Early last Wednesday morning, a crew of camera-toting food enthusiasts from Arkansas Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) crept down the stairs to be the first customers at Mud Street Café– the historic-underground-breakfast-nook– where just about every Eurekan can muster a memory with someone they love.
From childhood, I can recall the juicy “pop” of biting into a blueberry pancake, watching my mother’s face nodding and smiling at other familiar ones. The cool room warmed from congregation, people reading the local newspaper in the corner, scanning the work of local artists hung on the stone walls, and greeting each other with laughter; being treated to whipped cream and syrup before mom laid the tip on the table and headed off to work herself, leaving me to roll myself up the hill back home.
Many of us know Mud Street’s pancakes well– the fluffy omelets, steamy cappuccinos, and the mesmerizingly high stacks of whipped cream in the dessert case. Just as well-known is the feeling of descending the staircase, peering to see what’s coming out of the kitchen, and turning the corner to see what long lost friend you’re meant to encounter that morning. These are examples of the unique, yet common sensations prevalent in a town’s staple establishment; the very elements these filmmakers have set out to capture, in celebration of Arkansas and fellow Arkansas people.
“Taste Buds” is a new TV series produced by Arkansas PBS that will showcase local eateries across the state, the folks behind the food, and the communities they interact with. Arkansas PBS, formerly known as AETN (Arkansas Educational Television Network) is now approaching its 60th year of Arkansas storytelling and educational programming. In September, they selected a new Executive Director and CEO, Carlton Wing. In light of these shifts, the station is working to create new projects, building upon its 60-year-old foundation to engage in Arkansas community in fresh ways. The station is based out of Conway, where plenty of great minds come to flourish under the umbrellas of multiple higher-ed campuses.
Writer and senior producer Corey Womack said the idea for Taste Buds came from a shared reverence among staff– not just for enjoying good food– but for Arkansas’ grassroots cuisine, community, and storytelling. Womack described the project as a collaboration between friends– one of them being Arkansas comedian Brett Ihler, who they called upon to host. On Wednesday, Ihler sat down with Mud Street’s owner Jennifer Cross for an interview, met the staff, and cooked his own omelet– chef-side.
A pilot episode will be aired in March, with the full series to land on screens next summer. Each episode is set to feature a breakfast, lunch, and dinner joint– along with a sweet spot or two. Mud Street Café is among the very first tapings. Also on their schedule this week were Rhoda’s Tamales in Lake Village, The Taste of India in Little Rock, and The Dixie Pig in Blytheville. PBS’ crew of “Buds” will spend the winter tasting their way around the Natural State. “The only downside is that we may gain a few extra pounds,” Womack joked. But, he said, they figured it was worth it. Come next summer, we may all be following their blazed trail, filling out our bingo cards.
Photos courtesy of Arkansas PBS
YEAH for Mud Street! Love them!