Feasting on Waves (2008)

Filmed:
April 2008

Aired:
Food Network
* Premiere episode, September 7, 10 p.m
* Second episode, September 14
* Third episode, September 21
* Forth episode, September 28

Episode 1:
Sugar on Isle One
Episode 2:
Fungi with Foraging and Fish
Episode 3:
Island Thyme
Episode 4:
Won Love

Feasting on Waves opening monologue:

In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. And in a few short weeks later, he landed in the Caribbean and changed the course of human history. Pretty soon all of the Old World big boys, the Spanish, the English, the French, the Dutch and Portuguese were vying for positions of profit and power in the lush New World. Once the local inhabitants were… neutralized, hundreds of thousands of African slaves were shipped in to work massive new sugar plantations. As gold, sliver, indigo, tobacco, spices, fruits and vegetables flowed back to Europe, workers from as far as China, India, Scotland and Scandinavia flowed back in and each one of those cultures brought its native foodways along with it. As a result, the Caribbean became, well, not just a melting pot but a cultural fission reactor which gave birth to the first true world cuisine. For centuries it flourish, until the 20th century and the influence of a new colonial power—the American tourist—rose up to threaten it. My mission, to push past the cruise ship buffets and chain food eateries to seek out true island cuisine wherever it may be. It’s a tough job but it’s one that needs doing. I’m Alton Brown and this is Feasting on Waves. Hoist the colors.

Feasting on Waves crew:

* Alton Brown: host, mastermind
* Mike Clark, sound
* Lamar Owen, cameraman
* Ramon Engle, cameraman
* Marion Laney, cameraman and heads up underwater operations
* Dana Popoff, logistics

Feasting on Waves Episode 1:
Sugar on Isle One

Location	People Alton met	Food	Highlights
Basseterre, St. Kitts Ballahoo Restaurant	Shorna Johnson, waitress Chef Paulette Nichols	Ballahoo, breakfast food made with salt fish served in a Creole sauce local West Indian food	Chef Paulette shows Alton how to make ballahoo
Basseterre Open air market		Breadfruits, plantains, dasheen, eddoes, cush-cush, christophine	Provisions, West Indian term for any starchy root, tuber or fruit that is boiled a served as a side dish To not look stupid, Alton buys carrots
Atlantic side of island 17° 24.666’ 62° 46.392’	Conrad Kelly, historian	raw sugarcane	Alton ate the cane the wrong way
Basseterre, up on the hill by the airport on Main Road The Mango Tree restaurant under a mango tree	Debbie Benjamin, cook/owner Eloise Herbert, reporter	Green banana, Conch, Mutton, Rice and green, Lemonade	Lo-lo (possibly named from locally owned and operated) Fold up tables, chaffing dishes, cooler Alton worries the food will sell out before she gets to him “I want everything.” Alton calls the green banana thing the refried beans of the Islands Drinking the lemonade, Alton learns about essence
Local "megamart"			Alton finds essences in many flavors
Side of the road Sandy Point	Dog With guide Dele Adams		Foraging for bush tea ingredients: lemon grass Alton takes lemon grass then soursop from a tree
House	Dele Adams	Bush tea	Bush tea: lemon grass, odd number soursop leaves, boiling water, steep for 5-7mins “The goats might have been frolicking in it”
Port Zante	Curly Tara		Alton decides on which boat to most do of the cook on. He picks the Chef de Mer Stayed in port because of weather.
Port Zante	Intros the crew of both sailboats		Bad weather changed the route to Eustatius, original destination for the trip. Alton and crew go to St. Barts instead
Sailing to St. Barts			Alton hoists the colors Alton talks about cheeseburgers
La Select	Michel Ledee, bartender	Cheeseburger 'ti punch	Place where Jimmy Buffett visited and wrote “Cheeseburger in Paradise” about Alton learns about a local drink “There’s nothing tea about it.” Creole for petite
Chez Ginette	Ginette Rio, proprietor	Infused rums Passion fruit Hibiscus	Alton thinks she steeps the fruit in sugar syrup, adding the fruit and then rum
The Wishing Well	Rolande Polonack, chef	Lobster fricassee	“Temple of Creole cuisine” “Bad day to be a lobster”

Commercial bump information bits:

Creole: what happens when native and colonial cuisines collide to create something brand new.

During sugarcane’s heyday, slaves worked 7 days a week and were underfed so that they’d be too weak to rebel.

Essence: a flavorful extract based on sugar rather than alcohol

In some parts if the islands, putting more than 5 “bush” in your bush tea is considered very bad medicine.

