March 12, 2012, 10:39 AM |
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I love Georgia, and I fell in love with Daufuskie Island during the making of Bizarre Foods America. Sallie Ann Robinson is a giant, an angel and a visionary who can also make a mean pot of crab rice. As you can see in the show, it’s one of the more special places we have ever visited.
Daufuskie is a residential “sea island” between Savannah, Georgia and Hilton Head, South Carolina, about 2.75 miles (4.43 km) offshore. The total island surface is just 8 square miles (21 km2) within the maximum length of 5 miles (8.0 km) and maximum width of 2.5 miles (4.0 km). Daufuskie has a full-time population of around 250. There are two resorts, a private residential community, and a large undeveloped tract of lands identified as residential property. The island’s recorded history traces back to pre-Revolutionary War. It was the site of a skirmish called the “Daufuskie Fight” during the Yemassee War of 1715–1717. The island was home to a sizable population of Gullah inhabitants from the end of the Civil War until very recently. Gullah are the descendants of freed slaves. The 1972 Pat Conroy book The Water is Wide was set on Daufuskie, fictionalized as “Yamacraw Island.” The book recounts Mr. Conroy’s experiences teaching on the island in the 1960s. The Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation (www.daufuskieislandhistoricalfoundation.org) has a museum with historical artifacts of the island as well as a display with information about the Gullah history of the island. The island is now split into five parts.
To the northeast is the Haig Point Club, a private, member owned residential club with around 150 year-round residents and over 225 homes.
South of Haig Point is the Daufuskie Resort. Formerly a private vacation club with an emphasis on golf and tennis, and offering a private residential component, this is now a publicly accessible resort. Farther south on the eastern side of the island is Oak Ridge, a small undeveloped oceanfront community, followed by Bloody Point, a private residential community.
The western part of the island is unincorporated land. Several dozen residents live in a variety of accommodations, from trailers to beautiful waterfront homes with private docks. This section of the island received federal designation as a Historical District in the early 80s. According to a study conducted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, the island has excellent examples of Gullah homes which have not been altered. There are decendants of the Gullah people living in this area on land which they have owned since just after the Civil War
When I left Daufuskie, I knew something wasn’t right. How could the interior of the island, a place with so much history, one of America’s great treasures, be surrounded by a gated community and populated with multi million dollar luxurious second/third homes? How could it survive? How did the few permanent residents of the isle deal with this, and would the island in years to come suffer the same fate as so many others have, culturally bulldozed to make way for the agenda of the few looking to take advantage of the underrepresented. Sallie Ann’s pal Don Newton sent me this email a few months back, I excerpted the following:
In “Souls of Black Folk,” W.E. B. Dubois speaks of a veil that shrouds Blacks in America; and the veil renders the wearer invisible. The social, economic and human health costs of life behind the veil are high. Even today, such costs remain overwhelmingly high for the residents in a historic Gullah neighborhood in Daufuskie Island’s Community Preservation (CP) District, Beaufort County, South Carolina. The Gullah people are the descendants of former slaves who returned to the bridgeless island after the Civil War. For over last 19 years, blacks and other residents of Daufuskie’s historic district received sub‐standard waste services—county owned and operated waste services that degraded their environment and potentially endangered their health. There is a history of stench at the “dump” that would “gag a maggot,” wrote one well known Daufuskie Island resident in an August 2010 newspaper article. He continued: *There was+ “garbage tea” leaking into the ground due to the exposure of garbage in open‐top dumpsters to the rain; “waste oil and battery acid dumping from golf carts; a three‐ring circus of buzzards, raccoons, possums, rats, and feral dogs and cats.” So other than a practice of continuing environmental injustice, what is the rub for some historic district (also called the community preservation (CP) district), landowners and residents in regard to the proposed new waste facility?
Is the disregard for black history and culture so blatant among high‐ranking county officials as to make it perfectly acceptable to build an island‐wide waste facility on land of historic significance to black people? The actual site for the county owned and operated waste facility is recorded in the National Historic Registry as “Robinson’s House (#93 on historic map)—the parcel is a “contributor” to Daufuskie Island’s designation as a historic district. Two key historic properties— the First African Union Baptist Church and the Mary Field School (#89 and #91 respectively on the historic map)—are in use today by residents across the island, are on the must‐see list for tourists, and are in close vicinity to the county’s proposed permanent waste facility.
