during the months following Hurricane Katrina
New Orleans, Louisiana	Mulate's Autograph-hungry tourists Waiter Kelsea Dilbert, person on the street Tiffa Boutte, owner of Mulate’s	Zydeco gumbo Seafood etouffee Seafood gumbo “This side of the menu” Grilled alligator Frog leg Bread pudding	Alton gets unsweetened ice tea and isn’t happy about it Alligator doesn’t taste like chicken “Not chickeny at all” “I’m wondering who first looked at an alligator and said, ‘let’s eat that.’” Alton then ponders where alligator for the restaurants come from. “Do they grow it on ranches? Do you see cowboys herding up the alligators and puttin’ then on down the trail?”
New Orleans, Louisiana	Edge of the river		Alton "baptized” himself in the river water “I know, the catfish are in there and they go in there, but I don’t care.”
New Orleans, Louisiana	Big Fisherman Richard Sable, Saucier Cook at Big Fisherman Henry Poynot, owner	Crawfish Sausage Corn Stuffed artichoke Crawfish pie Barq’s root beer	“Cooks don’t lie, because they don’t have to.” Crawfish are known as ‘mud bugs’ Crawfish bit Alton Bag of water and pennies hanging to keep flies away. “Is that a voodoo thing? I’m scared of voodoo.” “Kids at home, don’t eat off a knife like this. It’s a bad habit.”
Hammond, Louisiana	Kliebert's Gator & Turtle Farm Harvey Kliebert		The question is answered: where do restaurant get their alligator “This is the first time I’ve been at a farm looking at food and been worried. Because I can’t think of any other food I would normally eat, that would eat me.” Alton feeds an alligator some frozen nutria Alton learns how people started eating gator Native Americans and African slaves started the tradition
Vacherie, Louisiana	B & C Seafood Sandra Dabney	Cracklings Red Beans and Rice Alligator Boudin balls Salad Gumbo	Alton introduces JC to cracklins Alton finds a good glass of iced tea
La Place, Louisiana	Bailey's Andouille EJ Bailey, Jr EJ Bailey, Sr	Andouille Hog head cheese	Alton makes Brett wear the Andouille Sausage Man suit “I revel in the delight in my power.”

Commercial bump quotes:

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.”
Anonymous

“Travel and change of place import new vigor to the mind,”
Seneca

“There may be nothing sadder than people who spend their lives talking about what might have been,”
Anonymous

“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure of nothing,”
Helen Keller

“Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counter,”
Albert Einstein

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Episode 2:
Fry Me a River

Commercial bump quotes:

“It’s a death trap it’s a suicide rap. We gotta get out while we’re young ‘cue tramps like us baby we’re born to run,”
Bruce Springstein.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts,”
Mark Twain

“The further one goes the less one knows,”
Lao Tzu

“Ask not what you can do for our county, ask what’s for lunch,”
Orsen Welles

“One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things,”
Henry Miller

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Episode 3
Soul Food Survivor

Commercial bump quotes:

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be,”
Douglas Adams

“I’d rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than any city on earth,”
Steve McQueen

“Every exit is an entry somewhere else,”
Tom Stoppard

“Unusual travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God,”
Kurt Vonnegut

“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time,”
Steven Wright

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Episode 4
Take Me to the River

