America the Bountiful

Capri explores regional traditions surrounding taro in Hawaii. She learns about the history of taro and how to harvest the root and leaves; learns how to make hand-pounded poi; learns how to cook lau lau for a family feast; and samples the taro-centric dessert called kulolo.

Capri explores the regional traditions surrounding cattle ranching and beef in Texas. She visits a working wagyu beef cattle ranch; learns how to cook traditional chilé con carne; visits a barbecue competition; and learns how to make traditional barbacoa by cooking a whole cow head in an underground pit.

Capri Cafaro explores regional traditions surrounding olives in California. She learns how olives came to California at a 19th century Mission; harvests olives and learns how to make olive oil; and learns how to cook a traditional Greek olive hand pie called Eliopitikia.

Capri explores regional traditions surrounding pumpkins in Illinois. She experiences the largest collection of Jack-O-Lanterns in the world; visits a fourth generation pumpkin grower; learns how to make a pumpkin and squash soup; and samples a pumpkin seed molé.

Capri explores the regional traditions surrounding salmon in Washington. She experiences drift net fishing with members of the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe; smokes the fish over alder wood; learns how to process salmon roe; and samples salmon collar at Pike Place Market.

Capri Cafaro explores regional traditions surrounding grapes in New York. She visits the Naples Grape Festival and learns how to make Concord grape pie; visits an upstate winemaker; and learns how a Syrian-American restauranteur is using grape leaves to introduce New Yorkers to the flavor of his home country.

Capri Cafaro explores the regional traditions surrounding cherries in Michigan. She visits a cherry farm and harvests both sweet and tart cherries; stops in at the country’s largest cherry festival; learns how to make a cold cherry soup; and visits a roadside cherry mecca.

Capri explores regional traditions surrounding lobster in Maine. She visits the largest lobster festival in Maine; boards a working lobster boat; experiences a traditional lobster boil on a private island; and gets a taste of Togo through two lobster driven dishes at restaurant Me Lon Togo.

Capri explores regional traditions surrounding honey in North Dakota. She visits one of the largest apiaries in the state to see how bees make honey; visits a small honey producer who also makes beeswax products; learns how mead is made; and learns how to cook a historic Russian honey cake called Medovik.

Capri explores regional traditions surrounding wheat in Kansas. She learns how wheat was harvested 150 years ago and how it's harvested today; learns how to mill flour and make sourdough bread; and learns about a new perennial wheatgrass named Kernza that’s being used like wheat in products like pasta and beer.

Capri explores regional traditions surrounding walleye and perch in Ohio. She catches walleye in Lake Erie; cooks walleye fillets, cheeks, and “wings” on Kelleys Island; discovers how academics are innovating raising perch with aquaculture; and visits James Beard-awarded Larder in Cleveland to sample gefilte fish.

Capri discovers why the area surrounding Kennett Square, PA is considered the “Mushroom Capital of the World.” She visits a mushroom farm; samples mushroom ice cream; learns how to forage wild mushrooms; and cooks a mushroom feast al fresco.