David Moscow takes us on several more culinary adventures across the world in Season 2 of his unique cooking show, From Scratch. Co-created by the actor/producer and his spouse Karen Moscow, the reality TV show puts a fresh spin on the genre by considering the intersection of food, culture, history, and environmental care. Newly released on DVD, Season 2 of From Scratch would incorporate well into unique library programs, such as cooking classes and food literacy programs.
The premise of From Scratch makes the series as much an adventure show as it is a cooking show. In each episode, Moscow convenes with a chef in a different country or state in the U.S. to try one of their dishes. The actor/adventurer must then source the all-natural ingredients for himself–by hunting, gathering, foraging, and fishing them–all in the span of a week. Once Moscow’s mission is complete, he meets back up with the chef to learn how to cook the meal from scratch.
In the process, audiences are given a full picture of the work that goes into putting naturally-sourced ingredients onto our plates. Over the course of season 2, Moscow tracks down a potato that has sustained Indigenous people of Utah for 11,000 years; he hunts for world-famous truffles in Croatia; and he delves 300 feet below the surface of Malta for fresh water. Through his culinary adventures, Moscow learns both the beauty and unpredictability of nature. And he’s struck by something all the farmers, fisherman, etc. have in common. “The common thread,” he remarks, “was people trying to work in harmony with nature, rather than subduing it.”
What David Moscow does in From Scratch differentiates the series from others like it. There is no group of ingredients sitting ready for its chef to show us how to make a meal. The ultimate purpose of each episode isn’t even the meal at all, but rather to show the time, energy, sacrifices, and respect for nature that are all responsible for getting that meal on the plate. Each episode of this adventurous cooking show is a window into the culture and history of a region. From Scratch Season 2 is highly recommended for food-focused, unique library programs.
What type of library programming could use this title?
From Scratch Season 2 offers 10 entertaining and educational episodes, perfect to screen for unique library programs. The DVDs would work especially well to accompany cooking classes and food literacy programs.
What public library shelves would this title be on?
Public libraries should purchase season 2 of Karen and David Moscow’s From Scratch for reality TV and food/cooking show shelves.
What type of college/university professors would find this title valuable?
Professors of nutrition, agriculture, environmental justice, and culinary arts would find From Scratch valuable for its focus on how food is naturally and ethically sourced and made.