Ep 2. Florida's Fixin's

Throughout the United States, from the deep south to the wild west, and everywhere in between, there are unique and intriguing ways of preparing and cooking with fire. In season 5 of Man, Fire, Food, host Roger Mooking travels the country once again to discover these regional takes on open flame cooking. The second episode of the season, Florida's Fixin's, sees Roger exploring the Sunshine State to find out how Floridians work their magic with fire.

The episode kicks off in Tampa, where Roger meets up with pitmaster Ed Dickson at his popular restaurant, Ed's Pitmaster BBQ. Ed specializes in something called an "outsider," which is essentially a giant pig rolled up like a burrito and cooked on a spit over wood. Roger watches as Ed skillfully maneuvers the massive hunk of meat, carefully basting it with a spicy vinegar-based sauce as it slowly turns. The end result is a delicious and impressive centerpiece for any barbecue.

Next, Roger heads to nearby St. Petersburg to visit Swah-rey, a dessert shop that's putting a unique twist on classic campfire treats. Owner Trey Gillette shows Roger how they make their signature s'mores stuffed cupcakes, which feature a graham cracker crust, chocolate cake, and a gooey marshmallow center. Trey then pulls out a blowtorch and gives the tops of the cupcakes a quick flame, just like you would with a traditional campfire s'more. It's a sweet and creative take on a beloved favorite.

Moving on to Fort Myers, Roger stops in at Nice Guys Pizza, where brothers Greg and Patrick DeMarco are using their wood-fired oven to create mouthwatering pizza. The DeMarco brothers have a unique approach to their pies, using non-traditional ingredients like chipotle sauce, creamed corn, and even gator meat. Roger gets a behind-the-scenes look at how they make their from-scratch dough and sauce, then watches as they slide the pizzas into the fiery oven to cook to crispy perfection.

The final stop on Roger's Florida journey takes him to Miami, where he meets up with Chef Michael Beltran at his restaurant, Ariete. Michael is putting a modern spin on classic Cuban cuisine, using fire in all sorts of creative ways. Roger watches as Michael grills up thin slices of beef tongue that will be used in a flavor-packed sandwich, then samples some of the other dishes, like the grilled oysters with garlic butter and the yuca fries with smoked paprika aioli. It's a celebration of Miami's vibrant food scene and the many ways fire can enhance its flavors.

Throughout the episode, Roger showcases the unique flavor profiles and techniques used by each of the chefs and pitmasters he meets. From whole hog barbecue to wood-fired pizzas, Florida's Fixin's is a mouthwatering look at how fire can elevate any dish to new heights.