City	Location and people Alton met	Food	Highlights
Tiptonville, Tennessee	Camping and canoeing John Ruskey, canoe guide	Steaks—pork and beef Corn Potatoes boiled in Mississippi River water Greens Salad Breakfast the next day Oatmeal Fruit	Alton says he hadn’t been in a canoe in 17 years Constructed a grill from willow Swatted mosquitoes Digs up willow sapling to transplant back home “Is my butt still here? ‘Cause I don’t feel it anymore. Do I still have a butt? Oh, I do. Thank goodness.”
Wickliffe Kentucky to Paducah, Kentucky	Barge Donnie Williams, captain Kathryn Williamson, cook	Dinner: Chicken and dumplings Fried okra Casseroles Pies Breakfast: Sausage Biscuits Bacon Hash browns Sausage gravy Eggs	Trade in the cycles for a trip on a barge Ship name: Susan L Stall Alton helps make dinner with Kathryn Alton takes the helm Alton helps make breakfast When the Captain puts ketchup on his biscuits and gravy, Alton is baffled
Chester, Illinois	Home of Popeye Popeye statue	Canned spinach	Visits the town’s most famous citizen creator of Popeye
Alton, Illinois	Visitor Center Sissy McClain, Welcomer		A town with a curious name The town folk say ALL-TON While Alton says AL-TON “Now I come into a town where EVERYTHING has my name on it, only to find out than I’ve been pronouncing the name wrong my whole life. I should call my mom and tell her that.”
Alton, Illinois	Fast Eddie's (Bon Air) Eddie Sholan, Owner	Bratwursts Pork kabob French Fries Burgers Shrimp Hot Chick on a stick Big Elwood on a stick Pepper steak	A real road house The original place was started by Anheuser-Busch but closed after laws changed not allowing breweries to own bars “A truck stop for bikers with music.”
Alton, Illinois	Pie Town Brian Runge, Owner	Apple pie Almond crème pie Coconut crème pie Pecan pie	“Pie Town would be my rap name.” “The first good pecan pie, I’ve had north of the Mason-Dixon Line.”
St. Louis, Missouri	Donut Drive-In Tom Swartz, Owner Kay Swartz, Owner Kim Maloney	Dozen donuts includes: long john apple fritter	Only cross over point between the first Feasting on Asphalt trip and the second ride
St. Louis, Missouri	World’s Fair Donuts Peggy Clanton Terry Clanton	Dozen donuts includes: long john	Cameraman gets in the way of making the donuts Some woman on the street screams she loves Alton
St. Louis, Missouri	St Louis Hills Donut Shop Larry, Owner Theresa, Owner Chris Brooks, kid eating donuts	Dozen donuts includes: long john	Alton makes a little boy to drink coffee
Quincy, Illinois	Maid Rite Mary Farve, Maid Rite Perfectionist Henry B Geise, Owner	Maid Rite sandwich	Alton learns to make Maid Rite sandwiches Mary gives Alton a hard time while he makes the sandwiches because he doesn't make it the "Maid Rite way" The Maid Rite franchise has been in Mr. Geise’s family since 1928

Commercial bump quotes:

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore,”
Andre Gide

“A ship in harbor is safe—but that is not what ships are for,”
John A Shedd

“We don’t go anywhere: Going somewhere is for squares. We just go,”
Marlon Brando – The Wild Ones

“The universe is a big place—perhaps the biggest,”
Kurt Vonnegut

“Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside,”
Mark Twain

Episode 5:
Mid-American Pie

City	Location and people Alton met	Food	Highlights
Monroe City, Missouri	Civil War battle reenactment Reenactors	Coffee	Alton compares coffee among the camps Confederate coffee was “retched” Missouri 25th wins the competition
Taylor, Missouri	The 18 Wheeler Restaurant	Country breakfast: Chicken fried steak American fries Eggs over easy 3x3 on the side: Pancakes Sausage links Wheat toast
Nauvoo, Illinois	Baxter's Vineyard Brenda Logan, Wine Peddler Carol Sherrill, Pie Producer	Wine Concord grape juice Pies	Mike (the sound guy) is Alton wine tasting surrogate Alton sniffed and explains how to taste wine
Niota, Illinois	Quality Fisheries Kirby Marsden, owner	Smoked carp Smoked catfish Smoked spoonbill Smoked sturgeon Smoked perch
Muscatine, Iowa	The Clam Shell Kerry Keller, The Diner Director Ann Meeker, Obliging Owner	Pearl City dog Chocolate shake	Valentine Diner Co structure But the diner was found in a dump in Southeast Iowa then restored
Moline, Illinois	John Deere Visitors Pavilion Brian Hoist, Explanatory Manager	Savanna, Illinois	Alton learns how John Deere’s plow changed farming
Savanna, Illinois	U-Pick Asparagus		A self-service veggie stand JC tells the guys how to harvest asparagus Alton puts $20 in the box for 5 pounds of asparagus The price was $1 a pound
St. Donatus, Iowa	Kalmes Restaurant, Bar, Store and Gas Station James Kalmes, Noodle Steward Lawrence Kalmes, Restaurant Originator Jodi Hingtgen, Noodle Commissioner	Fried chicken livers Pork tenderloin sandwich (the official state sandwich of Iowa) Noodles	Luxemburg immigrants founded the town Alton eats a huge bowl of noodles with a large slotted spoon Alton watches Jodi make noodle dough Alton cuts some noodles
Balltown, Iowa	Breitbach's Restaurant Cindy Breitbach, Boss Lady Michael Breitbach, Jubilant Overseer		Oldest restaurant in Iowa since 1861 Restaurant burned down in December 2007 Alton didn’t get any pie