‘ti punch: 2 oz white rum, 1 oz sugar syrup, squeeze of lime, one ice cube

Back to top

Feasting on Waves Episode 2:
Fungi With Foraging and Fish

Location	People Alton met	Food	Highlights
Simpson Bay, St. Maarten (Netherland side)			Spent the first night on the boats because high winds prevented the bridge
Fort Louis (French side)			1808 French fought off English who were trying to steal coffee
Marigot, St. Martin Open Market	St. Martin Market Women	Food he highlights Nutmeg with Mace in tact Cinnamon sticks Salt fish Gwavaberry ti punch Sassafras	Aimless wandering after list doesn’t help. Then he discovers some interesting foods
Zagersgut Island Mauby factory	Rolando Brison, Mauby brew master Yamileth Brison, Mauby Maker	Island Mauby	Alton learns how to make Island Mauby
Grand Cass (French side) Plaza of Lolos Chez Sheryl	Sheryl Compper, chef/owner	Johnny Cake Grouper and Melee Plantains Conch Rice and peas (red beans) Lobster	Alton picks the with the best smelling smoke, Chez Sheryl This Lo-lo has been operating since 1982
Alton and crew take a high speed ferry to Saba			This is where Alton intended to go in the first episode but weather changed the route
Jungle on Saba	James Johnson, guide/naturalist	Spanish needle Shamrock Wild Raspberries Bay Leaf (locally called cinnamon) Sprain bush Breadfruit Bumpy skin lemon Tannia Cashew fruit	“I’m looking for those giant snakes all of the time.”
Boat	Randy	Cashew fruit ti punch	Alton and Randy make ti punch with the cashew fruit Alton foraged on Saba
St. Martin	Lisa Coffi, guide Aurora Berkel Joe, Hostess Lizzie Ann Jewel Daal	Fungi (cornmeal) with okra Fungi with spinach Tamrind drink Blaff (boiled fish, red snapper) Cassava Sweet potato Gwavaberry rum	The girls ask Alton about Rachael Ray. His comment: “I haven’t heard of her.” Alton whittles Aurora a lay-lay stick Aurora won' let Alton do the dishes
West side of St Martin Deep sea fishing	Mark Peterson, captain Temptress Nell, 1st mate	Ramon has a ham and cheese sandwich	Alton catches a King fish (mackerel) 19 lbs (Alton says 20 lbs) Ramon gets a Wahoo (30 lbs) “To bring in a fish bigger than mine would be in bad taste.”

Commercial bump information bits:

The geopolitical shape of our planet is greatly determined by mankind’s pursuit of spices.

Mauby—Tastes like sarsaparilla, smells like cheese – Alton Brown

Johnny cakes are the biscuits of the Caribbean

The name “Saba” comes from the Arawak Indian word for rock—“Siba”

In some African languages, “fungi” means “mush”

Back to top

Feasting on Waves Episode 3:
Island Thyme

Location	People Alton met	Food	Highlights
Anguilla (UK) Sandy Ground -- main dock	Dale Carty, guide and chef
The Valley, main town Hall’s Unique Bakery	Andre and Jeanette Hall, owners	Coconut tarts, signature item Patties (ground beef, one and other types) Raisin roll Tuna sandwich Salt fish	“Oh I see you on TV, eh? With your face in the oven.” Andre says this when Alton introduces himself
Christobelle’s Canteen	Christobell Johnson, winemaker/owner	Wines made with local fruits and flowers	Alton tries the Sorrell (Hibiscus) wine The local toast is "In God We Trust"
Rendezvous Bay Dune Preserve	Alma and Shawn Hodge	Pan fried trigger fish Johnny cakes	Johnny cake’s name comes from journey. Men took the cakes with them on journey, boat trips, etc. Skin of trigger fish used to clean pots and floors because the skin is leathery. Old Wife is another name for it. Alton calls the Johnny cake at this restaurant: “The bagel of the Caribbean”
Hydroponic farm The CuisinArt Resort	Dr. Howard Resh Farm manager	Arugula Butter crunch (European Bibb) Alton’s notes on screen: Cherry tomatoes – sweet like candy Cucumbers – thin skin, can eat Bell peppers – grow red, yellow, orange Amaranth – tastes like beets Micro greens – many varieties Yellow tomatoes – perfect
100 paces from hydroponic farm is an organic nursery	Franklin Brookes, organic farmer		Makes a pest repellant with garlic Franklin likes to grow eggplant
Sail 13 miles to Anegada On the boat	The boat's crew and FOW crew	Tannia Breadfruit (grilled) Dressing from mustard, lumpy lemons, garlic and olive oil Hydroponic greens	Alton is on galley duty Alton doesn't do well cooking with the native vegetation of the Caribbean Alton tosses breadfruit overboard The tannia croquette: “That’s edible. It doesn’t make me gag.”
Dog Island Dive boat			Looking for the spiny lobster Alton chases a little wrasse (called a slippery dick) To hunt lobster you must be a native and a free diver Michael Collins is the free diver on the trip
Deeper waters off Great Dog Island Coral Gardens			Alton looks for spiny lobster in a wreaked airplane “Back to the boat for a snack”
Pull anchor for Anegada Whistling Pines restaurant and bar	Sam Cladius, chef/owner	Coconut water and rum Trigger fish and aromatics Potatoes Ribs Shrimp Mahi-mahi	Vinegar and a machete is all you need to deal with lobsters Soaking lobster in seawater and vinegar tenderizes the meat Alton gets a lesson on harvesting coconuts
On the boat			Alton explains Island time Now means soon Soon means a few minutes to a few hours “I’m coming to you” means hold on, getting to you “Soon come” its going to happen If you get a “tooth suck” from a West Indies person, that is displeasure. Especially if you are impatient
Uninhabited island			Alton plants the FOW flag on an uninhabited island

Commercial bump information bits:

Patty—A Caribbean baked good composed of a crusty dough and a ground, spicy filling

13,500 people call Anguilla home and they all drive on the wrong side of the road

Hydroponic—derived from the Greek words “hydro” for water and “ponos” for labor

The first scuba dive was made by Jacques-Yves Cousteau in 1942

Spiny lobsters have been known to live 150 years and grow to 3 feet in length

Back to top

Feasting on Waves Episode 4:
Won Love

Alton is in the British Virgin Islands for this episode

Commercial bump information bits:

Hand harvested sea salt has no iodine or anti-caking agents added.

Trigger fish have eight sharp incisor-like teeth used to crush the hard shells of crabs and sand dollars

Roti can be traced 3,000-4,000 years to the Indus Valley in Pakistan

Conch is a gastropod (univalve) mollusk

Seafood soup around the world: bouillabaisse, bourride, billi-bi, callaloo, clam chowder

Back to top

This site is NOT affiliated with Alton Brown, Be Square Productions or the Food Network.
Strictly a fan site
Last updated: October 15, 2008

Contact the Webmaster