Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern

[livius drusus]

I've never watched the show because the previews are bad enough -- yes people eat gross shit, thanks for the extreme closeups thereof -- but it just won a James Beard Award so now I'm wondering if there's something I'm missing. Any viewers in the house? Is it more than just a shideshow geek biting the heads off chickens?

[wei yau]

It is much more than a sideshow geek (though I'd tune in for that).

They feature a lot of food specific to a culture, which would seem odd to the average audience (e.g. anything not processed or shaped into a patty). And it's not always, look at the backwards dusky people and slants! They eat funny shit! The show has gone to Minnesota and Texas, and those people eat some weird stuff, too. But, there are episodes which focus on the really bizarre stuff, usually the ones in Asia, frankly.

Still, it's an okay show to catch every once in a while. He's pretty respectful to the different cultures and he's always game and appreciative of the food, however bizarre.

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

What Wei said. He also tries weird things with such gusto you can't help but like him.


My favorite, however, is Man vs. Food. I would happily watch a 5-hour marathon of that.

[wei yau]

I actually dislike "Man vs. Food", though I find that I can't tear myself away from watching it.

There's something about food that otherwise looks great until it's increased into ginormous proportions and then turned into an eating contest. Why would people do this to themselves or to food?

It's the opposite of appreciating food and much more exploitative than Bizarre Foods.

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by wei yau

They feature a lot of food specific to a culture, which would seem odd to the average audience (e.g. anything not processed or shaped into a patty).

Really? The criteria for bizarreness start at non-processed? I thought the focus was on foods that would make most people gag, like insects and offal.

And it's not always, look at the backwards dusky people and slants! They eat funny shit! The show has gone to Minnesota and Texas, and those people eat some weird stuff, too. But, there are episodes which focus on the really bizarre stuff, usually the ones in Asia, frankly.

THAT'S BECAUSE YOU GAIS ARE BIZARRE, AMIRITE?

Still, it's an okay show to catch every once in a while. He's pretty respectful to the different cultures and he's always game and appreciative of the food, however bizarre.

Hmm... I can appreciate that. I may have to give the show a chance after all.

[wei yau]

The non-processed food remark was my attempt at joking about how Americans only eat chemicals and patti-fied foods.

Insects and offal aren't always on the show, though it's not unheard of, but again only when that food is part of the local culture. Not simply for gag-factor, like you see on Fear Factor or Survivor.

Context means a lot and Zimmern goes out to where the food is prepared by locals, takes part in the capture, harvesting and preparation of the food with local chefs. When the food is served in a restaurant, then he's not as involved, of course.

It is very much like a National Geographic of food, some of which might seem a little strange.

[Demimonde]

I saw an episode that took place in Maine, which had some interesting highlights. Beaver Chili, also a discussion on foraged foods. (I never knew that one could eat cattails in the month of June) They followed a gent that forages for super local flora for posh bistros, talk about local organic! Also there was a backyard contest with a bunch of foodies who cooked up crazy dishes. The winner was IRRC a couple of girls who whipped up June bugs three ways. One chocolate dipped, one as a garnish on a martini, and I forget the third.

I agree with Wei, he is very respectful to the food and the people. It's more about broadening one's horizons. He is also pretty darn cuddly. Back when I had On Demand I would give him a view if I was out of No Reservations for sure.

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

Liv, one of the things Zimmern really enjoyed was some sort of brain soup. He described the texture and the spices used to bring out the flavor. I think it was in Mumbai? The man knows about all parts of the animal - he'll mention how much he enjoys fish cheeks, for example. He does eat some pretty fucked-up shit, though - one time, it was balut. I don't know how that one went, I thankfully missed it.
It's not always overseas - he's gone to the heart of Texas, for example, and went on a hunt for some animal (I can't remember what it was).

Wei, MvF isn't always about proportion. It's also about HEAT. There was one time he ate the hottest burger you can imagine (ghost peppers, habaneros, and something in between those two) - and part of that challenge is you're not allowed a drink during the meal or for 5? 10? minutes after you finish. I think I like it so much because Adam is hilarious. Another was a wing challenge that rated next to police pepper spray on the Scoville scale.

Liv, more cooking/food shows I like are:

Dinner: Impossible. An impossibly hunky British chef is given a hapless line of cooks and told he has to cook X dishes for a large group of people. One notable episode is when he has to make gourmet dishes out of carnival food, to feed the entire park's (may have been Coney Island) group of employees.

Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Features Guy Fieri, that spiky-haired guy from TGI Friday's commercials. He'll visit and tell us all about whatever restaurant - one drive-through is a coffee place (think a building like the old Central Park Burgers) where the waitresses are attractive, scantily-clad women.

Chopped. Hosted by Ted from Queer Eye. You start with 4 chefs, and give them a box of mystery ingredients. They whip up an appetizer for the judging panel. One chef is "chopped" and the remaining 3 move on to the main course with another mystery box. Another is chopped, and the final two create a dessert. One time here, the mystery box contained marshmallow fluff, Cocoa Puffs, and dehydrated strawberries. The winner gets $10,000.

[ProudLuddite]

I think Andrew is entertaining and I like his attitude. Life is more interesting if you try different things! I saw one show where he was in Morocco and tried eating some kind of putrid meat stew, if I remember correctly. It was one of the few times I saw him really try to swallow, but then the gag reflex won and he spit it out.
I'd give the show a solid thumb up!

[wei yau]

He did a show in Mongolia, which I just taped.

I need to watch that for reasons.

[LadyShea]

He was a guest judge on the Top Chef Masters episode that I watched last night and seems pretty articulate about food.

Anyway, watch it liv. As has been pointed out, it's very cultural and educational, often showing the traditional preparation...and it's all food that actual people actually eat. It is not like some big Fear Factor "dare you to eat that bug" thing. I like it a lot.

So now that I have told you to, you have no excuse.

[wei yau]

So, what's the most bizarrest food you ever had?

Well, of the foods I would consider bizarre, I guess it'd be that toasted ant I sampled just the other day. Bizarre in that it is an ant, but otherwise no big deal.

I mean, it was a big ant, biggest ant I'd ever seen. But, it just simply toasted and salted, so nothing very interesting.

Didn't taste like much of anything, just tasted burnt. I said "burnt", not "burning"

[LadyShea]

Rattlesnake, alligator. I haven't tried nutria but am considering it.

[wei yau]

What's nutria?

[LadyShea]

What's nutria?

A big fucking rat. The species was introduced in the 19th century for fur, but then fur went out of fashion and they are invasive and destructive now.

You can eat them in some restaurants in Louisiana and even buy it canned some places. Pretty sure Andrew ate one.

Showdown at the West Esplanade Canal - Page 2

[livius drusus]

I just watched the Mongolia episode and it was awesome, from goat to throat. It's not going on my regular schedule, however, because the previews alone for the Thailand episode freaked me the hell out. Lots of entrails. Lots of insects. Lots of whole dead animals spitted and roasted. I'm a pussy, what can I say.

[LadyShea]

You don't have to watch every episode, but at least now you know.