North Americana

Feb 01 2021 30 mins 888
North Americana Podcast artwork

North Americana hits the road, unearthing surprising stories that connect Americans and Canadians, then sharing insider travel tips for those who might want to go too. Award-winning journalist Liz Beatty hosts inviting along some great American storytellers and expert guests.

RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


Episode 15: War of 1812 Factoids Americans Would Love to Know

Feb 01 2021 36 mins  
PBS storyteller Robert Reid shares his funny factual dive into the war that few people can explain on either side of the border. And why all this matters today.

Episode 14: New France Cuisine Across North America

Jan 25 2021 32 mins  
Beyond poutine, two stories in this episode set the table for the varied culinary legacy of New France in North America. From Montreal bagels to Cajun gumbo.

Episode 13: A King, a President & a Hotdog Save the Free World

Jan 18 2021 36 mins  
The little-known story of how a King, a US president, and a hotdog saved the free world. And how our host Liz Beatty is connected to all this!

Episode 12: Mushing From Fairbanks to Whitehorse - The Yukon Quest

Jan 11 2021 34 mins  
An insider take on this cross-border odyssey from National Geographic photographer and writer Katie Orlinsky. We get the goods straight from mushers who take on this most gruelling of dog sled races.

Episode 11: Canadian Black Baseball’s Quest for Cooperstown

Jan 04 2021 34 mins  
National Geographic Editor, Heather Greenwood Davis, reveals how a black baseball team in Ontario, pre-Jackie Robinson, were among the best in the world. And how their descendants are still fighting for their due recognition.

Episode 10: The Hawaiian Roots of BC’s Salt Spring Island

Dec 07 2020 33 mins  
Long before steamships and airplanes, Hawaiians were planting roots in British Columbia’s Salt Spring Island. And they still are.

Episode 9: Martin Short, Eugene Levy and the Moment Unknown Canadian Comics Would Change US Comedy

Nov 30 2020 47 mins  
From Eugene Levy, Martin Short and Toronto's 1960s version of Godspell to the Emmy-sweeping Schitt’s Creek — we return to the precise moment when a group of unknown Canadian comics were launched and American comedy would never be the same.

Episode 8: How Did Siberian Reindeer Get to Canada’s Arctic

Nov 23 2020 32 mins  
Lonely Planet Editor, Alex Howard, shares this crazy 1930s quest — Siberian reindeer shipped to Alaska, then driven over 1500 miles to Canada’s Mackenzie Delta. And they’re still there today!

Episode 7: Montreal and NYC’s Hip Hasidic Neighbourhoods

Nov 16 2020 29 mins  
A deep dive into these hip duelling traditional Jewish neighbourhoods from National Geographic contributor Nina Caplan.

Episode 6: Butter Tarts Explained by a US Foodie

Nov 09 2020 33 mins  
Fat, sugar and gluten come together in a way that beguiles American foodie, Carolyn Heller. She digs in to explore why butter tarts are so deeply Canadian.