Feasting on Asphalt

Feasting on Asphalt is a television series starring Alton Brown of the Food Network programs Good Eats and Iron Chef America.

Brown's third series, Feasting on Asphalt explores "road food" (eating establishments which cater to travelers) in the historical and present-day United States, with an emphasis on unique restaurants and regional cuisine. In the first two seasons, Brown and his crew seek "good eats" across the country, via Brown's BMW motorcycle. "As far as I’m concerned, there’s no better way to experience the road than from the back of a bike," says Brown. During the third season (titled Feasting on Waves), Brown trades the motorcycle for a boat to island hop throughout the Caribbean with a similar mission.

Season 1

Season 1 consisted of four episodes, initially broadcast July 29, August 5, August 12, and August 19, 2006 (Shot Spring/Summer '06). Brown traveled from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, and sampled food along his travel route. The episodes included segments documenting famous journeys and travelers (from the Odyssey to the Crusades, to Lewis and Clark, and Jack Kerouac), and interviews with many of the restaurant owners and patrons he met en route.

Brown suffered a motorcycle crash during the shooting of the Nevada segment, injuring his right clavicle. This injury was caught on camera and was shown in episode 4.

Brown began his trip in Mount Pleasant, SC, then wound his way through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and then to the California coast.

Episode 1

Title: "The South Shall Fry Again"

Places Visited:

Place	Coordinates	Establishment	Notes
Mount Pleasant, SC	Template:Coord	Jack's Cosmic Dogs	This was the only (open) food establishment Alton Brown admits to being familiar with prior to the roadtrip
Mount Pleasant, SC	Template:Coord	Pitt Street Pharmacy	Soda Jerk
Savannah, GA	Template:Coord	Streamliner Diner
Gilsonville, SC	not given	Robert Lee Smalls Store	Pickled Pig's Feet Place and establishment identified on foodnetwork.com, but not on the broadcast.
Washington, GA	Template:Coord	Bones Biscuit-bar & Grill	Closed
Toccoa, GA	Template:Coord	The Chicken Basket	Closed
Toccoa, GA	Template:Coord	Shirley's Soul Food Cafe
Spartanburg, SC	Template:Coord	Hobo Hollar Produce
Charlotte, NC	Template:Coord	South 21 Drive-In

Episode 2

Title: "I Smell Pork"

Places Visited:

Place	Coordinates	Establishment	Notes
Cashiers, NC	Template:Coord	The Carolina Smokehouse Template:Webarchive
Sunbright, TN	Template:Coord	Lou's Cafe
North Corbin, KY	Template:Coord	Sanders Cafe	Original Colonel Sanders
Bowling Green, KY	Template:Coord	Duncan Hines' Home
Bowling Green, KY	Template:Coord	Smokey Pig BBQ
Evansville, IN	Template:Coord	Greyhound Bus Station	Vending machines
Evansville, IN	Template:Coord	YWCA Tea Room
Evansville-New Harmony Road, IN	Template:Coord	Hilltop Inn	Brain Sandwich, Squirrel Burgoo
St. Louis, MO	Template:Coord	Ted Drewes Frozen Custard

Episode 3

Title: "High Plains Feaster"

Places Visited:

Place	Coordinates	Establishment	Notes
Saint Louis, MO	Template:Coord	Grounds, 1904 World's Fair
Weaubleau, MO	Template:Coord	Anonymous tourist court
Florence, KS	Template:Coord	Spring Fling event	Brisket BBQ
Florence, KS	Template:Coord	Harvey house
La Junta, CO	Template:Coord	Former Woolworth's lunch counter	closed
La Junta, CO	Template:Coord	Copper Kitchen Cafe
Pikes Peak, CO	Template:Coord	Brown's campstove on Pikes Peak summit	Coffee at 14,000 feet, brewed with Pikes Peak snow
Mancos, CO	Template:Coord	Ted's Taco	frybread
Mexican Hat, UT	Template:Coord	Mexican Hat Lodge

Episode 4

Title: "California or Bust"

Places Visited:

Place	Coordinates	Establishment	Notes
Monument Valley, UT	not given	Linda and Woody's RV	hash browns, made using "Essence of Emeril" (which Brown points out "doesn't actually smell like Emeril")
Kayenta, AZ	not given	Linda W.'s house	mutton stew, fry bread, intestine, stomach fat, blue cornmeal mush, wild pine nuts, Navajo tea, Navajo tacos
Indian Springs, NV	Template:Coord	anonymous gravel road	Brown's motorcycle mishap, he traveled by car from this moment on
Las Vegas, NV	not given	Curly Q Camp	chuck wagon re-enactment; due to Brown's injuries from above incident he was unable to attend although remainder of crew did
Rialto, CA	Template:Coord	Wigwam Motel	hardtack, homemade by Brown from "an authentic Civil War recipe"
Ontario, CA	Template:Coord	Cathy and John's semi and Fork in the Road Restaurant	muffler beef stew (made with an accessory originally designed for snowmobiles) and meatloaf cooked using plug-in cooker
Hawthorne, CA	not given (mobile)	lunch wagon	breakfast burrito
Hawthorne, CA	Template:Coord	Continental Gourmet market	empanadas
Hawthorne, CA	Template:Coord	B&R Old Fashion Burgers	royal burger (2.5 lb. - pastrami, egg, etc.)
Hawthorne, CA	not given	Dino's drive-through	pastrami hot dog
Hawthorne, CA	Template:Coord	Fosters Freeze	soft serve ice cream with Hawthorne PD Detective (now Hawthorne PD Sergeant and host of The Hungry Detective) Chris Cognac; supposedly site of inspiration for the Beach Boys song Fun, Fun, Fun but, was actually the A&W hamburger stand on Hawthorne Blvd; ice cream; pepper balls
Hawthorne, CA	Template:Coord	Acosta's tacos

Note: Coordinates were incorrectly shown in ddmmss format on the program.

Alton Brown is shown wearing a sling for three quarters of this episode after his motorcycle accident in Nevada and resulting shoulder injury. On the sling is written: "If you can read this odds are I'm about to scream." The Chicago Tribune said of the incident that Brown was "surely the only Food Network celeb to have broken bones in a motorcycle crash on camera".

Season 2

The second season, Feasting on Asphalt 2 – The River Run, began airing August 4, 2007 on the Food Network. The journey began in Venice, Louisiana, with Brown and his crew tracing the Mississippi River north. According to Brown's website, Feasting on Asphalt 2 was filmed during April and May 2007, and consists of six episodes along the Great River Road. Brown deviates from the Great River Road, however, missing several of the cities that travel along the Mississippi River; rather than following the river through towns such as Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and Bemidji, Minnesota, Brown cuts straight over from Crosby, Minnesota to Itasca State Park in order to reach the source of the Mississippi River.

Episode 1

Title: "A Strong Brown God"

According to Brown, a strong brown god is a term used by T. S. Eliot to describe the Mississippi River.

Places Visited:

Place	Coordinates	Establishment	Notes
Just outside New Orleans, LA		Luzianne	Tea blends formulated for iced tea. According to Brown, Luzianne kept its employees on full salary during the months the company was closed following Hurricane Katrina.
New Orleans, LA	Template:Coord	Mulate's	Gumbo, grilled alligator, frog legs, bread pudding.
New Orleans, LA		Big Fisherman	Boiled crawfish, crawfish pies, sausage, stuffed artichoke.
Hammond, LA	Template:Coord	Kliebert's Gator & Turtle Farm	Has been raising alligators since the 1940s. Kliebert's ranching methods are said to have increased the alligator population. The alligators are fed frozen nutria.
Vacherie, LA		B&C Seafood	Red beans and rice, alligator, gumbo, boudin balls, sausage, potato salad.
La Place, LA	Template:Coord	Bailey's Andouille	Andouille, tasso, hog head cheese.

