Reconnecting Roots

Narrator> Support for "Reconnecting Roots" is provided by the following.

Muletown Coffee Roasters is all about slowing things down, digging into community, and encouraging good for goodness sake.

Taylor Stitch is responsibly built for the long haul and is proud to partner with brands that inspire hope for more sustainable future.

Lems Shoes, everything we do is done with intention and we will never stop our endless exploration to keep your feet happy and healthy every step of the way.

Discover more with less.

The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.

Through the generosity of our members and donors, the ETV Endowment has made it possible for programs like "Reconnecting Roots" to be shared around our state and the nation for more than 45 years.

Sharing a common passion for music and community in beautiful Paradise Valley, Music Ranch Montana's mission to support musicians and provide a place to enjoy it together is reflected in "Reconnecting Roots".

Come on to my house, my house I'm gonna you pigs and the dates And the grapes and the cakes Hey, come on to my house My house, come on Come on to my house My house, come on, come on Actor #1> Good milk.

Actor #2>It's what's for dinner.

Edible, edible Actor #3> The other white meat.

Gabe> Oh, hey, you caught me getting ready to watch a TV show about meals and delicious food.

You got about 30 seconds to go heat up your plate and join me.

Starting now.

(gentle instrumental music) I'm Gabe McCauley.

Join me as we explore the greatness of America.

Beautiful for spacious skies Amber waves of grain Purple mountain majesties on the fruited plain We're home There's no place like home (upbeat music) Home Home Gabe> Tracing the roots of progress from then to now, and how, this is "Reconnecting Roots".

We're home Gabe> When meeting a member of the royal family for the first time, it is important to remember a few things.

First, you must address the Queen as, Your Majesty, with a slight neck bow.

Do not touch the Queen or turn your back on her at any time.

And finally, if dining with the monarch, under no circumstances should you offer her a hotdog.

But in America, presidents have their own protocols.

As in 1939, when the Roosevelts hosted King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, it was the first time a British monarch had set foot on US soil, and FDR wanted there to be nothing stuffy about the affair.

So for four days, they went swimming, drove through the hills, and enjoyed a backyard barbecue.

It was there that the 32nd president served his and her Majesty, two juicy grilled frankfurters.

The tubular offering made headlines and helped strengthen diplomatic ties between two nations ahead of another World War.

Such are the culinary customs that differ from culture to culture.

What may seem unpalatable or strange to some is baked into the history and tradition of others.

We call this food waves, and it's all about the production, preservation, preparation, and presentation of our foods.

That's a lot of peas, and boy, do we have options.

We have thin crest pizza, deep dish pizza, New England clam chowder, Manhattan clam chowder.

There's Tex-Mex, and cajun, and other fusions.

I'm not even gonna touch barbecue.

Mealtime can be full of wonders, and some of the most wonderful bites are to be found at The Grey.

Once a streamline, modern style bus station designed to segregate Black and White, it's now the hottest dinner spot in the South.

All thanks to two time James Beard winning chef, Mashama Bailey.

Mashama uses the space to bring diners together to experience an elevated southern cuisine, which combines influences of her French culinary education, her Bronx upbringing, and her Georgian roots.

So we are a big melting pot, you know, here in America, how does that influence the foods we eat?

Mashama> You know, my dad had a really good friend growing up, and he married a woman that was Korean, and so we spent a lot of time together eating together, sharing food together.

You know, I don't feel completely comfortable like putting a kimchi on the menu, but I do understand the concept, like, what does that mean for me?

Is it sauerkraut?

Maybe not, but it might be chow chow.

And I think that that's how the melting pot kind of influences each other.

Gabe> What is it that best defines the taste of America?

Mashama> When you sort of Google, what's American food?

It's like casseroles, and you know, hamburgers.

American food is really regional.

I like to say that southern food really helps define American food.

I think it's extremely influential on what people think of as American food.

But you can say the same thing if you grew up off the coast of Maine, or if you grew up in, you know, Oregon, or if you live in Southern California.

I think it really sort of depends on the region Gabe> Sure.