Is the Dubois “veil” phenomenon preventing county officials from realizing their lawful responsibilities in the case of waste management on Daufuskie? Or alternatively, do we have life as usual where public agendas tend to be heavily influenced and driven by those with power, money, and political connections? In either case, blacks and the socio‐economically disadvantaged remain disenfranchised.
Now, you don’t have to pick sides if you don’t want to. Don and his wife live near one of the 5 existing garbage pic-up sites on the island. The residents want the garbage situation remedied without expanding a plant in the interior of the island. That’s the easy solution that the state seems to back and it’s amenable to many who live in the private developments on the coast. Out of sight, out of mind. But the reason I post this is that as I travel around the world I have become sensitized to the ongoing struggles of people trying to live their lives with dignity and respect. From the residents of Favela Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro to the boat people of Tongle Sap in Cambodia, from the homeless on the streets of San Francisco to the descendants of slaves whose ancestral homes on Daufuskie Island are the unwilling pawns in a real estate struggle that goes way beyond sewer and waste management issues. Rumors swirl that Beaufort county would rather put a dump site in the historic area than a park and that the local government is spending money on other projects that was allocated for Daufuskie.
Kyle Peterson is a local reporter who is following this story and here is a link to an older article of his. Anyone looking to write a letter or follow up on their own can contact the local government. My point is simple. When you visit a place as a traveler, sometimes in many ways you will never leave.
Sometimes when we visit a place, a little piece of it rubs off on you and you cant shake it. That’s the power of travel.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
March 5, 2012, 11:32 AM |
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So here is what you wont see in our Charleston show. An entire city engaged.
Impossible to define, like the Supreme Court definition of pornography (“you know it when you see it”), the people of South Carolina and especially in Charleston know food. On a basic and intrinsic level, they have pitch-perfect taste. We had one free evening when we shot that week (well, that means we were done by 8 after a 13 hour day) and I met my pals from Perennial Plate at FIG, Mike Lata’s amazing restaurant that has helped jump start the Charleston food explosion. It was a Tuesday evening. Slow night. Wrong. Place was packed in ‘off season’ on a ‘slow night’ and that was also the case all over town. People love to go out to eat in Charleston. Anyway, like all the other great restaurants in this city, FIG offers simple recognizable food, nothing fancy or convoluted, nothing but perfection in every dish. Mike was out of town the night we were there and it’s a testament to his staff that the evening was a seamlessly excellent as when he is on premise. A rarity in the restaurant world.
On the flip side of the equation, there is TW Graham’s in McClellanville, just outside of Charleston. We had a rain out on a story one day, needed some content and the restaurant opened their doors to us. You will see it in the show. What you wont see was the two hours we spent eating across their whole menu after the shooting wrapped. Without doubt one of the best crab cafes I have ever come across, but the owners make a chowder that will curl your toes. They graciously allowed us to have their recipe. You can’t go wrong. That being said, the recipe is less than tight. Its designed for cooks that have a lot of touch. I suggest simmering the shrimp shells in the stock for a while before using and I think you need to simmer the chowder until cream is thickened. Play around with this recipe but BY ALL MEANS get down to TWG and have lunch, then head into town and dine at FIG. You will thank me later. Catch the episode of Bizarre Foods America: Charleston tonight, Mon., March 5, at 9|8C on Travel Channel.
