State Plate (2016 - 2018)

Did you know ice cream sundae was given its name in Evanston, Illinois? Well, this week, singer and entertainer Taylor Hicks enjoys a few scoops of the creamy confection as he tastes his way across Illinois looking to discover the state’s most emblematic foods. Come along as he visits the cornfields that produce the official state snack: popcorn. He also learns how to bake the perfect bread for the famous Italian beef sandwich, and he heads to the windy city to get the low down on deep-dish pizza and the Chicago-style hot dog.

Join him as he herds Churro sheep, plants tepary beans, discovers the surprising birthplace of the chimichanga, and more! Then sit down to Arizona’s finest, a meal of tender lamb stew, versatile Navajo fry bread, crispy chimichanga, tasty tepary beans and sweet prickly pear cactus candy. Hungry? Get ready for a plateful of Arizona cuisine filled with a heaping side of stories and legends behind the state’s tastiest foods.

Join him as he heads to the mudflats to go digging for soft-shell clam “steamers,” works with a horse to hill potatoes in the field, and learns how to cook authentic bean-hole beans over hot coals. Then it’s out to sea, as he also goes lobster fishing to get to the main ingredient of Maine’s famous lobster roll. The Maine menu wouldn’t be complete without dessert! Taylor finishes it off with a slice of fresh blueberry pie.

From the sandy beaches to the…well, swampy swamps, host Taylor Hicks hits the road to The Sunshine State seeking out Florida’s most popular and emblematic foods! With the help of iconic actress Maureen McCormick, Taylor uncovers the stories and legends behind the Sunshine State’s traditional cuisine. Not only do they enjoy some tasty tidbits, but they also dive into some unique Florida experiences. Join Taylor as he learns how to harvest a local favorite called swamp cabbage, and Maureen heads out to sea to fish for stone crab. They also sample alligator bites and a Florida fruit that is almost as popular as the orange: the Kumquat. And, of course, they can’t leave the great state of without indulging in Florida’s a savory slice of key lime pie.

The man who has his own barbecue joint is in for some BBQ—Texas style! Taylor Hicks is not only in show biz, but he’s in the restaurant business, as well, and he knows his barbecue! In the Lone Star State he saddles up, lopes off on a cattle drive and chows down on some tender, spicy barbecue brisket, and makes cowboy-style pan de campo over a campfire. The Texas state food is chili, so the pressure is on when Taylor judges a chili cook-off between two legends of the chili world. Then he makes a sweet onion casserole at the largest onion farm in America. Can’t go without dessert! Taylor learns a family’s cherished recipe as he helps bake a big ole Texas sheet cake. It’s a heaping plateful of savory cuisine, as big as Texas itself, filled with the stories and legends behind the state’s tastiest foods.

Join him as he hunts for crawfish deep in the swamps, harvests rice on a giant combine, learns how to make the perfect Po’ boy sandwich! And if you think the food is hot, wait till you hear this heated debate! According to one source the state cuisine of Louisiana is gumbo. But some may beg to differ! So which one food best represents the Pelican State? Is it gumbo, jambalaya, or étouffée? You’ll have to watch to see who wins this one! Louisiana being a state known for its lighthearted, joie de vivre, we end on a sweet note when Taylor tries his hand at making beignets in the kitchen of Café du Monde

There really is a state dessert, and for Massachusetts, it’s the Boston cream pie! Singer and host, Taylor Hicks, heads to the Bay State to get a mouthwatering taste of its finest and most symbolic foods. Hit the road (and the deep sea!) with him as he shucks clams on the beach to make fresh clam chowder, goes deep sea fishing to catch striped bass for fish and chips, discovers what puts the Boston in Boston Baked Beans. He also learns the art of making traditional New England bulkie rolls. Now about that dessert…Taylor takes you to the birthplace of the Boston cream pie and makes his own rendition.

So let’s hear it for some Georgia pride! Because this week, Taylor tastes his way across Georgia on a quest to sample the state’s most emblematic foods. With the help of iconic actress Maureen McCormick, Taylor uncovers the stories behind Georgia’s traditional southern dishes. Join Taylor as he hauls in boatloads of shrimp at a seaside dock, and Maureen learns how to mill corn into grits. They also sample boiled peanuts at a roadside stand and discover why Georgia onions are among the sweetest in the country. For a perfect ending, they visit a pecan orchard for pecan pie and a peach orchard for peach ice cream.

The honeybee may be the state insect of Nebraska, but right now, all the buzz is about singer and entertainer Taylor Hicks. In this episode of State Plate, he hits the road, and tastes his way across the Cornhusker State! His mission: to discover Nebraska’s most iconic, beloved traditional foods. In a state known for its high-quality steak, Taylor discovers why connoisseurs love corn-feed beef, and he gets a tasty lesson in the differences in cuts of steak. You can’t be in the Cornhusker State without paying tribute to the sweet vegetable for which it’s named—corn. And Taylor does it as only he can behind the wheel of a corn topper during a sweet corn harvest. Taylor also discovers the story behind the state’s beloved cheese frenchee and gets baking tips as he prepares two of Nebraska’s favorite desserts – the popcorn ball and the kolache. It’s an overflowing plateful of Nebraska cuisine filled with the stories and legends behind the state’s tastiest foods.

It’s only fitting that Taylor Hicks should travel to Colorado. After all, the largest flat-top mountain is in Grand Mesa. Okay…you’re thinking. Well, “mesa” means table in Spanish, and what do we do at the table? Eat! Singer and entertainer Taylor Hicks tastes his way across the Centennial State on a serious quest to discover the state’s most emblematic foods. Things heat up in southeastern Colorado, as he roasts Pueblo green chilies then turn cool and sweet when he picks Rocky Ford cantaloupes. In Denver, he scientifically proves just how much sugar is in Olathe sweet corn. And in the heart of the Rockies, Taylor tries his hand at herding world-renowned Colorado lamb, and samples the state’s famous Rocky Mountain oysters. It’s an overflowing plateful of Colorado cuisine with the stories and legends behind the state’s tastiest foods.

Eureka! Yes, it is exciting that singer and entertainer Taylor Hicks is heading to California in this episode of State Plate! But “Eureka” is also California’s state motto translated from Greek, meaning “I found it!” The motto was adopted in 1849 and is associated with the discovery of gold. Will Taylor strike “gold” in his search for California’s most iconic foods? As he tastes his way across the Golden State, Taylor tries his hand at harvesting artichokes and grafting avocado trees. On the coast, he learns how to make the famed San Francisco fish stew, cioppino, and tastes sourdough bread made with a special yeast that thrives in this area of the country. For dessert, Taylor shakes things up with a mechanical tree shaker in order to harvest almonds. It’s a plateful of California cuisine filled with the stories and legends behind the state’s tastiest foods.