David Moscow travels the world to discover deliciousness From Scratch

Have you wondered why some meals just taste better? David Moscow goes on a food adventure in the new show From Scratch and uncovers the secret to delicious food.

Sometimes the most memorable meals have a story behind them. David Moscow discovers the stories behind the food can and do create the most delicious dish. In the new television series, From Scratch, this culinary adventure can encourage foodies to explore the beauty of making food from scratch.

While the home kitchen holds a bounty of deliciousness, sometimes convenience overtakes cooking from scratch. When a cook takes the time to use quality ingredients, appreciate the craftsmanship and uncover the passion behind the ingredients, that meal can become more than just sustenance. It can become a gift.

In the new FYI series, From Scratch, David Moscow goes on a culinary journey. As he travels the world, David seeks to recreate a chef’s recipe. But, this show is more than just cooking. David explores the stories behind each of those ingredients. Through this culinary adventure, people see that food is intertwined with a country’s history and culture.

Many people might know David Moscow from his feature film debut in Big. Over the years he has numerous film, television and stage credits. Additionally he co-developed and co-produced the first stage production of In the Heights and has produced several films. In this new FYI show, he puts himself into the food world.

In the first ten episodes of From Scratch, David dives into a culinary world that many foodies would dream to discover. Even though more people are appreciating farm to table cuisine, David takes that approach to the source. From milking a cow to make butter to foraging for the perfect ingredient for a dish, the show proves that ingredients bring the story of food to the table.

Recently, David Moscow graciously answered some questions about his new show, From Scratch. While some people may not have the opportunity to go on this extraordinary culinary adventure, the lessons learned from his experience can be brought to any home cook’s table.

Cristine Struble: Many Americans are focused on convenient food (or delivery, grab & go), how can your show get people to discover the deeper connection that food can bring a person?

David Moscow: While sourcing ingredients is definitely hard and hard to find time for in our demanding days/schedules, it also can be quite fun and sometimes even exciting. These thrills are present all across the season. But they also sit right up alongside the simple pleasures of wandering in the woods looking for mushrooms or fishing on a river under a midnight sun. The hope is that our show will shake that love of nature and the joy that come with work particularly when it ends in a pizza pie.

CS: There is a growing movement to know your farmer or know where food comes from – do you think that people are understanding that where food comes from impacts the how food tastes?

DM: There are a couple oppositional things happening at once. At the same time that a few people are able to take the time and money to know where our food is coming from, the majority are becoming even more removed through delivery apps and the growth of fast food. Thoughtless eating has never been such a problem. BUT we are only a generation or two away from a healthy interaction with the food we eat. And I do think that all people still pine for making fresh food and eating it with friends around – something that is innately part of being human.

CS: As you traveled the world, did you find that food traditions are stronger in some countries?

DM: I found that there was a direct relationship with free time, a social safety net and strong food traditions. Places like Iceland, Sardinia and Finland have little fast food and place great importance in the people who harvest and source the meals they eat. Some of the other places are fighting to keep their traditions alive in the face of the cheap fast food everywhere in modern life.

CS: While many people think that global cuisines are very different, there are often some underlying similarities. What similarities surprised you the most?

DM: When building the episodes for the show, we found that there aren’t that many major ingredients across the planet. A huge chunk of what we eat are grass, seeds, fish and few other animals. And we eat these things with the help of fire or fermentation. Cooking meat on a grill and making alcohol out of fermenting food is everywhere.

CS: This show seems to encourage people to better understand the food and culture connection. What’s one easy way to start that type of food conversation on the typical family home?

DM: I think apple picking (or any kind of fruit picking) as a family outing is an amazing starting point. It gets you out in the fresh air and gets your blood flowing – and I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like a crisp apple pulled from a tree. During the shoot I sat my son down in a strawberry patch to graze before he could walk. The act of picking and eating with his own hands has had a lasting effect. Strawberry was one of his first words and still to today is his favorite fruit to eat.

CS: You travel the world in this series. Which location was your favorite? Which meal was your favorite?

DM: Each one of the places I went was a spot I had dreamed of going and each has a special place in my heart. How can I compare going on a safari in South Africa vs taking a boat off the Amalfi coast. I would say the same with the food. I had the best pizza on the planet and the best tacos. I had incredible Icelandic seafood and Finnish lake fish. They each stand alone.

If you would like to follow along with David Moscow’s culinary adventure, From Scratch airs on FYI and can be streamed online. New episodes air on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. CT.

Do you know the story behind the ingredients on your plate? Take the time to appreciate the flavor, the story and the journey when cooking is made from scratch.