Appetite for success
When it comes to national attention, Arkansas is often the butt of a joke or two. We die-hard Arkansans all know that, contrary to popular belief, we don’t go barefoot all year long. And another thing — we have some of the best food in the country, all year long.
If you want to check out a few examples, look no further than the award-winning culinary series State Plate on cable network INSP. The episode airing at 11 a.m. Monday visits The Natural State and host Taylor Hicks visits five places to give a glimpse into our state’s delicious food. Hicks, who won the fifth season of
American Idol, has since ventured into theater and television, touring in the Broadway musical Grease, and hosting State Plate. He also opened Saw’s BBQ & Juke Joint in Alabama and is busy in the recording studio.
In the series, Hicks is on a quest to assemble the perfect state plate representing the most historic, famous and tastiest dishes. He visits farms, ranches, markets and festivals in order to present the best of the best in each state. While in Arkansas, Hicks visited:
Heights Taco and Tamale in Little Rock for cheese dip
Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs for corned beef
Old South Restaurant in Russellville for possum pie
Lindsay Chandler/Arkansas Rice in Wilson to sample local rice
Richard Austin/Fatman’s Original Fried Dill Pickle in Atkins to try fried pickles.
For more information on the series, go to insp.com/shows/state-plate/.