Crab and Shrimp Chowder
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 small jalapeno, fine dice
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large baking potatoes, unpeeled and diced
1/2 lb raw chopped shrimp
1 lb fresh crab meat
1 cup corn kernels
1/4 lb unsalted butter
1 qt chicken stock (I think they use some crab/shrimp stock also, but go ahead and experiment)
1 qt heavy cream
celery salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Saute vegetables, except potatoes, in butter. Add potatoes and sauteed vegetables to stock; cook until potatoes are just tender. Remove from heat, and add shrimp and crab. When shrimp have turned pink; add heavy cream, corn, celery salt, and pepper. Return to low heat, and simmer very gently.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
February 28, 2012, 12:36 PM |
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I LOVE WEST VIRGINIA, it’s the most beautiful state in the lower 48. And professionally, because of the state’s topography, makes it the most obvious example of Darwin’s Island Theory. Tiny little hamlets and towns comprise West Virginia and the pockets of culture preserved by its steep hillsides are legendary, especially when it comes to music, but also when it comes to food.
The story below I wrote originally for a friend’s anthology called Chewed. I was sent a half-eaten squirrel chew toy, purportedly mangled by someone’s dog, and was told to give them 700 words of backstory. I did, and inspired by my many trips to WV, it feels right to share with you in this format. Best of all, it has a great squirrel recipe included, enjoy.
Squirrel: A Cautionary Tale
I knew I wanted to eat it. Why wouldn’t I? I had joyfully devoured this primeval delicacy years before, in the hollers of West Virginia and yeah, it was really good. Never shy away from a plump squirrel, that’s my motto.
I know what you’re thinking. And to answer your question, this squirrel has nothing in common with a NYC Central Park squirrel. Those little bastards are vicious and Lord only knows what they are eating, or what squirrel-borne pathogens they could pass my way. This squirrel was different. This squirrel was local… born, raised, fed and eventually taking the long dirt nap, all in the backyard of my house in Minnesota. He ate apples I tossed him in the winter, berries from my garden in summer. Diet dictates flavor!
So one day in late October, small game license in hand, when preparation met with opportunity, I culled the herd and dispatched the biggest fattest sweetest, fruit-and-nut fed squirrel of them all. This was locavorism of the highest order. Zero mile dieting more or less. I skinned and butchered him, roasted the head in the fireplace, engaging the most far reaching places of my lizardy consciousness as I cracked the skull and prized out the brain, splashed it with sea salt and a squeeze of lemon and enjoyed every blissfully creamy, meat buttery moment. The rest of him? Well, fried squirrel is something my friends at the Snowshoe Lodge and Adventures at The Gorge gave me a lust for, so lunch was a no-brainer. Pun intended. Weeks later a treat arrived in the mail from the local taxidermist, so up on the shelf went my little squirrel. In full view through the glass enclosed porch of all the other critters in the woods. Top of the food chain baby! But my delightfully articulated symbolic gesture was short lived. The pooch, drawn to the latest incarnation as much as I was to the first, somehow got him down. And yes, the dog clearly enjoyed his chew toy as much as I enjoyed his warm blooded doppelganger.
Fried Squirrel
Serves 1
Take your squirrel and skin it, clean it, rinse it in several changes of cold water and pat it dry. Cut it into fifths (two front quarters, two rear quarters and one central piece of the saddle).
Let it soak in a cup or more of buttermilk for as little as 2 hours or as much as 24.
Remove the squirrel from the buttermilk and let it drip dry for a moment, then season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Dredge it in flour lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and place pieces on a piece of wax paper.
Place a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add rendered fresh lard (vegetable oil will do in a pinch), to fill to a depth of about a half inch.
Heat the fat to 375 degrees, or until a piece of squirrel sizzles well when it’s slipped into the pan.
Fry pieces for 5-6 minutes, until walnut brown, drain on paper towel, season, allow fried squirrel to rest a few minutes and enjoy.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
February 20, 2012, 11:35 AM |
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A lot of what has defined our country was born in Detroit. The auto industry, assembly lines, The Temptations, Aretha, Kid Rock and Eminem (even if he’s not your bag, he is one of the most influential musicians in the last 15 years). These days, the news out of Detroit isn’t about new wheels and music. It’s about destruction, ruin and the mass exodus from a city once dubbed “the Paris of the Midwest.” Much of the mainstream news out of Detroit reeks of failure.
