Do you really need a quality chef’s knife? I think so. A quality knife works better, is safer to use, and— with the right care— will last a long time. There are a few easy things that you can do to ensure you get the most out of your knives. I’m discussing all this in…
What to Eat at the Minnesota State Fair I like to stick with tradition when it comes to the State Fair, never passing up an opportunity for cheese curds, a foot-long hot dog, an ice cold 1919 root beer and a bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies. Fair food doesn’t need to be, and probably shouldn’t… Read More →
AZ and the Lost City of Ophir Twelve-year-old AZ dreams of becoming the world’s greatest explorer. Instead, he’s stuck in summer school with just Odd Uncle Arthur for company. Little does AZ know that this summer will be his most thrilling—and dangerous—adventure yet. After a time-traveling mishap, AZ finds himself in Ophir, a lost city… Read More →
Minnesota Honey Producers at the State Fair After you’ve had your cheese curd fix in the Food Building, make your way next door to the iconic octagon-shaped Agriculture & Horticulture Building for a scoop of honey ice cream and a quick lesson on beekeeping. There’s a large footprint dedicated to honey and honey products made… Read More →
Minnesota State Fair Eating Strategy There are a few simple rules when it comes to a successful day of eating at the fair. First, don’t overload on your deep-fried fantasies in the first hour. Go with friends so you can indulge in your favorite fair classics along with a couple new food items. Do a… Read More →
The Story of Cinnie Smiths I always make a stop at Cinnie Smiths a priority. The cinnamon rolls are made in the booth from scratch right to order, with real butter, real cinnamon and real sugar. I’m getting hungry right now thinking about the gooey center of the warm cinnamon rolls, dipped in their homemade creamy… Read More →
Gizmo Sandwiches at the Minnesota State Fair Carla Wood and her Gizmo sandwich embody everything I love about the fair. The Gizmo is a ground beef and Italian sausage sandwich covered in their secret red sauce, topped with melted mozzarella. Every sandwich is made on premise from scratch. It’s an edible torpedo of pleasure and my idea… Read More →
Mouth Trap Cheese Curds All cheese curds are not created equal, trust me. My go-to at the Minnesota State Fair is Mouth Trap inside the Food Building. What makes their product so perfect? Ellsworth cheese curds, fresh from the creamery, delivered daily—a total of 65,000 pounds of curds over the course of the 12 day… Read More →
What is so great about the Minnesota State Fair? I’m sure you’ve heard me wax poetic about the food at the fair, but honestly, it’s the people that make me want to visit all 12 days. From the animal barns and seed art to bundt cakes and machinery hill, there’s much more to the fair… Read More →
Top 5 Minnesota State Fair Foods My most frequently asked question has to be: “Andrew Zimmern, what is the best thing to eat at the Minnesota State Fair?” It’s a really tough question to answer, there are too many great options. Alas, I’ve tried to dwindle it down to a few items you should absolutely… Read More →
Tips for Grilling with Fruitwood & Charcoal We received a lot of questions about using charcoal, wood chips and wood chunks. I prefer to use natural hardwood charcoal, lit in a charcoal chimney without lighter fluid. I use fruitwood, such as cherry or apple, when grilling or smoking chicken, fish or fruit. Soak wood chips… Read More →
The Best Way to Start a Charcoal Grill Put down the lighter fluid. Using a chimney is the easiest and best way to light charcoal, without any toxic fumes or unpleasant flavors. All you need to do stuff some newspaper underneath the chimney, then fill it with natural hardwood charcoal. Light the paper in several… Read More →
The Zimmern List Premieres March 13 9|8c on Travel Channel! My new show, The Zimmern List, premieres March 13 and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Each week I’m criss-crossing the United States as your personal travel guide, sharing the must-try restaurants, food trucks and take-out joints in my favorite cities. In the first episode, I travel to… Read More →
#myZimmernList Needs Your Videos! Share your favorite food experience from a restaurant, food truck or picnic area for a chance to win a t-shirt and have lunch with Andrew Zimmern in his home city of Minneapolis. Scroll down to enter! My new show, The Zimmern List, premieres March 13 on Travel Channel and I couldn’t… Read More →
How to Prepare a Geoduck We go behind the scenes at last year’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival to show you how to prepare the most delicious clam in the world. I often say eating geoduck is like kissing a mermaid. Try it and I guarantee you’ll agree. The giant clam can be daunting… Read More →
