America the Bountiful

Maryland is synonymous with crabs, dating back to the 17th century. Crabs of many varieties are plentiful in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and people from all walks of life enjoy this popular crustacean. Capri harvests crabs off Maryland’s Eastern Shore with an all-female crabbing crew and enjoys a crab feast with two sisters who started a crab business in Baltimore.

There is a long tradition of hunting wild game in the Plains. Capri travels to South Dakota for pheasant season, which locals and visitors welcome each year. Capri witnesses a pheasant hunt and samples a famous pheasant sandwich that can trace its origins back to World War II.

No fruit helped build America more than the apple. Recently, there’s been a movement to return to some of the original varieties that apple connoisseurs say taste better than what is typically found in grocery stores today. Discover the story of the apple by visiting with a horticultural historian from Monticello and a foodways interpreter who brings the stories of enslaved persons to life.

Chiles, the backbone of Southwestern cuisine, are celebrated throughout the region. Through a colorful New Mexico road trip, we trace the history and current state of chiles from Santa Fe to Hatch and beyond. Capri is hosted by a multigenerational farm family both in the field and in the kitchen, stops by a roadside haunt that serves chiles in everything and helps judge a chiles tasting contest.

Explore the storied history of the oyster in modern-day South Carolina. The first Americans enjoyed it and it remains a critical ingredient in Gullah Geechee foodways. Capri harvests oysters with members of the Gullah community, enjoys a traditional Gullah oyster dish and shucks oysters alongside women who have been perfecting the art of hand shucking for generations.

In 1847, an Iowa native brought pears into Oregon. In 2005, the Oregon legislature named the pear the state fruit as Oregon’s climate and soil allow pears of many varieties to thrive. Capri visits an orchard owned by a Japanese American family whose founders were held captive in an internment camp during WWII and she learns different ways pears can be prepared

The most sacred food of the Anishinaabe people has become a prized ingredient in cuisine. Learn about the history of wild rice and how it’s harvested and processed. Sample decolonized dishes at the James Beard award-winning Owamni with Sioux Chef Sean Sherman. Andrew Zimmern joins Capri to taste how wild rice shows up at the biggest state fair in America, the “Great Minnesota Get Together.”