Cooking the Ozarks

Here's an interesting call for help that got lodged in the inbox of the Department of Things that Go from the Ridiculous to the Sublime - and Back. ... It seems the Travel Channel's program producers have reached out to the Northwest Arkansas Tourism Association for help locating interesting people and ideas for a show in the "Ozarks" (generally termed) ... most desirably, some kind of cooking show with a bizarre twist. ... I personally believe they're missing the finer point and more bizarre aspect of life in the "Ozarks" by concentrating on food, but here's what they apparently think America is willing to digest:

*Interesting, humorous, back of the roads type of stories like someone who lives off the land, or cooks game, or a relative who makes the best opossum stew, etc.

*Colorful characters -- especially in a food area [Huh? There are people in a "food area" in Eureka who are not colorful?].

*Unique foods -- restaurants serving wild game or the more interesting parts of the animal. [Squirrel sweetbreads?]

*Hunting/fishing stories -- someone who hunts wild pig and then has a cookout with it. [...and why is this unusual?] Anyone having a snapping turtle farm, or a fish egg harvest for caviar, etc. [How about a tick pickling festival?]

*Food processing plants, [Really?] like what they do with interesting parts they don't process. Is there someone who uses the spare parts to make something unique? [Apparently. My squeeze just bought a purse that looks like it's made out of chicken beaks.]

*Hole-in-the-wall bars, restaurants, eateries -- back of the house, roadside BBQs, food trucks, or shacks. [Where's the Road Kill Cafe now that we really need it?]

*Someone who has an interesting process of cooking or preparing food. [If deep fried turkey subsequently barbecued in an out-of-control oil fire counts, then I can be on that show.]

*Families that have incredible food traditions and would be open to sharing them. [I wager the more incredible, the less willing they would be to share. This is the "Ozarks" after all.]

And they sum up with the following caveat:

"Think Bizarre, think unusual, think animal entrails, bull testicles, worm eating, brain-snacking type of traditions ... but with a NWA cultural flare!" ... Obviously, there's already been a little brain snacking going on here, but if you want to partake of that feast, just email your ideas to Brad Henry, brad@explorenwar.com, and he'll pass 'em on to the Travel Channel.