Is Buffalo tongue really a non-traditional food? How about fried peascakes or bone marrow? Well someone at the Travel Channel thought so, that’s why they sent their top connoisseur of eccentric delicacies, Andrew Zimmern, to shoot an episode of his popular show, Bizarre Foods at Wilderness Road State Park.

Andrew Zimmern and crew talk with staff during break in filming

The show highlighted the park's replica of Martin's Station and interpretive staff that demonstrate life on Virginia's 18th century frontier.

The film crew arrived on April 18 to do some advanced filming, including some awesome aerial shots that were no less than stunning and gave a splendid and unique view of the Powell’s Valley and Martin’s Station. The next day, the crew arrived just after the park opened, with Zimmern starting the morning off with a few jokes before heading to the creek with one of the park’s historical interpreters, Chris Fultz.

Fultz, in full 18^th century period attire, took Zimmern to Indian Creek to fish along the park’s recently opened trout fishing area. While Zimmern used modern day fly fishing tackle, Fultz offered a contrasting method, using a cane pole and horse hair in true frontier style fishing. Fultz demonstrated fire making and musket firing along the creek bank, with Zimmern commenting just how resourceful frontiersmen such as Daniel Boone had to be just to survive in the wilderness.

After a quick snack of roasted trout, Zimmern made his way over to Martin’s Station where he was greeted by Captain Joseph Martin himself, Chief Ranger Billy Heck. Following a brief introduction to the park’s Martin’s Station replica, Heck took Zimmern into the blacksmith shop to help the TV personality create a very unique tool, a replica 18^th century fork, that he could use to sample all the interesting food the men and women of Martin’s Station had prepared.

Bone marrow and elk with marrow on a hoecake

Zimmern then made his way into the fort to try hoecakes, marrow from buffalo bones that had been roasting in the fire, roasted elk, pickled ramps and the aforementioned buffalo tongue. These items were prepared by park historic interpreter Bonnie Banks, along with help from her daughters, Haleigh and Sadie, as well as park historic interpreter Adriana Newman. When speaking of the tenderness of the elk, Banks offered up her now famous line, “it will make you want to slap your mama”, which brought laughter from Zimmern as well as the entire film crew.

The crew wrapped up the nearly 10-hour day of filming with Zimmern in the tented kitchen of park volunteer Michael Dragoo. The pair’s chemistry, from one chef to another, could be quickly noted as the duo traded light hearted jabs at each other. Dragoo offered up fried peascakes, turnip soup with grazy and more.

Zimmern samples elk and marrow on a hoecake

In a final salute, the artillery crew, led by park historic interpreter Richard Beeler, allowed Zimmern to fire the cannon. The group then lined on either side of Zimmern who stood before the cannon to provide what would become the opening line of the show, shot by a drone that quickly flew away showcasing a breathtaking overhead shot of Martin’s Station.

Zimmern and the crew expressed their deepest appreciation and said numerous times just how impressed they were with the park and its employees. The show debuted on Tuesday, August 1 and really did capture the heart and soul of Martin’s Station, Wilderness Road State Park and what the park’s interpreters are really about. The park has received tremendous feedback from the show which was streamed online on theTravel Channel, or you can catch it during a re-broadcast listed below:

Learn more about Wilderness Road State Park here to plan your visit, and for driving directions click here.