We tasted new food at the Minnesota State Fair – here’s our take. By AndrewZimmern.com Staff Tasked with sampling a slew of new foods at the State Fair, we skipped breakfast and headed out early Thursday morning with empty stomachs and open minds. There were pleasant surprises (maple bacon shaved ice!), a few safe bets (anything with… Read More →
Austin City Bites By Bob & Sue A weekend in the country’s fastest growing city (which embraces its reputation for being weird, as well as the Live Music Capital of the World) included memorable dinners at a prominent food critic’s three favorite restaurants: Qui Credit: Nicolai McCrary Philippine native Paul Qui delivers an eclectic combination of… Read More →
Shrimp and Grits HOMINY GRILL, CHARLESTON, SC When everyone tells you to go to one place for one dish, you don’t ask questions: you just get in the car and drive. That was the case with the shrimp and grits at Hominy Grill. An ingredient introduced to Southern cooking by Native Americans, grits are often… Read More →
Seared Beef Tataki Appetizer By Andrew Zimmern A popular Japanese dish, tataki refers to beef or fish that is quickly seared over high heat, leaving the center very rare. It’s thinly sliced and served with a citrus- and ginger-infused vinegar soy sauce.
Wok Cooking Essentials Wok cooking is intimidating, but it’s the most versatile and handy tool in your kitchen. It can braise, fry, sauté, and even make a handy smoker (I use one of my woks fitted with a small inset grate to tea smoke duck and squab all the time). Because of its unique shape,… Read More →
Appetizers for a New Year’s Eve Bash Skip the pricey pre-fixe menus and over-crowded bars, and host your own New Year’s Eve soiree. There’s no better way to ring in the new year than a spread of finger foods and a house full of friends and family. Here are a few of my favorite hor d’oeuvres, from… Read More →
The Perfect Autumnal Hand Pie By Andrew Zimmern I love pumpkin pie and this recipe is a game changer. Truly. The dough is simple and forgiving and my 9-year-old helps me make it. Yup. Then there is the filling, pre-baked and then filled into these modernist turnovers. So there you have it… the perfect autumnal… Read More →
Chinese Lamb Chops By Andrew Zimmern Here I’ve combined two of my favorites—Chinese food and lamb—in one easy recipe. And who doesn’t love lamb racks cut into easy-to-eat mini caveman chops?
A Zimmern Comfort Food Classic By Andrew Zimmern These braised pork shanks are the ultimate comfort food for me, hybridizing my favorite Asian flavors and techniques. They are even better the next day after a rest overnight in the fridge.
Devour Zürich At the intersection of Lake Zürich and the Limmat River with a breathtaking Alpine backdrop, the Swiss capital is a leading world financial center that has tons to offer. The buzzing city boasts four official languages, a high quality of life and is consistently recognized among the world’s top cities to live in. When… Read More →
Kimchi Fried Rice By Andrew Zimmern There are so many great homemade kimchis available these days (even the local supermarket brands are pretty awesome), that rather than tell you how to make it, I thought it might be more fun to tell you what I do with it most often: eat it from the jar… Read More →
A New Way to Eat Lobster By Andrew Zimmern Here is a fun recipe that engages all of the senses, takes advantage of the boiled lobster boredom and is simply delicious any time of year.
The Best Watermelon Salad By Andrew Zimmern Hot, sour, salty and sweet, this salad is one of my favorite summertime meals. The crunchy fried chicken perfectly compliments the cold, juicy watermelon topped with tart Vietnamese-inspired dressing, fragrant herbs and toasted coconut. It’s the contrast of texture and flavor that I can’t get enough of. Like this… Read More →
Simple Sweet & Spicy Stir-Fry By Andrew Zimmern Velvet Chicken. Sexy name. Great dish. Classic technique. I wouldn’t call this entry-level Chinese cookery—it’s 201 coursework—but any novice can produce a stellar version of this dish because it’s so easy to execute. The boiling of the marinated meat in oil results in a velvety texture that… Read More →
Beer-Battered Chicken Sandwich By Rebecca Lang Nearly everyone loves a fried chicken sandwich. This version does not disappoint. Choose a malty ale, such as Bell’s Best Brown, or a good seasonal beer from your favorite local brewery. A rich, caramel-kissed brew helps the flavors hold up all the way through frying. This batter is light… Read More →
Grilled “Chicken of the Sea” with Dried Shrimp Salsa By Andrew Zimmern In Cuba for the last 50 years, serving lobster was illegal in restaurants or home kitchens taking in guests. Locals found a way around the law by calling them chicken of the sea on menus.
