Durian, the food that the “Bizarre Foods” guy spit out

by Jamie Rhein on

Andrew Zimmern spit out durian. He ate a beating frog’s heart in the Asia overview episode of Bizarre Foods, but the durian was a no go. As Neil wrote in a post on another foul food, durian is one nasty smelling fruit, unless you’re a person who likes the smell. Some do. Some must. There are piles of the fruit in Singapore and Malaysia. Why would there be piles if people don’t like the smell?

We had a durian tree in our backyard in Singapore, but let other people have it when it was ripe. We were told that it didn’t smell when it was on the tree. The only time I smelled durian were the piles in the market. I used to wonder how people got them home since durians aren’t allowed on buses or subways because they smell that bad.

Although durian smelled so foul that I never managed to eat any in its fruit form, I did eat durian ice-cream and cookies with durian paste filling. Both of them are good. Here’s a Web site that highlights different ways durian is prepared. The chips look interesting. I’d eat those just to see what they taste like. If you want durian fruit in its pure form, chill it. It’s supposed to taste better that way. Hold your nose, though–unless you like the smell.

Wanted: two drinking buds for dad, $14/hour

by Iva Skoch on

The poor performance of the dollar can have its advantages. Especially if you get paid in pounds…and beer. Backpackers looking for a seasonal job opportunity, listen up.

The son of an elderly British widower who could not find a drinking buddy has provided him with two new companions after advertising the post at a rate of £7 ($14) an hour, plus expenses, The Guardian reports. When he moved from a flat to a care home 20 miles from his old stomping ground of Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire, Jack Hammond, 88, a radar technician during the second world war, struggled to find someone suitable to have a beer with.

As a last resort his son Mike, 56, put a notice in the post office asking for someone with similar interests or background to accompany his dad, a former charge engineer at a Lancashire power station, to the Compass Inn in Winsor, twice a week for a couple of hours.

He was so inundated with offers – including one from a 16-year-old – that he had to interview candidates by phone before asking a shortlist of three to join him and Jack for a trial drink.

I hope my kids look out for me like this.

Bigger in Japan

by Aaron Hotfelder on

The Japanese diet has historically been one of the healthiest in the world, consisting mainly of rice, vegetables, and fish. But the increase in “Western”-style fast-food joints has forced many Japanese to loosen their belts several notches.

Statistics from Japan’s government show that, on average, Japanese males are ten percent heavier than they were only ten years ago, and the women are packing it on almost as much.

This news has driven the Japanese government to require employers to reduce the number of overweight employees by ten percent by 2012 and 25 percent by 2015. Men whose waistlines exceed 34 inches will be considered overweight, while the limit for women is a downright husky 35 inches.

More here.

U.S. government to farm out fingerprinting duties to airlines, cruise ships

by Jeffrey White on

The Department of Homeland Security wants to put the onus of fingerprinting foreigners leaving the United States on airlines and cruise companies, according to a plan hatched earlier this week.

Airlines and cruise companies would have 24 hours to send those fingerprints and their passengers’ information to the DHS, which would log the information into its US-VISIT database that currently tracks the whereabouts of foreigners who have entered the U.S.

Currently DHS agents are in charge of fingerprinting all foreigners who enter the U.S., and it was assumed that they would be the point people when the DHS eventually expanded its fingerprinting program to include departing foreigners. Therefore, the DHS’ proposal on Tuesday came as a surprise to the airline and cruise industries.

The industries are questioning why the DHS would leave the matter of border security in the hands of the private sector.

If this goes through, it won’t be cheap for airlines and cruise companies to comply: The DHS says it’ll cost them more than $2.5 billion over 10 years (though the government could help defray that expense).

Both industries now have 60 days to comment on the DHS proposal.

CNN has a full report.

“Bizarre Foods” on the Travel Channel: Asia potpourri

by Jamie Rhein on

Location: Tokyo and Kobe Japan; Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Penang, Malaysia. (This episode was a repeat of a previous season. I missed this one the first time, so I was happy to catch it.)