Episode 2

Title: "Fry Me a River"

Places Visited:

Place	Coordinates	Establishment	Notes
Baton Rouge, LA		Uncle Bill's Spices	A demonstration on grinding sassafras leaves into filé powder.
Natchez, MS	Template:Coord	The Donut Shop	Drive-thru donut shop.
Natchez, MS	Template:Coord	Club 601	Spaghetti and fried catfish.
Outside Natchez, MS		Natchez State Park	Brown cooked breakfast for the crew. Grits with head cheese, picante scrambled eggs, and fried andouille.
Natchez Trace Parkway			A brief history of this historic road, while traveling to their next destination.
Lorman, MS	Template:Coord	Old Country Store	Fried chicken, corn bread, and greens. Brown said it was the best fried chicken he'd ever had.
Vicksburg, MS	Template:Coord	Biedenharn Candy Co.	Brown discussed the strategic importance of Vicksburg during the American Civil War, and Biedenharn first bottling Coca-Cola in 1894.
Greenville, MS	Template:Coord	Jim's Cafe	Beef tips on pancakes.

Episode 3

Title: "Soul Food Survivor"

Places Visited:

Place	Coordinates	Establishment	Notes
Greenville, MS		Doe's Eat Place	Tamale Trail. Preparation of tamales, and theories about their popularity on the Mississippi delta.
Rosedale, MS	Template:Coord	Joe's White Front Cafe	"Koolickles" (pickles made with cherry Kool-Aid), and corn husk tamales. Brown later said this was his favorite recipe from the book based on the TV show.
West Helena-Helena, AR	Template:Coord	Ray's Dairy Maid	Pecan and coconut meringue pies. City erroneously given as Helena, Alaska (AK) on map.
Memphis, TN	Template:Coord	Pink Palace Museum	Replica of the original Piggly Wiggly grocery store.
Memphis, TN	Template:Coord	Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Que	Memphis school of barbecue. Pork skins, baby back ribs, chopped pork on spaghetti, deep fried sausage.
Memphis, TN		Wiles-Smith Drugs	Cherry milk shakes at a drug store lunch counter. Brown mistook a stuffed porcupine for a nutria.
Memphis, TN	Template:Coord	Melanie's Soul Food Restaurant	Soul food – turkey leg, greens, corn bread, beans, caramel cake.

Episode 4

Title: "Take Me To The River"

Places Visited:

Place	Coordinates	Establishment	Notes
Paducah, KY			Brown's barge trip ends here.
Chester, IL	Template:Coord	Home of Popeye	Home of Popeye's creator and Brown's taste of canned spinach.
Alton, IL		Alton IL, Visitor Center	Where Alton Brown learns how midwesterners pronounce the name Alton.
Alton, IL	Template:Coord	Fast Eddie's - Bon Air	Off the river road road-house. Built in the 1920s by Anheuser Busch.
Alton, IL	Template:Coord	Pie Town	Best pecan pie north of the Mason-Dixon line according to Brown. Closed Dec 2008.
Saint Louis, MO	Template:Coord	Donut Drive-In	6525 Chippewa Street - Best donuts Brown has ever consumed
Saint Louis, MO	Template:Coord	Worlds Fair Donuts	1904 S Vandeventer - Peggy the fastest change maker doesn't have much time for Brown after the camera man gets in her way. Old school donuts.
Saint Louis, MO	Template:Coord	Saint Louis Hills Donut Shop	6917 Hampton - Where Brown teaches a kid how to drink coffee and does a taste test with cold milk.
Quincy, IL	Template:Coord	Maid Rite	507 North 12th Street - Home of the Maid-Rite.