Here’s the thing: yes, the Motor City has taken a beating in recent years. Yes, it has a lot to do with the fall of the auto industry. Yes, much of the city is desolate and abandoned (check out this eerie slideshow from Time.com. And yes, all in all, things have been looking bad for D-Town for quite some time. When we decided to bring Bizarre Foods America there last summer, I expected some squalor. What I found amazed me.
Detroit is one of the most culturally diverse cities I’ve visited in a long time. In between those great urban expanses of bleakness, there are inspirational pockets of urban vitality. It’s home to the largest Arab-American population in the country, not to mention its thriving Polish, Mexican and Bengali communities. What’s more, people from all over the United States have relocated to Detroit. I’ve eaten some of the best soul food in the country here. Oh, and did you know that Detroit is home to the largest farmer’s market in the US? Eastern Market is simply amazing, and peppered mostly with entrepreneurs who are bringing this city back in a big way.
Historically, the city of Detroit depended heavily on a single industry. For a long time, it thrived, but when it crashed, it crashed hard. I don’t think turning around big industry is the key to rebuilding Detroit. It’s about a lot of individuals making a difference on a micro level. From farmers to rock stars and everyone in between, this impassioned community is committed to hanging on. Instead of saying “not my problem,” citizens are doing what’s right for the community. I met guys who literally spend their weekends mowing the grass at their local parks because the city doesn’t have the budget for it (of course, this motley group is having a fun while they’re at it. C’mon, who wouldn’t want to drive a souped-up tractor?) There are kitchen guys who ditched restaurant jobs in order to introduce local, artisanal meats to the city. There’s the folks at Amar Pizza who’ve taken an American staple and put a traditional Bengali spin on it. I’d argue that this kind of cultural cross pollination defines America, and it’s the kind of thing Detroit is doing well, maybe even doing it better than any other city in the country. Out of an absurd challenge, has come a renaissance.
If I was a betting man I would be taking Detroit and giving the points, even doubling down. Plenty of people gave Detroit up for dead, and maybe it was already dead and no one knew it, but this city is gaining traction in its neighborhoods and small enclaves of commitment and its thrilling to see. I can’t wait to get back there.
Catch Bizarre Foods America: Detroit Mon, Feb. 20 at 9|8C on Travel Channel.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
February 10, 2012, 1:17 PM |
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I’m a both a seafood lover and a history fanatic—two big reasons why I can’t resist Boston’s siren song. I lived there at several points in my life, worked there, attended school there and some of my best friends live there (huge ups to Norm and Mike who have turned me on to many of the best places in my show and on this list). My dad lives in Portland, Maine, so I fly through Beantown several times a year.
Some of my all-time favorite restaurants are there, check out: o ya, Clio, Uni, Daily Catch, Neptune Oyster, Island Creek, Santarpios, No9Park, Rialto, Oleana, Sichuan Gourmet, Meyers and Chang, Radius, Menton … shall I keep going?
You’ll see what I’m talking about on the Bizarre Foods America Boston episode. I could elaborate on why I love these places and what happened behind the scenes, but I think I’ll just let the footage speak for itself. Instead, let’s focus on what got left on the cutting room floor and what we couldn’t even fit into our filming schedule this time around. Here are a few of my other favorite Beantown spots.
New Jumbo Seafood
I love Boston’s Chinatown, and I can’t get enough of the food at Jumbo Seafood. I love the steamed whole shrimp, the lobster with ginger and scallion, the raw shaved geoduck and plenty of other Cantonese seafood favorites. It’s an iconic Boston place; people have been talking about it ad nauseum for years and it still lives up to the hype.
Coppa
My friend Chef Ken Oringer and his restaurant Clio did make it into the show. But let’s talk about Coppa where he and Jamie Bissonette take on housemade salumi, pizzas, pastas and heartier entrees (here’s to the crispy chicken with lemon). I love it here. Super simple plates that deliver every time.
B&G
If I could, I’d kick-off every night out in Beantown at B&G Oysters. The raw bar is unparalleled (I’m a sucker for oysters), and their wine list pairs perfectly with seafood. Don’t skip the fried clams if they’re on the menu.
Hamersley’s
Hamersley’s cassoulet easily claims a spot in my top five winter eats. It’s the perfect dish to tuck into on a cold night. Pork, duck confit and garlic sausage. Fantastic.
