When the nation’s ‘taster-in-chief’ Felicity Cloake announced her dream to cycle across America, the reactions were… mixed: “You’ll get squashed,” warned a Californian colleague. “You’ll be murdered,” added her mum. Friends panicked: “But… what will you eat?” Determined to prove there’s more to American food than the cartoonish glamour of burgers and doughnuts (though she tries those too), Felicity embarks on the ultimate coast-to-coast adventure, tackling highways, byways and pieways by bike in an unforgettable election year.

While the news cycle spins with outrage, what she discovers on the ground is far richer: a wildly varied place of warm hospitality, local pride and unforgettable flavours — from crawfish stew to sauerkraut balls, Memphis barbecue to Mission burritos, Italian beef to Tex-Mex gyoza, she dives into iconic dishes and the stories behind them. Drawn to the scale, energy and contrasts of a country as complex as its cuisine, Felicity takes us along for the ride — mile by mile, meal by meal — finding a nation that’s welcoming, generous and full of heart where it counts: around the table.