Mashama> and what ingredients are accessible, and how you have cultivated those ingredients to make delicious food.

Gabe> What do you think our grandparents would've thought about the variety and the abundance of food that we have today?

Mashama> I don't think they would've eaten it.

(laughs) I think our grandparents lived, worked, shopped, ate in their community.

So, you know, I think they would probably think it was a little, not weird, but just very extravagant, you know?

Gabe> Yeah.

Mashama> The world is a lot smaller, and a lot of it is because we've sort of intertwined our communities, and when you intertwine communities, you have to bring the food of that community in order to nourish that community.

Gabe> How do you think recipes developed, you know, generations ago when they weren't necessarily thinking about being a chef at a restaurant, Mashama> Yeah.

Gabe> but just for their, you know, families at home?

Mashama> When you cook, you want people to like your food.

And so I think recipes develop from the fact that the food was enjoyed.

And I think people try to replicate it.

Really, it's about taste and praise.

I think recipes come from that.

I think mealtime is more than just the food that you are eating.

I think it's the place, I think it's the company.

Our hope is that you leave here feeling special.

Gabe> Yeah.

Mashama> And we just want to provide the atmosphere for that.

Gabe> Finally, after taking in the aroma from the kitchen all afternoon, it was time to eat.

And since we didn't want to live a life full of regret, we might have ordered the entire menu.

(gentle instrumental music) Hmm, I regret nothing.

(gentle instrumental music) Gabe> Oh, well, well, look at all these vittles, Clinton.

Quite the spread here, huh?

Clinton> Yes, sir.

We got dried shucky beans here, just like granny done it, skins and all, seasoned with cured ham.

Gabe> You see, I like this corn pone here.

Nothing better than cornbread fried in bacon grease.

Hmm, ain't nothing better for you.

Clinton> Yes, and it goes quite well with the salted pork.

Now all we need is a hunk of butter to cover it.

Gabe> Oh, should be coming right up.

Hey Marge, how's the butter churning?

Marge> Quit rushing me, or you can get over here and take care of it yourself.

Gabe> What a flower, my Marge.

Just as beautiful as it the day we's married.

Ruthie> Well, I brought taters.

I about been peeling them since sunrise.

Clinton says we can't even get a new paring knife until Christmas.

Marge> Well, I thankful you brought taters.

Probably the only fresh food we'll have at this dinner.

Everything else is dried or pickled.

Ruthie> Oh, or cold smoke.

Clinton's out on the farm all day and I'm left doing everything else, like build the fire, slaughter the pigs, pluck the chickens, can the beans.

It never ends.

Now I have to build this apple stack with dried apples because the apple butter turned.

Clinton> Say, Ruthie, is dessert almost ready?

'Cause I know I am.

You know what, I run into Jebediah the other day and you know what he tell me?

Gabe> No.

Clinton> Well, I was getting ready to tell you.

Gabe> Oh.

Clinton> He said he got himself one of them ice boxes.

Gabe> Really?

Waste of money if you ask me.

Clinton> Yeah, well maybe so.

I guess he still has to gather the ice in order to make it work.

But get this, he says that if they don't eat everything that they cooked at dinner time, that they can just store whatever's left over in that their icebox, save it for later.

Gabe> No kidding.

He doesn't just try and eat all the food so it doesn't go to waste?

Clinton> Nuh-uh.

Gabe> Well, what's he going to slop the pigs with?

Clinton> I don't know.

But he did say that they can enjoy two meals after only cooking just the one.

Gabe> Well, maybe I ought to get one of those.

You know, I bet Marge could use something like that.

Hey Marge, I brought you a plate.

You can clean it after you nap.

(gentle instrumental music) Gabe> Even though friends and family have been savoring food together since the beginning of time, it wasn't until the height of the industrial revolution that the main meal of the day switched from lunch to dinner.

Midday break from the heat of the sun shifted as factory jobs shifted worker's schedules, making dinner time the main meal.

Factories also changed how we got ingredients as food processing industrialized, packing hours of kitchen labor into a tin can.