Craigie on Main
If the idea of trying something a little of the ordinary (cock’s combs, crispy pig tails, braised oxtail pastrami) sits fine with you, celebrate a special occasion here. Go for a prix fixe menu and let Chef Tony Maws wow you with his ever-evolving arsenal of seasonally-driven menu. Great brunch too, by the way.
Toro
Ken and Jamie do it again. Do these guys ever sleep? What can I say, when Ken picks a concept, he nails it. A meal at Toro is like stepping into a chic Barcelona tapas bar. Try the Jamon de La Quercia, Iowa’s take on acorn-raised ham and the tuna conserva—Spanish tuna belly with tomato tapanade and celery leaves. Then again when I am there I always get seconds of the uni sandwich.
Savenor’s Market
This old-school butchery (they’ve been around since 1939) is still very relevant today. I love the staff at Savenor’s—they really know their stuff. From helping you make the perfect meaty selection, to advice on how to best cook a leg of lamb, aged beef, or maybe even frog legs (you never know what might be in stock), Savenor’s does it for me.
Butcher Shop
Of course traveling doesn’t always lend itself to well to cooking at home. Satisfy your meat craving at the super hip Butcher Shop. Charcuterie, steak tartar, beet salad, hot dog a la Maison—basically all the stuff that’s trending right now. Who cares when it all tastes great.
Mike’s City Diner
For a meal like mom used to make, head to Mike’s City Diner on Washington Street. This local favorite is known for their hearty breakfasts and home-cooked dinners—Mike’s turkey dinner with all the fixin’s hits the spot.
Shabu Zen
A super casual Japanese hot pot pig out in Chinatown. Get there!
For more insight on my favorite Boston eats (plus a fascinating segment on how some folks at Harvard are shaking up the food world), tune in to Bizarre Foods America: Boston @ 9|8C on Monday, Feb 13. High-five.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
February 3, 2012, 12:59 PM |
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Seattle is one of the great food towns on the planet, and visiting in the summertime is something that food lovers should check out for themselves. In our show we covered a lot of familiar territory, but there are a few things to clarify, on screen, and off.
First…yes, the cow placenta was real. It tasted like liver. I have wanted to try this for a decade, but with placenta, freshness counts. This was the first birthing in a clean enough environment at the right farm (thanks George!) and I was thrilled.
Like the colostrum, this is a traditional superfood that is part of our ethnographic history. Cheers! George and Kristin saw me sending pictures in real time of the birth to my family back home and they generously offered to allow my son Noah to name her. He picked Jessie. Seabreeze Farm continues to update us on the calf’s progress and I consider the farm to be one of the best places I have ever visited in the history of the show.
Speaking of which, I leave on Wednesday to shoot our 100th episode. Thanks to all who made it possible. It’s an amazing milestone and one which everyone associated with the making of the program should be very proud.
Our 100th episode will take place in Las Vegas and seeing as how that is the city where all things are possible, I am very excited to finally shoot there after five years of trying.
Second…I am hearing from a lot of folks on social media ask me what’s bizarre about geoduck, a Slayer coffee machine or salmon collar soup? I would remind everyone that our show is about exploring culture through food. If edible oddities are your thing, then just focus on the sight of me peeling a fresh 10-pound slab of cow placenta, still warm, off the field just feet from where we birthed the calf. For those that want to see what the Seattle food scene is all about, look for Marination, Taylor Shellfish, Maneki, Pike Place Market, Seabreeze Farm, Slayer, Intellectual Ventures and Nathan Myhrvold and his whole team, and all the other amazing spots we featured…
Third…Canlis. I have been a broken record for six months, but staying relevant as a restaurant for almost 70 years is amazing in and of itself. For the brothers who run the namesake restaurant, it’s a stroke of managerial genius to hire a chef of Jason Franey’s talent and then work together to produce some of the country’s most food-forward cuisine (while still keeping a classic steak and baked potato for the long-time regulars). As I sat there one night watching the sky turn black over the harbor, I wondered how many restaurants looked as good in day or night time, empty or full? I was one of the first customers of the night and the last to leave and I still remember that meal and the way the room made me feel. What an amazing place.