Cross-Referencing Asia By Andrew Zimmern While fusion is typically a dirty F word, I promise this food is tasty and beautiful.
The Year of the Goat By Andrew Zimmern The stunningly beautiful Xinjiang province in northwest China borders many central Asian countries such as India, Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Muslim communities like the Uighur, who hail from that part of China, have seen their most traditional recipes grow in popularity over the last 10 years. Most… Read More →
Chinese Cuisine at Home Chinese cooking has complex, technique-driven elements, which makes it a bit daunting for the average home cook. But if you’re as obsessed with it as I am, that shouldn’t stop you from cooking Chinese food in your own kitchen. So, I’d suggest that you get a great cookbook, and cook a… Read More →
My Favorite Cookbooks of the Year Every year hundreds of cookbooks are published, dozens of which deserve a spot on your shelf. But we’ve tried to narrow it down to a handful that really impress–whether it’s the private cooking lessons from the world’s best chefs in Dana Cowin’s Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen, cooking… Read More →
Barbecue Royalty Of course no one agrees on who serves the best barbecue in Kansas City and with over 100 restaurants touting the city’s claim to fame, we’re not going to try to discern who makes the best pulled pork or burnt ends. But one thing is for certain, a trip to Kansas City is… Read More →
Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad By Andrew Zimmern This fragrant, fresh Thai shrimp salad hits the spot any time of year. If you can find them at your local Asian market, small Thai eggplant makes a superb addition.
Music City Food + Wine 2014 was the most intimate and fun food fest I have been to in years… Great out-of-town chefs, amazing local restaurateurs and food talent, superb food entrepreneurs and the most carefully-curated Grand Tasting Tent I have ever walked through. You gotta get there next year. Here are a few observations:… Read More →
New State Fair Foods for 2014 Every year there’s a host of new foods at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, and while the imaginative deep-fried-on-a-stick creations can be hit or miss, sometimes the shear novelty is worth shelling out a few bucks to try. Without further ado, here’s the line up for 2014: Photographs courtesy… Read More →
Salty, Spicy, Tangy Goodness One night at his eponymous Brooklyn restaurant, former Top Chef contestant Dale Talde tasked his cooks with replicating the Americanized version of kung pao that they all jones for after grueling double kitchen shifts. When nothing but a hit of salty, spicy, tangy goodness will do, this should be your go-to… Read More →
Fried & True Who thought a Jewish girl from Argentina could produce one of the best takes on an American favorite? But Michy—as everyone affectionately refers to beloved Miami restaurateur Michelle Bernstein—does exactly that. On summer Wednesdays she serves an incredible all-you-can-eat fried chicken buffet—the chicken gilded with an impossibly crisp coating—that calls to mind… Read More →
Bold, Juicy Vietnamese-Flavored Pork Burger By Andrew Zimmern While I love a good ol’ traditional beef burger, this pork burger packed with Vietnamese flavors is a worthy alternative. The fragrant herbs, sweet-and-spicy dipping sauce, and pickled carrots and daikon radish adds a fresh, tangy component that’s perfect on a hot day.
Peanut Butter & Banana King Cake with Candied Bacon By Executive Pastry Chef Rhonda Ruckman, Link Restaurant Group Much of this King Cake recipe can be prepared a day ahead. The recipe is broken down into three parts, dough, filling and icing.
Asian-Style Tartare By Andrew Zimmern
Easy Thai-Style Curry By Andrew Zimmern A taste of the tropics during the Minnesota winter is always welcome at my house. This Thai-style dish is so easy to throw together for a weeknight meal but also works as a stunning entrée for your next dinner party. It has all the hot, sour, salty and sweet… Read More →