But as society moved away from the agrarian model, the nation experienced some growing pains as the average height of Americans shrunk by a few inches, as a generation was removed from the literal fruits of their labors.

Dining out in America got a lot of bad reviews from the likes of luminaries, such as Charles Dickens and Grand Duke Alexei of Russia.

In an era when restaurants were merely features of hotels, Delmonico's in New York City concocted a new model for fine dining, using French techniques to create delicacies, using notable local games, such as terrapin, duck, and oysters served in a palatal setting.

Eating out quickly became a means of entertainment, and similar restaurants popped up across the country, blending fine foods with hospitality and affording the luxury of eating without the work.

Even Oscar Wilde was won over, declaring America's most impressive sites being Yosemite Valley and Delmonico's.

With food prep, processing, and cooking now largely done outside of the home, the Food and Drug Administration was formed in 1906 to help ensure that the food Americans were eating, both at home and in restaurants, (oven chiming) was safe.

(gentle instrumental music) But the biggest innovation in food safety happened in 1918 with the invention of the refrigerator.

By the end of World War II, nearly 80% of household kitchens had refrigerators, fundamentally changing how we stored our perishables and effectively ending the need for salting, canning, and drying, at least in the old fashioned sense.

And effectively beginning our love-hate relationship with leftovers.

(gentle instrumental music) (video whirring) (gentle instrumental music) Say, hey, good looking What you got cooking How's about cooking something up with me Hey, sweet baby Don't you think, maybe We could find us a brand new recipe I got a hot rod Ford and a $2 bill And I know a spot right over the hill There's soda popping and the dancing's free So if you want to have fun, come along with me Say, hey, good looking What you got cooking How's about cooking something up with me (gentle instrumental music) Say, hey, good looking What you got cooking How's about cooking something up with me (gentle instrumental music) Gabe> While the economy transformed over the course of the 20th century, household kitchens underwent massive updates.

Catharine Beecher, Fannie Merritt Farmer, and Margaret Reed were pioneers in the field of home economics, pushing for scientific methodology, using precise measurements in recipes, and declaring the home to be the most important economic institution.

With the invention of devices like the toaster, dishwasher, and microwave, much of the work that once took the whole family all day to do can now be done faster and solo.

In the 100 year span between 1900 and 2000, the average time spent on chores and meal prep per household went from 58 hours a week to now only about an hour a day.

By mid-century, the new paradigm of the nuclear family was in full swing.

Dinner possibilities seemed endless and more convenient than ever.

Frozen foods provided a fresher alternative to canned goods and food storage began to take shape and color.

The question of what's for dinner went from an existential uncertainty to a proposition of excitement against boredom, and to help provide answers, food brands often invented whole cookbooks promoting their products, such as marshmallow fluff, condensed milk, condensed soup, and of course... gelatin galore.

(gentle instrumental music) (jelly wobbling) (gentle instrumental music) We're still trying to understand this period of American history.

The American diet has changed with the times.

Today we eat about the same amount of meat, but more poultry and way less pork.

We've cut back on natural fats like butter and lard, but have increased overall fat intake by 40 pounds a year, including a lot of manmade trans fats.

We're eating 56% more vegetables, especially fresh ones.

And a lot more fruit, though a lot of that is juice.

And eating out has gotten easier and faster.

While many fine dining options offer extravagance, most restaurants cater to convenience.

We've learned to expand our pallets with an array of comfort foods while narrowing the dishes we once ate out of necessity.

(gentle instrumental music) Cultural history and local ingredients are two major food way factors.

To prove how these elements inspire dishes, Chef Mashama invited me to help prepare one of her favorite comfort foods.

Alright, so should I be mimicking what you are doing here Mashama> Yes.

Gabe>...and not cutting my fingers off?

Mashama> So I would cut it in half.

Yep.

Gabe> Okay, and that gives me a good starting point where it's all even.

Mashama> Exactly.

Gabe> Yeah, okay.

Mashama> So I like to curl my fingers back Gabe> Yeah.

Mashama> so I don't cut them off.

(laughs) Gabe> Okay.

