Tom Kerridge's American Feast Season 1 Episode 3 Tucson

Tom Kerridge's American Feast Season 1 Episode 3 is titled "Tucson," and finds the renowned British chef exploring the flavors and cuisine of Arizona's second-largest city. Tucson is a city with a rich cultural history, where Native American, Mexican, and American influences intermingle to create a unique culinary landscape.

In this episode, Kerridge begins his food journey in Tucson by visiting the Santa Cruz Chili and Spice Company. There, he learns about the history of the Sonoran-style hot dog and how it became such a beloved local favorite. The Sonoran-style hot dog is a unique creation that originated in the Sonoran desert of Mexico and has been a fixture in Tucson since the 1950s. It features a bacon-wrapped hot dog nestled inside a soft bread roll, topped with pinto beans, onions, tomatoes, and spicy mayo. Kerridge gets to taste one of these legendary hot dogs and experiences firsthand why they are so beloved by locals.

Next, Kerridge visits the Mission Garden, a living agricultural museum that showcases the food and farming traditions of the region's Native American and Hispanic communities. Here, he discovers some traditional ingredients and methods of cooking that are still used in Tucson today. He meets with a local farmer to learn about some of the staple crops of the region, such as mesquite beans and cholla buds, which have been used for thousands of years by indigenous people. Kerridge also tries his hand at making tortillas from scratch in a traditional adobe oven, guided by a local expert.

No food journey in Tucson would be complete without a visit to one of its many Mexican eateries. Kerridge stops at El Charro, a family-owned and operated restaurant that's been serving up traditional Mexican dishes for over 90 years. He meets with Ray Flores, the grandson of the restaurant's founder, who shares the story of his family's history and how they've maintained their traditions over the decades. Kerridge also tries some of their signature dishes, including their famous carne seca, a type of dried beef that's unique to the region.

But Tucson's food scene is not just about Mexican and Native American cuisine. Kerridge also meets with Chef Janos Wilder at Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails, one of the city's most acclaimed restaurants. Wilder has been instrumental in putting Tucson on the culinary map, earning numerous accolades for his inventive and locally sourced cuisine. Kerridge joins the chef in the kitchen to prepare a dish that showcases some of the region's most flavorful and unusual ingredients, including prickly pear cactus and tepary beans.

Finally, Kerridge heads out to the desert to meet with a group of foragers who are harvesting mesquite pods. Mesquite trees are abundant in the Tucson area, and their pods have traditionally been used as a sweetener in Native American cuisine. The foragers show Kerridge how to collect and prepare the pods, and he gets to taste some of the different mesquite-based products they sell, including syrup and flour.

Tom Kerridge's American Feast Season 1 Episode 3 is a celebration of Tucson's vibrant food culture and the diverse culinary traditions that make it such a unique destination. Kerridge's visit to the city highlights the important role that food plays in bringing together different communities and preserving cultural heritage. Whether it's sampling a Sonoran-style hot dog or cooking tortillas in a traditional adobe oven, Kerridge's journey through Tucson is sure to whet your appetite for the flavors of the Southwest.