Andrew Zimmern or Baby Hippo?? Madde Gibba hosts a lightning round of “Andrew Zimmern or Baby Hippo” with Anthony Bourdain, Aaron Sanchez and Michael Voltaggio at last year’s SOBEWFF. How well do you score? South Beach Wine & Food Festival is a premiere food and wine weekend raising millions for culinary scholarships and providing fans… Read More →
BAM or Bamm Bamm? What does Emeril Lagasse have in common with Bamm Bamm from the Flintstones? Madde Gibba and I find out at last year’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival. SOBEWFF is a premiere food and wine weekend raising millions for culinary scholarships and providing fans with an unparalleled experience. Here’s a glimpse… Read More →
How to Kill a Lobster Dispatching a lobster is most likely what’s preventing you from cooking it at home, but learning the proper and most humane way to do it will make it less intimidating. I believe the most humane way to kill a lobster is to first put it in the freezer for 5… Read More →
How to Make Chicken Lollipops Looking for a fun presentation for chicken wings or legs? Learn how to make chicken lollipops, an easy frenching technique where you scrape the meat away from the bone to create a lollipop shape. The chicken will be more succulent and easy to eat with its bone handle. Learn how… Read More →
America the Great Cookbook I’m honored to be a part of America the Great Cookbook, a celebration of our country’s food scene with more than 100 recipes by chefs, producers and food heroes from every region of the United States. Flipping through the pages, you’ll notice that what makes America’s food American is its sheer… Read More →
Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar Buying a bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies to share with your friends is a Minnesota State Fair must, and one of those food experiences that cannot be accurately replicated at home EVEN IF their dough is available for purchase in your grocer’s freezer. Few things can beat piping hot, messy chocolate… Read More →
Andrew Zimmern’s Bucket List Back-to-Back Episodes Tuesday September 27 9|8c on Travel Channel. I’ve devoted a lifetime to gathering the best food experiences all over the world. From iconic restaurants to off-the-beaten-path markets and shops, I’m adding to my bucket list everywhere I go. In my new show, I’m sharing my personal ‘best of’ list for anyone whose… Read More →
Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food kicks off in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, August 16 at 9|8c on Travel Channel. In the series premiere, I’m visiting the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro to experience it like a real carioca, tapping into three local cab drivers to get a true feel for this bustling, diverse metropolis.… Read More →
Tia Lea’s Private Restaurant Traveling with a local has its perks, including a reservation at the most exclusive restaurant in town, Tia Lea’s. She runs a private restaurant out of her home in Rio de Janeiro, cooking for no more than 20 people at a time. The food is beyond amazing. And the view? One of… Read More →
Kansas City Competitive Barbecue Once known for its stockyards, Kansas City is still famous for its incredibly diverse barbecue scene. It’s a barbecue obsessed town, with dozens of restaurants serving amazing ribs, burnt ends, pulled pork and brisket. But I found that some of the best barbecue is in the backyard smokers getting ready for the competition circuit. Here,… Read More →
I received this note from a dear friend of mine, Cecile Raubenheimer. She’s participating in the Trek4Mandela to raise funds for a charity called Caring4Girls. It’s an amazing step towards helping young women in Africa. Read more about the initiative below, and support their expedition if you can. • • • Dear Friends, The time… Read More →
7 Ways to Hone Your Cooking Skills I sit down with Disruption Mag to discuss seven things that’ll change the way you think about cooking, from tasting your food at every stage of the process to practicing the correct ways to cut your ingredients. For more, visit disruptionmag.com.
Bizarre Foods with Stephen Colbert It was an honor to be a guest last night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. I can cross that off my bucket list now. We tried a buffet of interesting dishes featured in the 10th season of Bizarre Foods, starting with a a classic meat stew from Spain with every… Read More →
Fixing Our Broken Food System In April, I had the opportunity to speak at Google headquarters in New York City about an issue I’m very passionate about, the country’s broken food system. Eating well is a class issue in America, and we need to do something to change it. We need a real food system in this… Read More →
The Navigator’s Table Heads to Nashville In this episode of The Navigator’s Table, I’m hosting a celebration of all things Nashville. I’ve invited Carla Hall, Rachele Lynae, Kahlil Arnold, Pat Martin and Sarah Gavigan to dish on their favorite Music City eats. From classic meat n’ threes and hot chicken to cutting edge cuisine, this city… Read More →
