It’s Back!

I can’t even believe we’re in the sixth season of Bizarre Foods America (set your DVRs for Monday, March 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.) In this new season, we’re getting  back to our international roots, with episodes in Vancouver, Lima and Cartagena, Colombia. Yes, remember how America is two FULL continents?! I’ll also be trying domestic delicacies like rattlesnake paella in Ft. Worth, Texas; barbecued iguana legs in the Florida Keys; grilled sandhill crane in Nashville, Tennessee; and an uncurdled tofu soup in Atlanta, Georgia (with the incomparable Margaret Cho… friggin’ LOVE her). From stumbling upon quirky subcultures to prevailing traditions passed down by generations, there’s no shortage of amazing food stories to share. I love my job.

In the premiere episode, we take viewers to Alaska’s Copper River Basin where I meet the Charley family, a group of Native Americans who live the traditional life of the Ahtna Tribe. The family remains immersed in the traditions of their elders, living off the land for nourishment and in harmony with the seasons. I try my hand at spearing whitefish (freshwater bottom-dwellers and cousin to the salmon) beneath a display of Northern lights, shooting spruce chicken (medium-sized grouse) and digging up tsaas (wild weeds with a sweet sugary-tasting thick fibrous root). It’s insane. Tune in March 24 for the rest of the story.