Astride BMWs (and a lowly Triumph), Alton and his cohorts chart a westerly path from Georgia to California in Season 1 and a northern path along the Mississippi River from Louisiana to Minnesota in Season 2.  During their travels they search for unique and flavorful food under a directive instituted by Brown at the outset of each trip: “I recount our mission statement: eat our way up the river (Season 2), avoid freeways, chains, and all forms of whining, documenting all-the good, the bad, and even the untasty.”  Yet having heard this doctrine, one may wonder why the crew prefers to travel such long distances by motorcycle as opposed to the more comfortable confines of a passenger car?  In a book that accompanied the series, Brown illustrates his passion not only for food, but for the thrill of two wheels:

 

Wherever we stop, people always ask, “What’s with the bikes?” I hear that a lot, but there’s not really an easy answer.  For one thing, motorcycles are darned fun to ride.  Even in rain or cold or bitter wind, I’d rather be on a bike than any car on earth—even an Aston Martin DB9 Volante, and that’s saying a lot.  On a bike you are in the movie, not just watching it.  You smell the mowed grass, the stinky dead raccoon, the barbecue when it’s still five miles away.  You feel the sudden changes in road texture and air temperature, and when you lean deep into a corner, accelerating smoothly through and out on your intended line—dang.  And there’s something zen-like about the kind of attention you have to pay when you are on a bike.  You can stare into the middle distance, but your attention can never wonder from what you’re doing or you’ll end up in a ditch, or worse. (10)

 

For motorcycle enthusiasts like Brown, riding is not merely a preference.  It is a necessity.

 

Apart from the crew’s chosen means of transportation, the show’s format is otherwise comparable to rival travel shows focused on food, such as Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri and No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain.  In keeping with the genre’s conventions, Alton’s mission is quite simple: travel from point A to point B (in this case by motorcycle) and whenever possible sample the offerings of locally owned and operated eateries.  That said, when compared to other hosts in this genre, Brown proves to be a tolerable balance between the ordinary (Fieri) and stuffy (Bourdain), due in part to the great equalizer, a two-wheeled steed.  Brown’s forte as a TV personality involves his ability to relate to people, witnessed time after time as the Feasting on Asphalt crew enters each establishment unannounced, adorned in riding attire, with cameras at the ready.  Most restaurateurs welcome the attention and inundate the Feasting folks with their finest entrees.  As the meals progress, Brown and his merry men discuss the array of flavors for viewers at home and frequently fight over the final bites of their favorite dish.

 

While his companions continue eating, Brown (once a cameraman by trade) takes the viewer on a ride through the command center of each café.  Here the viewer witnesses the essence of what Brown labels “road food,” chow that can be obtained on a pit stop, filling the belly without emptying the wallet.  The savory distinctions between certain areas of the country are highlighted by Brown as the nuances of ingredients and cooking are narrated by the chef/proprietor.  One of the show’s strengths lies in Brown’s appreciation for these culinary craftsmen, individuals who typically learned the necessary skills over time and rarely in any sort of formal setting.  In these circles recipes are inherited, protected like family jewels and despite his best efforts Brown’s guests rarely give away their entire catalog.  Chefs at home may resent the secrets, but will certainly understand the reservations held by those within the business.

 

Beyond documenting the labor of cooking, Brown always points to the establishment’s historical significance whenever applicable.  As is the case with Brown’s other Food Network projects, most notably Good Eats, Feasting incorporates a healthy dose of history, science, and trivia.  Whether discussing the influence of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair on American cuisine or the true definition of a smorgasbord, Brown’s knowledge and enthusiasm are evident in every episode.  The program frequently illustrates these details through well executed montages drawing upon archival material and the on-location efforts of the production crew.  The tangents elaborated in these sequences may stray from food, but the importance of John Deere’s original steel plow on western expansion and agriculture in the United States can not be understated.  These sequences play well with the riding and dining segments, further enhancing the diverse attractions of Feasting on Asphalt.

 

For motorcyclists, the Feasting on Asphalt series offers a thoughtful presentation that speaks to the traveler in all of us.  Brown ventures to legendary locales like The Dragon’s Tail (Deal’s Gap) in Tennessee, reminding viewers that the journey can be as pleasurable as the destination.  In addition, Feasting illustrates the challenges of traveling long distances by bike, from bone chilling winds to roadside mishaps.  The show never shies away from the reality of motorcycle riding, particularly in Season 1 as Brown maneuvers his R1200RT Sport Tourer over loose terrain resulting in a rather painful wreck.  Thankfully, Brown was traveling at low speed and injured his pride more than his body or bike.   The final episode of Season 1 is traversed by car since Brown broke his collarbone during the crash and, bruised and battered, was unable to ride the final leg from Nevada to California.  I applaud Brown for incorporating the injury into the conclusion of the first season for I’m sure all riders can relate to a routine maneuver gone wrong.

 

As a supplement to Season 2, Brown also released a book, but here I think true enthusiasts of motorcycling and/or food will be left unsatisfied.  The book falls short of being a genuine travelogue in the spirit of Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman’s Long Way Round/Down projects in which the actors reflect on the rigors of riding extreme distances everyday.  And although the Feasting book incorporates the gorgeous photography of accomplished Frenchman Jean Claude Dhien, the text lacks the depth of Ted Simon or Robert M. Pirsig, authors more renowned for projects in the same vain.  Now I realize Alton Brown is a TV chef, so I may be unduly critical of the text, but one may wonder how this hardback compares to other cookbooks within the road genre.  Here again I think readers will find the text to be light and lacking in substance.  Those yearning for a cookbook rich with recipes will find that the 40 offered in Feasting on Asphalt pale in comparison to the hundreds included in the collective works of Biker Billy Hufnagle.  Biker Billy, a lesser known TV personality who has made appearances on Live with Regis and Kelly, is a chef known for his fire, both his personality and his penchant for hot peppers.  From Biker Billy Cooks With Fire (published in 1995) to Biker Billy’s Roadhouse Cookbook (published in 2008), Billy stuffs each text with hearty recipes sure to please.  Those looking for a genuine cookbook will be best served to skip the Feasting foray into literature and order instead from Biker Billy’s bountiful menu.

 

All things considered, the Feasting on Asphalt television series is a welcome addition to motorcycle programming.  Alton Brown is by no means your typical motor head and to be honest he is not your typical TV chef either, but his quirky personality and passion for all things food and motorcycle make for a delectable meal in today’s otherwise flavorless media mess hall.  For that reason, I believe food and motorcycle enthusiasts alike will be glad they sampled Feasting on Asphalt.

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