Bizarre Food Experts vs Minnesota's WILDEST Fair Food!! (Feat. Andrew Zimmern)

Key Concepts

• State Fair Food Innovation: The exploration of unique and daring food creations at state fairs.
• Fusion Cuisine: The blending of different culinary traditions and ingredients.
• Sensory Experience of Food: The interplay of taste, texture, and aroma in food evaluation.
• Culinary Limits: Pushing boundaries in food preparation and consumption.
• Food Reviewing Ethics: The importance of honest and insightful food criticism.
• Filipino Cuisine: Introduction to traditional and fusion Filipino dishes.
• Sustainable Seafood: The importance of responsible seafood consumption.

Pork Shrimp Toast with Apricot Jelly Sauce

This dish, from Union Mong Kitchen, features a pork and shrimp mixture, inspired by traditional Mong aromatics like lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and shallots, spread onto Texas toast. The entire creation is deep-fried and served with a chili sauce infused with honey and apricots for a sweet and fruity element. The preparation involves spreading the mixture onto the toast, ensuring even frying by placing it face down and using a basket to prevent floating. The chef, Yang, who previously competed on Iron Chef, has elevated Mong food to a recognized global cuisine. Andrew Zimmer describes the taste as a "porky pate" with a sweet and spicy sauce, noting the familiar Southeast Asian flavors on Texas toast. He ranks it among his top 10 new foods of the year, appreciating its fried, greasy, and crunchy nature, though he suggests a desire for more filling.

Timber Twist

From Gigas Campfire Grill, the Timber Twist is a savory dish consisting of Italian sausage, mozzarella, and cream cheese mixed with barbecue rub, piped into three large manacotti shells. These are then wrapped in bacon and smoked, followed by a basting with barbecue sauce and a final glaze. The process involves mixing the filling, stuffing the manacotti, wrapping with bacon, smoking, saucing, and glazing. Zimmer finds the combination of flavors strong, particularly the bacon and barbecue, but appreciates the texture of the manacotti and the substantial sausage filling. He considers it "well-thought-out fun food" and expresses disdain for those who settle for just fries at a fair, emphasizing the vast culinary exploration available.

Sweet Squeakers

The Blue Barn presents the Sweet Squeakers, a dessert item featuring white cheddar cheese curds deep-fried and tossed in cinnamon sugar, aiming for a "mini doughnut vibe." They are served with homemade whipped cream, berry jam, and lemon zest. The preparation involves cubing cheese curds, battering them with funnel cake batter, coating in cornstarch, and then deep-frying in a pressurized "broster" for 1 minute and 30 seconds to retain juices. The inspiration was to create a sharable item with mass appeal, hitting categories like cheese, potato, or bacon. Zimmer describes the taste as "French toast on the outside," sweet and crumbly, with melty cheese inside. He notes it's less salty than typical cheese curds and compares it to "hot cheesecake mixed with cinnamon toast crunch," expressing optimism for the sweet and salty contrast. He advises reviewers to focus on whether the food is good and if they desire a second bite, emphasizing flavor over exclusivity or "flexing."

Uncrusta Burger

Coasters offers the Uncrusta Burger, which uses fried Uncrustables (peanut butter and jelly sandwiches) as the "buns" for a burger patty. The creation involves seasoning and frying 4 oz burger patties, then placing them between two fried Uncrustables. The burger is topped with cheese, special sauce, pickles, and lettuce. The idea originated from employees having Uncrustables on hand and joking about making a burger. The public response has been overwhelmingly positive. Zimmer notes that the Uncrustables are best fried while still frozen to maintain a creamier peanut butter texture. He expresses concern about the concept, stating there are no "sacred cows" in food but questions if this is a "bridge too far." He finds it messy and difficult to eat, suggesting a smaller size or an open-face presentation. He criticizes the ratio of peanut butter and jelly to burger, deeming it a "one-shot Charlie" and a missed opportunity due to a lack of thorough planning.

Pizza Lumpia and Ube Banana French Toast Lumpia

Lubia City introduces two innovative lumpia variations: Pizza Lumpia and Ube Banana French Toast Lumpia. The Pizza Lumpia is filled with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, and pizza sauce, while the Ube Banana French Toast Lumpia features caramelized banana, French toast strips soaked in syrup, and ube. Both are wrapped in a thin, crepe-like lumpia skin and deep-fried. The Pizza Lumpia is finished with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and herbs, and the Ube Banana Lumpia with powdered sugar. Lubia City specializes in fusion lumpia to introduce people to Filipino food. Zimmer describes the Pizza Lumpia as tasting like a "pizza bite" or a "Cheetos pizza roll" with a crispy exterior, capturing the "pure essence of pizza." He finds the Ube Banana Lumpia "really good," noting the ripe banana, sweetness, and crispiness. He recommends the Ube Banana version over the Pizza Lumpia. Zimmer's favorite of the day is the Ube Banana Lumpia for its textural contrast and real banana. He also highlights the Sweet Squeakers as a strong contender for their innovative dessert concept.

Conclusion and Future Projects

Zimmer expresses satisfaction with the food innovations encountered, considering it a great start to the fair. He mentions his website, andrewzimmer.com, for updates on his Substack and TV shows. He also promotes his new cookbook, "Blue Foods," co-authored with Barton Siver, which focuses on sustainable seafood and includes 140 recipes.