Bizarre Minnesota
For what it is worth, Chef Andrew Zimmern, host of a very odd but sometimes entertaining TV/Cable program called Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel, will be doing an entire show dedicated to the freaks and their silverware from the fine state of Minnesota. Previous episodes have had him in Vietnam and Taiwan. Minnesota isn't that far from the epicurean palate, no?
The story line is simple, drop off a fearless eating machine someplace on the planet and he will eat anything. The grosser the food, the better the ratings is my guess. Never eaten Spider Ass fried in oil but hey, I may sometime soon.
His TV schedule and global locations
Mar. 25 10:00PM
(60 minutes)
Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern
Minnesota
TV-PG
Join Andrew on a culinary tour through the place he calls home - Minnesota. From deep-fried bar fare to sophisticated cuisine, you'll see why this northern-most state is far from ordinary.
Comments
I heard Betty's Pies was one of his stops up the shore!
Posted by: Fly High, Duluth! | March 25, 2008 04:06 PM
I saw this gut on TODAY and he freaked out the hosts with lutefisk. They handled the fried scorpions ok, but jellied fish was too much for them.
Posted by: DLTBGYD | March 25, 2008 09:05 PM
I saw part of it. Didn't he hit the smoke shop in Knife River? I only caught a glimpse.
I caught some of the wild rice harvesting. That was fascinating.
The rest of the show seemed, unfortunately, somewhat bland.
Posted by: huitz | March 25, 2008 11:11 PM
I occasionally watch the show because my wife and kids seem to get a kick out of it. My kids especially love to carry on as he's eating some horrific part of an animal that is not traditionally eaten. I can handle what he eats more than how he eats. Way to much lip smacking and general loud eating. They need to cut his mike levels once he starts chewing.
He did hit a number of Northland institutions on the show last night. He stopped by Kendall's Smoked Fish in Knife River. Then stopped at Betty's Pies for some sauerkraut pie. And he spent the last part of the show in Grand Marais. He ate and fished with the owner of the Dockside Market. The bizarre angle being herring livers and herring roe. He also ate at My Sister's Place, and had deep fried chicken gizzards and a burger with peanut butter and mayo.
Posted by: Chris | March 26, 2008 05:04 AM
That sauerkraut pie at Betty's looked fantastic. I sincerely hope they'll add it to their menu starting right now. For realsies.
Posted by: Kelli | March 26, 2008 03:47 PM
I have never understood the allure of Betty's Pies. The pies themselves are OK - about the same as you'd find at a Perkins - but the service is horrible. Was bad 15 years ago when the place was a dump and is still terrible today when they've spruced it up a bit.
As for bizarre foods I have eaten: snails, pigs ear, cow heart, cow stomach (both Shezhuan style and 5 spice style), fish eyes, sea cucumber, dog, goat and chicken feet. It is customary in China to give the guest of honor the chicken head when serving chicken soup, but I could not force myself to eat it.
Anthony Bourdain could totally beat up Andrew Zimmern.
Posted by: pistoffnick | March 26, 2008 06:30 PM
I, for one, LOVE Betty's Pies -- not necessarily the pies (I might have to agree with you there, Nick), but the Stormy Weather sandwich is to die for.
Posted by: Fly High, Duluth! | March 26, 2008 06:34 PM
If you like Betty's, you really should try the Rustic. Betty's, IMO, has become a bit...touristy...and the last few times we've ventured up that way, the quality of their offerings had left quite a bit to be desired. The Rustic's a little ways further (up near G'berry) and their pies are to die for...
My personal gross-food list: brains, liver, monkey, balut (a philipino delecacy), cuttlefish, squid, sea cuke, chicken feet, snails (escargot), rattlesnake, wild boar, wild rabbit, squirrel, rocky mountain oysters and tripe.
Posted by: zra. | March 26, 2008 07:10 PM
Gross food list: umm, I'd have to go with human adrenal gland. Just kidding.
Why would you people pay for some of those things? I think the weirdest thing I've eaten was probably a fish taco, and it was really good :)
Posted by: huitz | March 26, 2008 08:22 PM
Hey, the stranger the food the better the sex...it is true. Call me.
Posted by: clip | March 26, 2008 08:25 PM
I DARE him to eat at Grandma's, makes monkeys ass look tasty!
Posted by: deafyet | March 27, 2008 07:38 AM
Last week, I was sprucing up the house in preparation for Stella's 4th birthday party, and I found a sippy cup behind the cushions. This was one of those fancy metal ones that is supposed to avoid the leaching of VOC's into the water that happens with plastic sippies. Well, we usually fill the metal ones with water, but this one had been filled with milk. I dumped it out, and all I found was clear liquid and what looked and smelled like really good cheese. I ate about a tablespoon of it on a cracker, and it was delicious (I only ate it because Echo DARED me). I doubt if we could duplicate the recipe, though, because I have no idea how long that thing was hidden.
Posted by: funkenschutz | March 27, 2008 02:14 PM
Schutz, all future potential dates, play or otherwise, between Hazel and Charlie are hereby cancelled.
You ate the goo from a sippy cup.
I don't care if it was delicious - you ATE the GOO from a SIPPY CUP!
You are a true parent. :)
Posted by: tamara | March 27, 2008 03:29 PM
I think the wildest thing I have ever eaten is fried grasshoppers, in Oaxaca, Mexico. I've also eaten escargot and tripe. Fried grasshoppers def take the cake, though. As for eating the goo from a long lost sippy cup -- that is the most disgusting story I've ever read. And I thought my sniffing baby's ass for poop when she was in diapers was bad. . . .
Posted by: claire | March 28, 2008 05:33 PM