Airing Thursday, June 4 at 8 PM

After sticking to the homestead last episode, Trace is ready to hit the road. The trip leads him down south to Bayou La Batre, the seafood capital of Alabama.

“This episode is all about celebrating the Gulf Coast,” Producer/ Director Jess Lingle said.

Alabama Gulf Shrimp

On the day of filming, the team found themselves somewhere they hadn’t expected. When an interview fell through, the crew pivoted to the docks. That’s how Trace met Woody and Jacob, two native shrimp boat captains who learned to drive a boat before they learned how to drive a car.

“Garden Party is so planned out, but it all came together really wonderfully when we were down there. It felt like it couldn’t have gone better if we’d planned it,” Lingle said.

Woody and Jacob show Trace around the shrimp boat and talk about the importance of supporting local seafood.

“The mayor makes the [fishing] nets. Woody is splicing the [fishing] wire,” Lingle said, emphasizing how deep the ties to the fishing economy go in the area.

“They’ve been hit really hard by the economic downturn,” she said. “It used to take $30,000 to go out for a month, and now it’s $60,000 to fill up for a 30-day trip.”

De Soto’s Seafood Kitchen

On the other side of the bay, Trace takes the Dauphin Island ferry to a locally owned favorite, the award-winning De Soto’s Seafood Kitchen.

“De Soto’s is the perfect Garden Party, Southern-style seafood restaurant with classic Southern sides. It couldn’t have been a better match for the show. It’s a staple for a lot of people because they’re just really accommodating to both tourists and locals,” Lingle said.

Like many restaurants in the area, De Soto’s lets you do what the locals call: “hook and cook.” If you catch fish in the Gulf, a chef there will prepare it however you like.

Alabama Shrimp & Grits

With a pound of Alabama Gulf Shrimp as a souvenir, Trace returns to the homestead to whip up some Creole-inspired shrimp and grits that are unique to Alabama. Unlike other shrimp and grits recipes, Alabama’s is cooked in a tomato base and paired with both crispy sausage and bacon crumbles. You can find the written recipe here.

How to watch Garden Party?

Watch Garden Party season 4 episode 7 this Thursday, June 4 at 8 p.m. on APT broadcast and livestream, with repeats on Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. Or watch the show on-demand at PBS.org and on the PBS app.