Episode Rating: 4 Sheep Testicles (out of 4) using Aaron’s system that certainly works well for this episode–if you trade sheep for pig.

Summary: After watching this episode, it might seem like there is nothing but bizarre food in Asia. I can attest that the eating is among the finest. I’ve been to all three countries and promise there’s food to suit most people’s palate. Being an adventurous eater helps. What Andrew Zimmern honed in on is foods that are thought to give power. Feeling a bit blah? There’s nothing like some frog meat.

In Japan, frog sashimi is a real health pick me up. Sashimi is usually raw seafood–unless it’s frog. Chase it down with some lizard sake and you’re good to go. The lizard was leaning out of the glass like a garnish one might see at a Halloween party. Even more macabre, but maybe that’s just me, is eating the frog’s beating heart. Zimmern proclaimed it “not bad…not a lot of flavor.” To eat a beating heart, I’d need a bit more than “not bad.” See the YouTube video for the full effect.

Suppon, a soft-shelled turtle has been eaten in Japan for 450 years. In Japan, turtle is mega power food. It gives men extra get up and go, if you know what I mean. For women, it’s supposed to do wonders for the skin. The soup version looked tasty, if one ignored the detail of Zimmern gnawing on the turtle leg. Watching the turtle bleed beforehand, though, was a big ick. Zimmern downed some turtle blood mixed with rice wine before he dug into the soup. I’d like my rice wine plain, thank you.

Another bizarre dish Zimmern tackled was fugu, poisonous blowfish. I’d pass on it. First of all, 100 people a year die from eating fugu when it’s not prepared correctly. Secondly, even when it’s prepared correctly, there’s enough poison in it to make your mouth numb. See Matthew’s post that gives more specifics.

The detail about Kobe beef was interesting–those are some happy cows, and I got a kick out of the yakitori contest when Zimmern and a Japanese pal had dueling moments of eating chicken part skewers. Evidently, not all chicken parts are tasty. “I’d rather be tied naked to an ant hill than eat the rest of this,” Zimmern declared.

Once Zimmern left Japan for Thailand, it was market browsing past ant larvae, grubs, beetles, grilled frog on a stick and a host of other taste treats. I have eaten bird’s nest soup, however, and thought it not bad–for swallow nests. Zimmern went shopping and pointed out that swallows’ nests cost up to $1,000 for a package of 12 of the finest.

Outside Chiang Mai, Zimmern ate street food which were hits and misses. One miss was some sort of red sausage that was a mix of pork and organ meats. A real gag with that one. He also downed spirulina, a drink made from live algae that’s supposedly one of the healthiest foods. It’s gotta be good for you. It’s green. Plus, he said it smelled like the bottom of an aquarium. You can get it in pill form if you want.

Although visiting a hill tribe in Thailand is a wonderful experience, the bat eating is something I’d do without. Those fruit bats, when stir fried, look like fruit bats stir fried–perfect for that Halloween party with the lizard sake chaser.

When Zimmern hit Penang, an island of Malaysia, I had flashbacks to some awesome meals. Sambal, the sauce made from shrimp paste is good–I wouldn’t eat buckets of it, but it’s good. Zimmern ate the fiery version and in between fanning his hands in front of his face, asked, “Is their steam coming out of my ears?” Penang is also a wonderful place to spend time. One thing I appreciated about this segment was the inclusion of Indian food. Indian food in Malaysia (and Singapore) is superb. I ate Indian food in Georgetown myself.

The food that Zimmern spit out was durian, the smelliest fruit on earth. It’s so smelly it’s not allowed on public transportation in Malaysia or Singapore.

Although this episode was a repeat, it was a good one for a trip around high points of places I’ve been. Next week, Zimmern’s back with a new episode. Stay tuned for India.

For Gadling recaps of this season: