...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat as they continue to travel the highways and byways of Arkansas in search of the best of Arkansas history, culture, and (most importantly) food.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat on their latest adventure travelling and eating across the state of Arkansas.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat on the morning after the third annual Arkansas Food Hall of Fame induction event. They carry on about how hard it is to be on the selection committee and all the wonderful food they get to eat and nice people they get to meet and try to make people feel sorry for them, contrast the red-carpet experience at the Food Hall of Fame event and the Academy Awards, describe the People's Choice winner and the full list of 2019 nominees and the winners in each juried category -- Gone but Not Forgotten, Food Festival, Proprietor, Restaurant (three inductees) -- talk a bit about old Orval Faubus, and set the record for the longest it ever took Paul to mention that he is from Imboden. That comes in at the 35-minute mark. Bonus: Rex does his impersonation, with sound effects, of the winner at the Hope Watermelon Festival watermelon-eating contest. Hint: It's part machine, part Sheriff.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about the recently released list of the 2019 finalists for induction into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame and talk about where to get great fried chicken, famous sons of Fordyce, how Rex certainly did not buy dirty books at a newsstand known for such, how classic restaurants and cafes got started, where to get the best fried pies in Arkansas, the joys of convenience-store livers and gizzards, the secret ingredient in the slaw at Craig’s Bar-B-Q, the time Paul cried over homemade sausage, and his warning about watermelon festivals.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about their sojourn in western Arkansas (part two), starting up Rich Mountain on a cold afternoon. And being dazzled by the drive up the mountain and rapidly dropping temperatures, checking in at the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism's wonderful Queen Wilhelmina Lodge, admiring Lum and Abner at theDepot Museum in Mena, spending a little time with Y City, Waldron, Mansfield, Greenwood, and Hackett, and winding up at the spectacular Ed Walker's Drive In in Fort Smith.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about their sojourn in western Arkansas (part one), starting at Texarkana and heading north. And admiring four beautiful lakes, checking out the museum at Ashdown, pondering the origins of the name De Queen and admiring cool things going on there, humoring Rex's sore feelings about a football state championship of long ago, looking for Tom Cruise around Mena, not finding him but finding Ouachita Baptist University people everywhere, considering the uniqueness of border towns, and—of course—finding some great places to eat all along the way, especially Cattleman's Steak House and Johnny B's Grill in Texarkana and Stillwell's Restaurant in De Queen.
...in which Rex and Paul offer end-of-summer musings, describe their recent farm-to-table expeditions, and discuss Paul's award-winning pig from 4H days. Rex utters the oddest statement in the history of Chewing the Fat in reference to eating, "We had had enough,"" as the boys celebrate dining experiences at Greers Ferry Lake, Palestine, Des Arc, De Valls Bluff, Pine Bluff, Pickens, McGehee, and Lake Village. And they tell about a couple of Mississippi and Tennessee trips, to Civil War battlegrounds at Vicksburg and Shiloh, and related foody experiences. As Paul says, "There may have been salads." Paul's haunting harmonica playing at Shiloh has stayed with Rex. If you listen, you can just make it out.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about Paul's retirement and the rigorous schedule he keeps now that he doesn't have to bother with going to work, their World Tour of Arkansas, going around spreading glad tidings of Chewing the Fat at various civic organizations, universities, and other unsuspecting audiences, Rex's tips on how to avoid being asked to be the chairperson of the Political Animals Club (hint: Don't take a call from Shane Broadway), the further antics of Professor Tom DeBlack, Rex's dining tours, and Paul's hometown of Imboden, which didn't appear in the conversation till about the 30-minute mark, a new record.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about the woes of trying to lose weight while upholding the finest traditions of Chewing the Fat, relive a great trip to Southeast Arkansas and Arkansas City with notorious history professor Tom DeBlack, report on Arkansas's rapid rise as a bicycling state of national importance, recall their latest terrifying nighttime/rainstorm apocalypse, which they experienced coming back from the state high school basketball championships in Hot Springs (note: wettest February in state history), praise the latest cool places to go in Hot Springs, which they have on good authority is the most important baseball city in the entire country, and recall great moments in barbershop visits.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about travelling Highway 7, the Hollis County Store, Blytheville barbecue, independent bookstores in Arkansas, the resurgence of Wilson, Arkansas, and more.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat on an epic trek across Arkansas on State Highway 7. The only state-maintained roadway that runs completely across Arkansas, Highway 7 starts in the bottom lands on the Arkansas-Louisiana line and ends at Bull Shoals Lake, which sits astride the Arkansas-Missouri line, and cuts through four of the state's six distinct geographical regions. Rex and Paul's travelogue includes some stretches of commentary recorded while going down the road, their usual discourses on places to eat and the people who run them, and some wry observations about roadhouses and country stores along the way.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about Paul's funeral duty and the pleasures of Piggott, Arkansas.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about Paul's Rotary Club talk at the Church of Christ in Wynne and how he had to change his talk when he realized it was going to be at the church, Paul's mother's elderberry jelly, the difficulties of picking elderberries, the need to go to the Mayhaw Festival in El Dorado and Chocolate Roll Festival in Searcy County, the boys' upcoming State Highway 7 expedition, Rex's opinion that the Old South Restaurant in Russellville has the best chicken-fried steak in Arkansas, Rex and Paul's recent Civil War foray based on the Camden Expedition, the fascinating and often obscure terminology regarding Civil War fights, a weird helicopter sighting, Mark Christ's great work in preservation of Civil War battlefields, a great lunch in Camden, fried green beans at Woods Place in Camden, how Paul got street cred in Wynne for knowing about Cypress Corner Bar-B-Q in Lexa, Rex's theory that the best barbecue places usually have signs featuring rusty pigs, the Arkansas State University football stadium, the view that ASU should play football in Little Rock, the view that Arkansas State Park gift shops should sell Rex's book Southern Fried, crazy weather, Rex and Paul's idea for a hall of fame for restaurants where they get to pick the winners and put their motto "We can be bribed!" into practice, Jewish and Chinese heritage in Southeast Arkansas, Rex's urgent desire to get a spot on the Mississippi River Commission so he can go on their great riverboat tours, a tour of Arkansas City with Kane Webb, Paul's confusion about bird-watching, the Squirrel Cook-off in Bentonville, how having to eat 24 cornbread samples at a contest almost killed Paul, an invitation to go back to Piggott for another Hemingway event, gambling history in Hot Springs, great po-boys at Mr. Whiskers between Malvern and Hot Springs, how the old bath houses are getting new life, the good news that the Lyon College football team doesn't wear kilts during games but that there are plenty of bagpipes, how Rex went to four Arkansas college football games in eight days, Rex's and Paul's recent birthdays, and how 66 is the new 65.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about the fact that Paul is from Imdoden, setting a new Chewing the Fat record—nine seconds—for earliest mention, the Hope Watermelon Festival, the Hempstead County sheriff's otherworldly victory in the watermelon-eating contest, how the boys turned down the offer of a free 150-pounder, despite the generous offer of a burlap sack to carry it with, about the biscuits at Keeney's in Malvern, how Historic Washington has as good a lunch as one could get at any state park in the United States, how Paul likes well-cooked vegetables -- no crispy green beans, please! -- the greatness of catalpa worms for fishing but the grossness of the green goo that comes out when you step on one, Paul's sneaky book-buying methods, discovering Glen Campbell's grave site three days after his funeral, Rex and Paul's funeral fixation, the death of Frank Broyles, how Broyles and Campbell and Johnny Cash gave Arkansas things to be proud of in the 1960s and helped the state live down some of the national embarrassment after the 1957 crisis, Nashville versus Crowley's Ridge peaches, the Fish Net at DeGray Lake, great Arkansas football stadiums, Jeff Root (the Football Doctor), how the reinstituted Lyon College football team uses the school's bagpipe band at games but does not play while wearing kilts, the Little Rock Touchdown Club, the Last Nutt Backer, OBU's streak of winning seasons in football, the Petit Jean plant at Morrilton, SAU and President Trey Berry, Backyard Barbeque in Magnolia, McClard's barbeque sauce, the "half-spread" gut bomb, fresh-cut French fries, Scott McClard's resistance to restoring goat to his menu, the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, Paul's need of a tattoo, the three great dairy bars in Hot Springs -- Bailey's, King Kone, and Kreme Kastle -- car-tag improvements, the boys' upcoming State Highway 7 trip, the Grady Fish Fry, the famous Grady hushpuppy machine and how it scares Paul, Rex's surprise for Dr. Tom DeBlack, the fact that the convicts at the fish fry all know Rex, how opening-day dove hunting is a social occasion in Arkansas, the great brunch at the Monroe dove hunt, the fact the Rex and Paul are not exactly crack shots, and how the 1992 Razorback loss to the Citadel and firing of Coach Jack Crowe squeezed Rex's coverage of Bill Clinton's upcoming election as President.
...in which Rex and Paul continue chewing the fat about the PurpleHull Pea Festival in Emerson and related fun with motorized tillers, Keeney's Food Market in Malvern and its legendary sausage biscuits, Rex's embarrassing hat, the nervous hospital, Esau's corn, the boys' disappointment at not being the grand marshals for the PurpleHull pea-rade, how they picked the Pea Goddess, Burge's in Lewisville and their fried pies, Rex's son Evan's first experience of turkey fries, how Paul discovered that 55 in a 35 is considered speeding in Stamps, the two great catfish places in Garland City (Doc's and West Shore), taking cheesy photos on either side of the state line in Texarkana, the wonderfully named Hotel Grim, the Cattleman's Steak House, and Rex's double-header of chicken-fried steak and quail.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about the PurpleHull Pea Festival in Emerson and related fun with motorized tillers, Keeney's Food Market in Malvern and its legendary sausage biscuits, Rex's embarrassing hat, the nervous hospital, Esau's corn, the boys' disappointment at not being the grand marshals for the PurpleHull pea-rade, how they picked the Pea Goddess, Burge's in Lewisville and their fried pies, Rex's son Evan's first experience of turkey fries, how Paul discovered that 55 in a 35 is considered speeding in Stamps, the two great catfish places in Garland City (Doc's and West Shore), taking cheesy photos on either side of the state line in Texarkana, the wonderfully named Hotel Grim, the Cattleman's Steak House, and Rex's double-header of chicken-fried steak and quail.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about their trip to the Delta Regional Council in Cleveland, Mississippi, about the fact that there's more Delta in Arkansas than there is in Mississippi, Sonny Perdue, Rex's troubling lack of seersucker and wholly inadequate headware, the Biscoe IGA and its famous sausage biscuits and meat counter, the charms of old U.S. Highway 70, the Cache and White rivers, the Grammy Museum, a cotton-based style show dominated by political dignitaries, how Paul got to go back to the Alluvian Hotel because he took Jan there, the Viking Range corporation, Lusco's restaurant in Greenwood, halving a pompano, Turnrow Book Company, sauce acquisition, the Alluvian's library bar -- it has real books -- the Oxford book-buying experience and cool new hotels that should come to Arkansas, hanging out at famed journalist Curtis Wilkie's house, his book "The Fall of the House of Zeus", the City Grocery restaurant and fried pickled okra, how Douglas Southall Freeman overcame Rex's willpower and made him buy four books, an Earl Long biography, the published correspondence of Eudora Welty and William Maxwell, John. T. Edge, and how Paul displayed his superior willpower and restraint by buying only seven books, but don't tell Jan.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about Sam Houston's brother's grave, Calico Rock, the River View Hotel there, Angler's Resort near Mountain View, jam sessions in Mountain View, folk festivals in the area, the JFK Overlook at Heber Springs, Wilbur Mills, Fordyce and its great sports history, the Smithsonian's Hometown Teams traveling exhibition Paul and the Arkansas Humanities Council are working on, how auctioneers always seem to be called "Colonel," how Rex became a Kentucky Colonel, Paul's odd affection for the game of cricket, Rex's love of the old Iron Bowl games, his book Southern Fried, the Southern Foodways Alliance, how Paul fought the perception that he might be a food snob by making Sloppy Joes and eating a whole box of Little Debbie cakes, stopping at the Bulldog in Bald Knob for strawberry shortcake, how the boys need to get to some food festivals to replenish their supplies of various sauces, RIP: the footbridge at Oark that got washed away in the flood about the same time they talked about it on the last Chewing the Fat with Rex and Paul, the peach-picking paradise at Clarksville, Rex's suspicions about Paul's commitment to Rex's Burger Challenge, Mennonites selling jelly, wondering if Rex and Paul might get asked to be grand marshals at the PurpleHull Pea Festival, the passing of Congressman Jay Dickey—a true Arkansas character, and RIP: Bryce's Cafeteria, which died recently at 86.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about Pocahontas, the oddly named Sanitary Barbershop, the Lesmeister Guest House, Ninth Street in Little Rock, the Olde Stonehouse B and B in Hardy, having three doctors at dinner who couldn't do anybody any good, the Biggers B and B and steak place in Hardy, the Eddie Mae Herron Center in Pocahontas, Ravenden, Williford, Ravenden Springs, Mammoth Spring, skipping the awards banquet at the Arkansas Historical Association because Chewing the Fat with Rex and Paul didn't get an award, La Pastorella Bistro in Mammoth Spring, Fred's Fish House, Rex's college buddies and their high-class taste in fish camps, Sportsman's in Flippin, Gaston's in Lakeview, the Jim Gaston Visitor Center in Bull Shoals, Harry Truman's 1952 visit, Bull Shoals controversies, Paul's Royal Ambassadors camping trip, his contention that he was not to blame for the fishing lure that got stuck in Phil Smith's head, rural electrification, the Norfork Dam, and the Jacob Wolf House in Baxter County.
...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about Paul's annual appearance at the Friends of the Library pancake breakfast in Imboden, the wonders of fried pies, Imboden war stories, how the traffic jam in front of the strawberry stand in Bald Knob thwarted Paul's best efforts, Slader's Alaskan Dumplings in Searcy, sad news about Bryce's Cafeteria in Texarkana, Rex's fears of a tomato aspic shortage, Paul's trip to Stamps and a side trip to Burge's in Lewisville and their legendary turkey salad, eating catfish in Garland City, calf fries, the need to get upcoming festivals nailed down on calendars, Paul's discovery that oysters in Georgia are no match for those in Arkansas, Rex and Paul's ideas about asphalt, how they've given up waiting for their historian friends to organize a trip to visit the Civil War battleground at Shiloh, Paul's possible status as the only person in Arkansas who's eaten German food at Hot Springs and Mammoth Spring in the same month, expansion plans for the store at Oark, good news about peaches, Paul's Cave City retirement plan, wood handles and bats in Batesville, and how Chewing the Fat with Rex and Paul may constitute the essence of the Arkansas experience.