Commercial bump quotes:

“… Destination is merely a by product of the journey,”
Eric Hansen

“Too much of a good thing can be wonderful,”
Mae West

“If you come to a fork in the road, take it,”
Yogi Berra

“The map is not the territory,”
Alfred Korzybski

“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus,”
Mark Twain

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Episode 6:
Lutefisk Express

City	Location and people Alton met	Food	Highlights
Alma, Wisconsin	Great Alma Fishing Float Jim and Tim Lodermeier, Great Mess Makers	Smoked Carp The Mess: Eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, taters, onions, peppers scrambled together with cheese and toast. Sauerkraut optional	Alton and the guys go fishing Alton caught two crummy fish Alton adds smoked fish to his mess Alton declares the mess: “Best road breakfast yet.”
Frontenac, Minnesota	Whistle Stop Café Carol Davidson, Owner and cook	Hot pork sandwich fries several slices of pie strawberry shortcake chocolate malt	Sign of a good local road joint: local flyers hanging up “That pie crust, that’s a lard crust.” “All pies come here first.” Carol: “How’s that pie?” Alton: “Terrible, but we’re willing to try more.” Alton fills in making his malt
St. Paul, Minnesota	Piroshki Russian Hamburgers Linda Alenov, Piroshki Maker Nikolai Alenov, Piroshki Maker	Beet and potato salad Piroshki Borsht lazy cabbage meat rolls	U2 ordered from the restaurant
Minneapolis, Minnesota	Chris Dorff, Lutefisk laborer		Lutefisk means lye fish The fish is dried (cod) rehydrated in lye and rinsed it clean water until ph balance is safe for consumption
St. Paul, Minnesota	Mickey's Dining Car Keith Schmitz, Short Order Savant Lisa Eue, Wiley Waitress Melissa and Gunter Mattson, owners	Patty melt beans hash owns cole slaw Liver and onions Big Eric Cheeseburger fries bacon chili omelet	JC orders liver “It takes a brave man to order liver in a diner.”
St. Paul, Minnesota	Catering company Soile Anderson, Smorgasbord Supplier Gary Arvidson, Pastry Practitioner Sandra Weise, Smorgasbord Subordinate	vegetable torte rosette salmon beet and potato salad potatoes lots of stuff!	Alton uses his celebrity pull to find a real smorgasbord Alton helps Soile with the food prep Alton tries to get Soile and the others to define smorgasbord “She won’t tell me what a smorgasbord actually is.”
Minneapolis, Minnesota	Bob's Java Hut Ami Morgan, Benevolent Barista Dominic Skrade, Top-notch Tattooer Jennifer Bighley & Mark Dolan, Pizza Paparazzi	coffee pizza	Alton gets inked Alton eats organic pizza while getting the tat “I finally got my skull.”
Crosby, Minnesota	The Nordic Inn Richard Schidthuber, Vigorous Viking	The king’s meat potatoes and carrots baby dragon’s leg (turkey leg) Gruel of the beast (meat pie) Sweets for the sweet (baked custard)	Old Methodist church converted into a Nordic inn “Those Vikings eat real well.” "It’s not so scary in the daytime.”
Itasca State Park	Head waters of the Mississippi River	Lukefisk	The name comes from two Latin words meaning true head The guys skip rocks in the lake Alton cooks and serves the lukefish to the crew Alton's ending monologue

Alton's Feasting on Asphalt 2 summary

I reckon we have chased the big brown snake into its whole—Lake Itasca here in Minnesota. By my reckoning, three thousand, three hundred and thirty-three miles from the Gulf of Mexico. It’s been a heck of a trip. You know, I gotta say, if you really want to see this county, if you want to smell it, taste it, feel it you’re going to half to get on the road. There’s no other way. Will the food always be great? No. Okay, it’s not. But if I’ve learned anything, it that the real power of food isn’t its ability to thrill us or to impress us, it’s its ability to connect. Connect us to our heritage. Connect us to the land. And, especially, connect us to each to each other. Food, at its best, is about communication and communion. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. So, ride hard, eat hardy and be grateful. Bye.

Commercial bump quotes:

“I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them,”
Mark Twain.

“Too few people understand a really good sandwich,”
James Beard

“The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it,”
Rudyard Kipling

“Wish I had time for just one more bowl of chili,”
Kit Carson’s last words

“…life is short and the world is wide,”
Simon Rauem

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Photos from screen captures of Feasting on Asphalt 2

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Last updated: December 28, 2008

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