Fourth…pizza. Say what you want, tell me I am drinking the kool-aid but if you eat the pizza at Serious Pie you will keep going back, it’s that good. Tom Douglas is a masterful restaurateur and tireless promoter of the city. Applewood, a proprietary dough recipe, and a 600-degree oven is something more pizza chef should consider.
Fifth…to all the insanely smoking-hot tattooed twenty-something babes in motorcycle boots and vintage sleeveless dresses who flirted with me the whole week I was running around your city, I say thank you. You made me feel like a 16-year-old boy again.
Sixth…the local cherry and berry season was in peak of season when we were there. Holy crap. End of story.
Thanks Seattle, see you soon.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
January 30, 2012, 12:15 PM |
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Is there any city in America that evokes such a profound salivary response as New Orleans? Just listen to the name, and you can taste it. Every time I visit New Orleans, I’m reminded of how truly special this city is. From the amazing food to the robust music scene, there is serious passion pulsating through the Big Easy.
A mix of influence from Europe, Africa, the West Indies and the American South, you can’t really put your finger on what New Orleans feels like. It’s unlike anywhere else in the US, or the world for that matter. Bringing Bizarre Foods America here was a no-brainer. I could shoot 10 more shows in NOLA and still not run out things to talk about. We never got to half the restaurants, markets, family homes, 2nd line parties, dives and joints as I would have liked to, and before I die I am going to get John Besh on one of my programs if it’s the last thing I do. But, moving on!
I’ve spent a lot of time here, and it wasn’t until this last trip that I learned this fun fact: New Orleans is home to the largest population of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. Literally right outside the city proper, you could easily convince yourself that you’ve stumbled into Southeast Asia. Makeshift backyard gardens fronting the canals that run through the neighborhoods, markets specializing in fresh Vietnamese produce and traditional Vietnamese cooked foods. What I especially love is how this enclave has adopted many local ingredients like boiled peanuts and made them their own. Conversely, locals have come to appreciate Vietnamese cooking traditions. It’s a cross-cultural pollination of the best kind, and will only help the city continue to grow and evolve. I met a few duck and chicken farmers in the parking lot of a Viet market one weekend morning and walked up to chat with them. They looked like they were straight out of a Hee Haw skit, the spitting image of every rural Southern stereotype you can imagine. And they were eating rice noodle pancakes with chopsticks. I asked them if they ate a lot of Vietnamese food and they said that yes they did, every day. They said it was spicy, flavorful, healthier than their own cooking and cheaper than eating at a fast food joint. Music to my ears. They also said that Post Katrina the Viet community sheltered their friends and family, fed them (the Viet survival skill package is pretty awesome!) and helped them rebuild. What’s more , is that the Vietnamese buy hundreds of fresh live poultry every week from their farms…that’s an amazing story.
Other highlights? Cooking this with musician & amazing Creole cook Kermit Ruffins. Don’t recognize this furry creature? Hint: you may have seen it rummaging through your trash.
Hunting frogs in the bayou with my friend, Chef Don Link. I spent the next day cooking and eating with his family. They were the most gracious hosts, and I was touched that they let me, a Jewish guy form New York, try his hand at Cajun cooking for the day.
A big shout out to the folks at Rick Phillip’s Seafood Company for some of the most amazing crawfish I’ve ever had. Cleaned my sinuses right out. And let’s not forget this amphibious treat [photo]. Whole-cooked gator seasoned with Cajun napalm (their intense homemade spice rub), cooked in a ‘Cajun microwave’– basically an impressive homemade version of the famous Cuban-Chinese Caja China. Now that’s some ingenuity.
Feasting on po’ boys (lots of debris, please), shucking oysters, eating the best fried chicken–ever (thanks Willie Mae’s), making boudin and hog ponce from scratch with a guy named Bubba Frye (you can’t make that up), and I even got a cooking lesson from the Queen of Creole, Leah Chase.