Mashama> I would like us to make a dish that we started doing at the Grey about six years ago, clams and dumplings.

Gabe> Ooh.

Mashama> Yeah.

It's a riff off chicken and dumplings, obviously.

And you sort of cook it the same way, you have your broth and then you poach your dumplings in your broth, and then you kind of like combine it all together.

You eat it as a soup or you can eat it over rice.

I wanted to do something that resonated with being in the Low country, being in Savannah, you know, Sapelo Island is not too far from here.

Gabe> Does that mean that's where these clams are from?

Mashama> And that's where these clams are from.

Gabe> Do you enjoy cooking at home for, you know, friends and family as much as the restaurant?

Or is it different?

How does that feel?

Mashama> I actually think I get a little bit more nervous when I cook at home Gabe> Really?

Mashama> for friends and family than when I do at the restaurant.

You get like that instant feedback, Gabe> Right.

Mashama> like you're literally sitting across from the person that you're feeding.

Gabe> Is it hard for you to turn the chef side off even when you're cooking for friends and family?

Mashama> I think what happens when you cook professionally is sort of built in for you to care, and it's an extension of your personality.

Gabe> Yeah.

Mashama> 'Cause every recipe takes on a bit of your personality.

I found out about this woman named Edna Lewis.

I started reading her cookbooks and I started reading them like novels, I would just like go to bed reading a cookbook.

And one of the first cookbooks that I read of hers was "A Taste of Country Cooking", and it's super cool because it goes through the seasons.

Gabe> It's such a foreign concept that we would eat certain foods at certain seasons anymore, you know what I mean?

Mashama> Yeah.

Gabe> Like, we're, "No, I want an avocado when I want an avocado", so.

Mashama> Right.

I think that as Americans, we like what we like when we like it, and we want what we want when we want it.

We're so far removed.

We pick things when they're under ripe.

Gabe> Right.

Mashama> We're overworking the soil.

It doesn't really taste like the terroir, if you were into wine, right?

(gentle instrumental music) Gabe> That's pretty tasty.

Mashama> And then a little.

Alright, you hungry?

Gabe> Hmm.

Mashama> Alright, let's go.

Gabe> Alright, here I go.

(gentle instrumental music) Gabe> Hmm, it is nice.

Mashama> It's like different, Gabe> Yeah.

Mashama> right?

It's a little salty, Gabe> Hmm.

Mashama> a little briny.

Gabe> What do you think as Americans we need to reconnect to in regards to our food ways?

What are we missing?

Mashama> We need to connect to the growers and to the workers around food.

You know, I think we're very disconnected from that.

You know, who's growing your vegetables or who's growing your meat?

And I think it's gonna help to retain the flavors that we're all sort of seeking in our brains, right, Gabe> Yeah.

Mashama> are those memories that we want to reconnect with.

Now I think there's a resurgence on how eating very locally, organically is focused on vegetables, and it's focused on local agriculture, and it's focused on health.

Gabe> The reality is, if you're going to cook at home and you're going to cook for others, it does take some effort.

Mashama> Oh yeah.

Gabe> And it's not near as convenient or efficient, but what are we missing out on when we don't do that?

When we don't take the time?

Mashama> It's the actual being still part of cooking.

It's a sense of rest, it's a sense of nourishment.

And we need that as people, especially as Americans, as we move so fast, and we don't incorporate time for us to sit still Gabe> Yeah.

>> and rejuvenate.

You can do it together as a family and you're bonding and you're creating memories.

(gentle instrumental music) (upbeat music) (car whirring) Gabe> For as much progress as we've made, it hasn't all been finger looking good.

Employee #1> Hi, welcome to Grease's, home of the heart stopper cheeseburger, can I take your order?

Gabe> I'll have the number three With fries and a large soda pop, please.

The average American now eats 20% of their meals in the car.

Obesity rates are through the sunroof, tripling over the last 50 years.

Employee #1> Would you like to add cheese and chili to those fries?

Gabe> Sure.

Fast food is cheap, convenient, and consistent, whether you're in Times Square or Timbuktu.

So who can blame an overworked and underpaid parent for resorting to this to feed their kids?

