‘Somewhere South’ explores how food connects us across cultures

In “Somewhere South” award-winning television host and chef Vivian Howard travels the changing South in search of the dishes that connect us all – dumplings, hand pies, porridge and more – but which are expressed in delightfully different ways across cultures. Along the way, she meets new friends and teachers, and as she says, discovers “how breaking bread and sharing a meal can create a comfortable place to have meaningful, memorable conversations.”

“Somewhere South” premieres this spring on Arizona PBS, beginning Friday, Mar. 27, at 8 p.m. 

Mar. 27: “American as Hand Pie”

See how Vivian’s crash course in mass producing hand pies inspires her to revisit the applejacks of her youth. Her journey includes a trip to West Virginia for a taste of pepperoni rolls and a look at the world’s most popular hand pie – the empanada. Watch online.

Apr. 3: “Porridge for the Soul”

Join Vivian at a dinner honoring pioneering chef Edna Lewis. Vivian gives the porridge the royal treatment and learns about African American contributions to Southern cuisine. Watch online.

Apr. 10: “Dumpling Dilemma”

Accompany Vivian on a trip to the Mississippi Delta and farther south to learn that not all dumplings are the same. But whether filled with minced meat, chopped veggies or nothing at all, they stretch our ingredients and our imaginations. Watch online.

Apr. 17: “What a Pickle”

Hear Vivian’s lecture on chow chow, a quintessentially Southern relish, at Asheville’s first ever Chow Chow Festival. Her preservation education drives into Indian and Sri Lankan pickles, Puerto Rican escabeche, and Korean kimchi. Watch online.

Apr. 24: “It’s a Greens Thing”

Travel with Vivian to the Lumbee tribe’s annual homecoming, where she samples their famous collard sandwich. On a trip to Georgia, Vivian meets a group of refugee farmers growing greens that remind them of home. Watch online.

May 1: “How Do You Cue?”

Follow Vivian on a journey to learn how other Southerners cook and eat barbecue. She travels to Florida for smoked mullet and Texas for barbecue with Japanese and Mexican twists.