This city never ceases to amaze me. Watch the episode and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. Catch the Bizarre Foods America: NOLA premiere on Monday, January 30 at 9|8C.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
January 20, 2012, 11:58 AM |
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Bizarre Foods America, your time has come. The need for Americans to see themselves as we really are (talking ‘bout you Kardashians!), the desire I have to make the unfamiliar familiar, and the bloodlust for the type of insider information that is actionable makes this the best season of Bizarre Foods ever. I mean really, how many of you went to Maun Botswana and from there to the Aha Hills like I told you to? Now there are no excuses, especially since we kick off the series in the Twin Cities– the place I’ve called home since 1992. I leaned on lots of friends and family, former and current colleagues to make this episode happen, and couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out.
Minnesota winters can be brutal (but I still love ‘em). The summers, on the other hand, are unparalleled. We filmed most of this episode in July– at the height of our growing season. Folks here don’t take a single sunny day for granted, and from May-September, you’ll find Minnesotans outside biking, running, walking, fishing, or swimming. Chefs take full advantage of ingredients grown locally (sometimes even in their own backyard); diners love eating al fresco. Most Minnesotans are nudists. Look for the gratuitous montage shots of some of our favorite hidden beaches near end of the show.
Our hotdish cook-off at the Uptown VFW was one of the most fun segments to film. My wife and son were there, along with my in-laws.
Molly brought her 85-year-old grandmother, Arlene. She’s the mother of 12 boys (yes, you heard me right!) and relied heavily on these types of no-fuss hotdishes for the better part of her cooking life. Grandma Mogren has hung up her apron strings for the most part, so Molly offered to whip up her grandma’s Pizza Hotdish recipe for her. Slaving over boiling noodles and a hot oven sans AC when the heat index hit 105 degrees… that’s a labor of love.
As for other entrees, you won’t believe the things people submitted. Maybe it’s my jaded New York upbringing, but I don’t think lime Jell-o, olives and cottage cheese should ever go together. Ever. Oh, and I can’t wait for you to meet Lola, whose extreme cleavage slightly upstaged her Jell-o salad. Play a game at home when you watch this act and let me know if you can tell which of the ladies who made Jell-o are hammered. Answer: Most of them.
But let me just say in complete honesty that the best moments of this show, some of the absolute best moments in the history of Bizarre Foods, wound up on the cutting room floor.
Anyone who has ever eaten hot dogs at The Gopher Bar and Tilia can imagine how that little ‘compare and contrast’ moment played out. (the ones shown above are from Tilia, by the way).
The guys at Travail surprised me with “Durian Eight Ways”– meaning eight bite-sized courses featuring one of my least favorite foods. I was simply stunned, and props to Bob who made four separate durian desserts. They were so well executed that I almost forgot they were made with durian… almost. We also failed at capturing Dusti, Molly and Beth (the ladies from my office) talking ad nauseum about the “hot kitchen staff at Travail.” Apparently these gals can’t resist the tatted up, bandana-wearing young chef type. I am seriously worried about them.
My day at the Hmong market– I loved the green papaya salad so much that I served it at my 50th birthday party.
Manning the kitchen at Haute Dish and slinging the special I came up with– Andrew ZImmern’s Offal Hotdish (though I loved it, diner’s mixed reviews leads me to think it won’t be back on the menu any time soon).
Doug Flicker blowing my mind in the kitchen at Piccolo. The man is a genius.
I felt like a total badass fishing for garbage fish with a cross bow, even though my aim was abysmal. And look at the lake at night. Heaven.
Checking out the Twin Cities budding food truck scene. They legalized it last year in Mpls (and can still only be downtown for whatever dumb reason), and I couldn’t be happier. I was very sad we only visited one truck.
Two words: Juicy Lucy. Whether it’s at the 5-8, Matt’s Bar, the Blue Door Pub or at home, we love those suckers here. Just try to not burn your mouth on molten hot cheese.
And these are just a few highlights from the Bizarre Foods America premiere. Watch it Monday, January 23 at 10|9C on Travel Channel.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
January 16, 2012, 6:25 PM |
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Hello World, we are back. See our air dates below for the FIRST HALF of our most amazing season yet. We went All-American for a few reasons.