Episode 5

Title: "Mid-American Pie"

Places Visited:

Place	Coordinates	Establishment	Notes
Monroe City, MO	Template:Coord	Civil War battle reenactment	Union vs. Confederate coffee taste test. (Note: The GPS coordinates shown are not that close to Monroe City MO.)
Taylor, MO	Template:Coord	The 18 Wheeler Restaurant	The truck stop with the country's biggest breakfast.
Nauvoo, IL	Template:Coord	Baxter's Vineyard	2010 Parley St - Where Mike the sound guy gets to taste midwestern wine. Brown also tries rhubarb pie with concord grape juice.
Niota, IL	Template:Coord	Quality Fisheries	On IL Hwy 96 - 157 Arbor. River fish that have been hot smoked. Deep fried morel mushrooms.
Muscatine, IA	Template:Coord	The Clam Shell	Valentine Diner number 2111. Also where pearl buttons come from river mollusc shells.
Moline, IL	Template:Coord	John Deere Visitors Pavilion	Deere Prairie Breaker plow
Savanna, IL		U-Pick Asparagus	Pick your own asparagus outside of Savanna on the Great River Road.
Saint Donatus, IA	Template:Coord	Kalmes Store	Fried chicken livers with seafood cocktail sauce and pork tenderloin sandwiches with Luxembourg noodles. And the special machine to make the noodles.
Balltown, IA	Template:Coord	Breitbach's Restaurant	Iowa's oldest bar. Many pies, including rhubarb custard.

Episode 6

Title: "Lutefisk Express"

Places Visited:

Place	Coordinate	Establishment	Notes
Alma, WI	Template:Coord	Great Alma Fishing Float	"The Mess" with smoked fish and sauerkraut named "Best road breakfast yet" by Brown. - Visited on 7/1/15 and they are no longer serving the mess
Frontenac, MN	Template:Coord	Whistle Stop Cafe	A good example of a great "Road Joint."
St. Paul, MN	Template:Coord	Russian Tea House	Once visited by U2. Brown enjoys piroshki, a traditional Russian hamburger-like dish.
Minneapolis, MN	Template:Coord	Olsen Fish Company	Providers of Brown's Lutefisk enjoyed at the end of the show.
St. Paul, MN	Template:Coord	Mickey's Dining Car	Authentic diner food.
St. Paul, MN	Template:Coord	Unnamed catering company with Soile Anderson	Smorgasbord is defined and enjoyed.
Minneapolis, MN	Template:Coord	Bob's Java Hut	Brown gets a tattoo in the shop upstairs.
Crosby, MN	Template:Coord	The Nordic Inn	Nordic theme hotel built in a converted Methodist Church
Itasca State Park	Template:Coord		End of the road, source of the Mississippi River.

Season 3

The third season uses the title Feasting on Waves as Brown travels the Caribbean by boat in search of local cuisine with less emphasis on established restaurants and more roadside stands and visits to residents' kitchens.

• Sugar on Isle One: a visit to Saint Kitts, Brown seeks traditional foods from roadside stands, street vendors, and homes of locals. Dishes explored include a bush tea created from fragrant grasses foraged from the roadside
• Fungi with Foraging and Fish: a visit to Saint Martin / St Maarten and a lolo stand, brews a local drink called mauby, and helps a local family prepare a boiled fish feast with local ingredients and traditions.
• Island Thyme: Brown sails on to discover "perfect" foods and home made wines made from unexpected ingredients. Sea life becomes the focus as the exploration moves below the surface.
• Won Love: Traditional family recipes and a friendly church social are just a couple of the places AB finds the "best sauce" which turns out to be the main ingredient of all of his travels.

Motorcycles and gear

Season 1

In the series, Alton Brown is seen riding a BMW R1200RT, a touring motorcycle, with a number of accessories. He wears a variety of gear including textile jackets or suits made by BMW, Aerostich, and Vanson, and Aerostich "Combat Touring" boots. His web site lists his motorcycle and camping gear, much of it procured from Aerostich. His motorcycle was purchased used from a BMW dealer and has made prior appearances on Good Eats. Its fate following the accident outside Las Vegas has not been divulged.

Season 2

For Season 2 Alton Brown and his crew rode the BMW R1200GS, a dual-sport motorcycle. He is seen outfitted with BMW motorcycle apparel.

Book

The River Run series became a book in 2008.

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:Trim/ Template:Trim at IMDbTemplate:EditAtWikidataTemplate:WikidataCheck
• Feasting on Asphalt at Metacritic