Walnuts?
A certain tropical fruit?
And some of America's favorite sweets?
Keep watching to find out what foods “Bizarre Foods” host Andrew Zimmern just couldn't
bring himself to eat.
Some will surprise you!
Others will make you cringe right along with him.
Compared to the many types of animal genitals Andrew Zimmern has eaten, a distaste for walnuts
seems somewhat absurd.
Still, the chef has flatly stated in multiple interviews that he hates these universal nuts.
He's even tweeted about it, claiming that he dislikes them because they have a soap-like flavor.
"Bleh!"
Rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, walnuts are used as an ingredient in everything
from salads to ice cream.
The most common variety is the English walnut, also known as the Persian walnut.
There are other edible varieties, such as the black walnut, which according to Serious
Eats, has a more intense, earthy taste.
Walnuts can be eaten raw, toasted, or candied.
Zimmern doesn't specify if there is any possible way a walnut could be prepared that would
make him like it more, but for anyone thinking of serving him a meal, just assume it's a no-go.
Durian fruit is perhaps the most notorious fruit in the world.
Native to Southeast Asia, it is instantly recognizable by its large size, its green,
spiky exterior, and most notably, its incredibly pungent, almost unbearable smell.
It is so smelly that Culture Trip reports it is even banned in many public spaces across Asia.
Singapore, for example, has a strict ban on durian on public transportation.
On his blog, Zimmern describes the odor as being similar to rotten onions, garbage, and
dirty socks.
Despite trying the fruit a whopping 15 times, the Bizarre Foods host could not acquire a
taste for it.
Many people who are confronted with durian fruit just cannot get past the stench to even
venture a taste, but Zimmern writes that he doesn't like the taste of the fleshy, yellow
inside, either.
Lovers of the fruit adore its creamy texture and sweet, complex flavor — but not Zimmern!
The way this fermented tofu from Taiwan is described may sound insulting, but it really
is called stinky tofu in Chinese.
The people of Taiwan are proud of their iconic, smelly street food.
It can be served three different ways: steamed, stewed, or deep-fried.
Not unlike durian fruit, people say that stinky tofu can smell like sweaty gym socks.
Other comparisons include smelly cheese and rotten meat.
Andrew Zimmern, it turns out, agrees with the latter.
For his part, Zimmern told The Boston Globe that the 14-day-old stinky tofu he ate at
the famous Dai's House of Stinky Tofu in Taipei was, to his tongue, exceptionally disgusting.
"Here's the problem: the cooked stinky tofu tastes so rotten, I can't get it down past
the back of my mouth.
It's that automatic reflex that just tells you, 'Don't do it.'"
A BBC columnist who went to the same restaurant after having watched Zimmern attempt to eat
stinky tofu on Bizarre Foods thinks that despite the horrid odor, it tastes like delicious,
albeit strong, cheese.
"There's a sour, spoiled flavor in my mouth that is absolutely singular.
There's nothing quite like it."
For many people, the best part about baking cookies is the guilty pleasure of licking
the last remaining bits of raw cookie dough off the spoon.
Unfortunately, the CDC warns people to steer clear of eating uncooked dough because consuming
its raw ingredients, eggs and flour, can result in salmonella or E. coli.
However, there are plenty of recipes that now make it safe-to-eat raw cookie dough.
It's a huge boon to many sweets lovers — but not to Andrew Zimmern.
The Bizarre Foods host and producer finds the soft, grainy, salty-sweet food repugnant.
In an interview with People, he curtly says that he "won't eat it" and "can't stand it."
In an article he wrote for Time, he elaborates a little more, explaining that the texture
of cookie dough is what bothers him most.
Whatever the reason, his palate is clearly vastly different from many other Americans,
who would greatly prefer eating cookie dough over pork brain tacos — not the other way around.
And to be clear, we’re not joking; pork brain tacos are one of Zimmern's favorite
bizarre meals.
"That is creamy, cranium goodness."
There seems to be a theme to many of Andrew Zimmern's dislikes: rotten foods.
But really, who could blame him?
While sometimes he uses the word "rotten" to describe unpleasant fermented foods, in
the case of some chicken intestines in the Philippines, it is absolutely the right word.
It's not the intestines that scared him off; he's even tweeted about how much he loves
intestines that are prepared well.
As he told The Daily Meal, these particular poultry innards he was offered had peculiar
discolorations, and the sight gave him legitimate concern for his health.
Zimmern asserts that the very few times he has refused food, it was only for fear that
he may actually end up in the hospital.
Prolonged illness seems to be one of the only lines he is unwilling to cross.
We can't say we blame him there!
Another commonplace Western food Zimmern told People and Travel + Leisure he despises
is oatmeal.