And what does it mean when the meals we do cook at home come out of a plastic tray or an expensive kit?

For some, cooking can be an emotional experience, (waitress screams) (food squishing) that can sometimes get a little messy.

(gentle instrumental music) Gabe> Where can I set these down?

(suspenseful music) Oh no, this is a foodie potluck.

Guest #1> I brought my homemade sourdough bread recipe, perfected it over COVID.

Still warm, if you want to try it with a little organic buttery spread.

It's salted with black lava salts from Iceland.

Guest #1> Oh, looks amazing.

All I brought were these ahi tuna loaded nacho bites with tapatio crema.

Gabe> Hey guys, quite the spread, hmm?

Wow, so many plug-in appliances, what time will dinner be ready?

(laughing together) Clinton> No, we were just checking our apps to make sure that our dishes stayed at the perfect temperature.

The crock pot over there has got succulent pulled pork, and the air fryer, well, that's got crispy buttermilk fried chicken.

Oh, and the instant pot, yeah, that's gonna be fall off the bone, melt in your mouth braised short ribs.

Gabe> Wow, so many adjectives.

Guest #1> Ooh, get a pic of the creamy tacos.

Gabe> Oh, sorry.

I'm an idiot, I brought chips and soda.

Guest #2> Oh, hey, Gabe, what scrumptious thing did you make?

Gabe> Oh, hey, somebody's sous vide is too hot.

Guest #2> Oh no.

(upbeat music) Guest #1> Does anyone know who made that amazing wok dish?

It was epic.

Clinton> Oh, you mean the avocado toast balsamic reduction.

Guest #2> That was a hit, that was like my favorite thing tonight.

Gabe> That was pretty good, it was mine.

Clinton> That was Gabe's.

Yeah, his name's right here on the Dinner Dash receipt.

(Gasping) Clinton> Oh, Gabe, you could have tipped, man.

Gabe> Modern open floor plans connect the kitchen to the rest of the house.

Now the kitchen can be a gathering place just as well as the living or dining rooms.

Family meal time has also been shown to be beneficial for young children and adolescents.

Research shows that frequent family meals are associated with lower disordered eating behaviors, improved academic success, better dietary intake, less substance abuse, and improved psychological well being.

What we eat changes with our taste, but what never changes is our passion for food, especially those timeless recipes that we share from generation to generation, where love is the secret ingredient.

And maybe a little fun too.

Rolling up down town Getting paid by the hour Making dough from poppy flour.

Hmm Making dough from poppy flour, hmm Factory farm supply Pushing pills made to order Easy bake bread and butter, hmm Easy bake bread and butter, hmm Bringing home the bacon Working on the line My skillet good and greasy all the time Skillet good and greasy all the time, time, time My skillet good and greasy Keep it good and greasy (upbeat music) Keep it good and greasy (upbeat music) Bringing home the bacon Working on the line My skillet good and greasy all the time Skillet good and greasy all the time, time, time My skillet good and greasy all the time (gentle instrumental music) (gentle instrumental music) Gabe> Connect with me, Gabe McCauley, and "Reconnecting Roots" by visiting reconnectingroots.com where you'll find music, blogs, behind the scenes, and more.

Join our email list to stay reconnected.

(gentle instrumental music) Narrator> Support for "Reconnecting Roots" is provided by the following.

Muletown Coffee Roasters is all about slowing things down, digging into community, and encouraging good for goodness sake.

Taylor Stitch is responsibly built for the long haul and is proud to partner with brands that inspire hope for a more sustainable future.

Lems Shoes, everything we do is done with intention and we will never stop our endless exploration to keep your feet happy and healthy every step of the way.

Discover more with less.

The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.

Through the generosity of our members and donors, the ETV Endowment has made it possible for programs like "Reconnecting Roots" to be shared around our state and the nation for more than 45 years.

Sharing a common passion for music and community in beautiful Paradise Valley, Music Ranch Montana's mission to support musicians and provide a place to enjoy it together is reflected in "Reconnecting Roots".

(gentle instrumental music) (chime)