First, after 5 years on the road overseas I wanted to see if my theories about food and culture applied at home the same way they do in far off lands. I wanted to see if Darwins theory about islands as preservation points applied to inner cities and the immigrant experience. I wanted to see if social change and entrepreneurism could solve the food crisis in our country. I wanted to see if I could get a good bowl of laksa in the Midwest. I wanted to show you the ins and outs of the cities I love and travel to all the time, introduce you to friends old and new, famous faces and anonymous food genius’. I wanted to explore the world of alternative foods in my home country to see if I could get YOU to eat more of them in your daily life. Hard to do that when I an showing you all about Icelandic Hakarl or Samoan sea cucumber intestines fermented into a table condiment. But you can access all the foods in this special season, and we prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that one mans weird is another mans wonderful, even if that man is your neighbor.
Check in at end of week and I will give you the behind the scenes scoop on our Twin Cities episode that kicks off the new season next Monday night.
Episode Premiere Date
Twin Cities Jan. 23*
New Orleans Jan. 30
Seattle Feb. 6
Boston Feb. 13
Detroit Feb. 20
West Virginia Feb. 27
Charleston March 5
Savannah March 12
*The Twin Cities premiere episode will air on Monday @ 10|9c, but starting Jan. 30, Bizarre Foods America moves to it’s regularly scheduled time, at 9|8c.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
November 18, 2011, 12:40 PM |
Comments (22) |
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As you’ve probably noticed on BF, it’s not always about sitting down and enjoying a meal. Sometimes you gotta work for your dinner. That’s when you look to the folks at Broken Arrow Ranch– an artisanal producer free-range venison, antelope, and wild boar meat. The family-owned business out of Texas Hill Country is serious about their meat, field harvesting only truly wild animals. I was thrilled to hit the field with these guys, hoping to track a deer.
After a full day of hunting, I ended up getting the beautiful sika deer (pictured above)– an Asian species that they’re raising on the ranch.
Within minutes of shooting the animal, the deer was hit with electrical stimulation. This causes a contraction of muscles which ensures a thorough bleed out, guaranteeing a mild-tasting meat and longer shelf life sans funky preservatives. It also tenderizes the meat (typically 40 percent to 60 percent more tender than non-stimulated meat).
The carcass is then hauled to a mobile processor, which is right out in the field with us. Broken Arrow has one of their meat cutters (guy in blue hat), as well as a USDA inspector (guy in white hat) onsite. The animal is expertly broken down, then the cuts are placed into a mobile cooler.
I’ve hunted my entire life and have never seen anyone do this– ever. The process isn’t an easy one, but it’s worth it. This is hands down some of the best meat I’ve ever tried. So incredibly fresh and tender. It’s quality is unparalleled.
Chef Rene Ortiz of La Condesa whipped up this fantastic deer heart escabeche. That’s some fresh pluck.
Chef Ortiz also did these amazing tortilla cooked with bacon fat, stuffed with seared deer loin, cumin yogurt, and habanero harissa.
I got in on the culinary action, putting these jalapeños stuffed with deer liver, heart and kidney wrapped in cherry smoked bacon onto the grill for some slow roasting chile goodness.
On Bizarre Foods America, this is where my deer story will end. But wait! There’s more for you blog readers. The deer I shot was purchased by Chef Robert Wiedmaier of Brabo in Old Town Alexandria (outside of DC), and is currently available on their menu.
Chef de Cuisine, Chris Watson said they’re running these two dishes (created by Chef de Cuisine, Chris Watson) made from my sika as a weekend special. He expects them to sell out quickly, so you gotta get there today or tomorrow. How good do these look?!:
Pan seared venison loin with tagliatelle pasta, venison ragout, Brussels sprouts and venison sausage, natural jus.
Pappardelle with venison ragout chanterelle mushrooms and mustard greens.
If you’re in the DC area, try to get to Brabo this weekend. Trust me, these dishes are going to be insanely good.
Posted By: Andrew Zimmern