For the average American, this is yet another head-scratcher.
After all, Fortune Business Insights reports that oatmeal is a multibillion-dollar industry,
with sales continuing to increase steadily year after year.
It's projected to hit more than $3.5 billion by 2027!
Part of the reason this staple breakfast food is growing in popularity is that it is very
healthy, providing the body with much-needed fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals
like manganese and vitamin B1, according to Healthline.
And although instant oatmeal is less nutritious than whole oatmeal — which takes much longer
to cook — it also comes in a variety of flavors, from banana to apple cinnamon.
If pushed, maybe Zimmern could choose a flavor that appealed more to him, but it's probably
a good idea to keep oatmeal off the breakfast menu if you ever have Zimmern over for breakfast.
Most people in the Western world view the eating of dogs as completely appalling.
Dogs are our beloved pets; the Humane Society reports that as of 2021, more than half of
all American households owned at least one dog.
These lovable creatures are considered by many to be part of the family.
But animals are not viewed the same way in every culture.
In India, for instance, cows are sacred, while people in the U.S. eat cow meat every day.
When it comes to dog meat, it is mostly Asian nations that still keep up this tradition,
according to Humane Society International.
Always keeping his mind and his mouth open on his world travels, Andrew Zimmern has eaten
dog twice before in Vietnam.
Ultimately, though, he told The Boston Globe in an interview that dog meat isn't the meat
for him.
He cared deeply about his pug, Pretzel, who passed away in 2020.
Andrew Zimmern's disgust towards Spam is a little aggressive.
In an interview with ABC News affiliate KITV, he goes on a rant about all the things he
hates about the canned meat, such as its high salt and sugar content, even going so far
as to say,
"I've considered it my mission in life to rid the world of Spam."
So, what's the big deal?
A blend of pork and ham, this cooked lunch meat has been part of the American food industry
for nearly 100 years.
In fact, this shelf-stable meat product helped sustain many troops during World War II, according
to Time.
Today, it is a favorite ingredient in many Asian-American cuisines, enjoyed with rice
by Hawaiians, Filipinos, and Korean and Japanese-Americans.
In Zimmern's eyes, however, it's an over-processed meat that represents the kind of culinary
commercialization he despises.
"It's delicious when it's made from scratch.
I just don't believe you should use commodity meats cooked in a can."
Apple pie is one of the most traditional American foods.
It is so ingrained in American culture that people will give a suspicious look in the
direction of someone who says they don't like it.
While the Bizarre Foods host and producer has nothing against apple pie, he does have
a bone to pick with its famous companion: vanilla ice cream.
Ice cream and apple pie go together like PB&J — at least, that's what most people think.
According to ABC News, guests at a 2009 dinner gasped when Andrew Zimmern revealed he does
not like ice cream on top of apple tarts.
Separately, he has no reported issue with either food, but together, it's a dessert no-no.
Ironically, though, his blog does feature a guest recipe post by Michelle Gayer, former
owner of Minnesota bakery The Salty Tart, for her caramel apple pie, which she recommends
serving with vanilla ice cream.
As a man who has built his life by traveling the world to sample every type of food imaginable,
Andrew Zimmern is passionate about experiencing different cultures in the most authentic way possible.
In an interview with Forbes, he recounts a time when he overheard people at a Beijing
hotel talk about how much they were craving Hard Rock Café's burger and fries.
It's an example of the main issue he has with Western travelers: they don't want to leave
their culinary comfort zone.
It may seem obvious, but one doesn't travel to China for a hamburger.
A trip to China means indulging in Chinese food, like crispy Peking duck and baozi.
Not only is eating a hamburger not an authentic Chinese experience, but their interpretation
of a hamburger will not be the same as the ones Americans enjoy in the United States.
It's a double disappointment, he attests, all in the name of homesickness.
If there is one idea Zimmern is intent on sharing with his viewers, it's that experiencing
different cultures can be uncomfortable, but it's worth it.
It's not that Andrew Zimmern hates all sea squirts, it's just that he hates a particular
kind: the giant sea squirts of Chilé called piure.
"Oh!
Oh!
Who knew that would happen?"
These strange sea creatures look like rocks to the untrained eye, but inside, they are
filled with bright red meat.
To get to the fleshy part, one has to cut through the rough exterior with a sharp, strong
knife.
For Zimmern, it's not worth the trouble.
"I mean, there's something kind of, um, uh, broken down and putrefied tasting about it,
maybe that iodine."
What gives it its distinct iodine taste is vanadium, a rare metallic element, according
to Live Science.
According to Vice, this peculiar sea creature can be served raw, in soups and stews, sauteéd
or fried.
"I will never forget this as long as I live."
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