Andrew Zimmern tours Birmingham
By Wade Kwon
Chef Andrew Zimmern filmed outings Jan. 15 through Thursday around Birmingham for his show, “Bizarre Foods America.”
See his journey narrated by him on social media, including a stop in Bayou La Batre beforehand.
Andrew Zimmern tours Birmingham
Chef Andrew Zimmern filmed outings Jan. 15-17, 2013, around Birmingham, Ala., for his show, "Bizarre Foods America." [http://bit.ly/YhQPwA] See his journey narrated by him on social media, including a stop in Bayou La Batre beforehand.
Storified by Wade Kwon· Tue, Jan 22 2013 08:55:19
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List of Zimmern’s Birmingham stops on Foursquare
Andrew Zimmern was here #bhamChef Andrew Zimmern filmed outings Jan. 15-17, 2013, around Birmingham, Ala., for his show, "Bizarre Foods America." http://bit.ly/YhQPwA
Bayou La Batre
10pm in rural ‘Bama, dinner was TacoBell. Sour cream gun is same tool that makes spritz cookies and yes, the chalupa is a Bizarre FoodAndrew Zimmern
10 pound cow nose taken w bow …. It’s been a good night so far w warm fromt ahead of the cold snapchefaz
Sugar Rush [Facebook]
Donuts of the decade at Sugar Rush in Bayou La Batre Alabama …. Amazing find!chefaz
Oyster shucking house in Bayou la Batre…. Vietnamese community is culturally rich here and dominates the seafood trade in terms of employmentchefaz
Shrimp and fish traps along w Smell from porch tells me I am eating Vietnamese food… Appliances and scrap metal in yard remind me I am in the Southchefaz
Lunch in a Vietnamese home in Bayou La Batre. Fermented shrimp , fermented fish salad, pork belly with homemade shrimp paste…chefaz
Visual definition of a clusterfuck. Splitting crew and equipment en route to show location 2of 3.chefaz
Fermented shrimp from scratch. Pour sugar an fish sauce syrup over raw shrimp. Let sit in jar in sun for month. Add green papaya and garlic, store for 60 days in fridge and you have finished product at bottom left of pic. Insane condimentchefaz
.@kittenwithawhip @eatocracy This ones for you http://twitpic.com/bvaafeAndrew Zimmern
It was an honor to be a guide for the big hoss @chefaz and the #BizarreFoodsAmerica crew around #BayouLaBatre!vit_pham
Birmingham
Biology lesson at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
Draining sperm from an east coast urchin at UAB…. Aquaculture!chefaz
14 day old urchin under electron microscope at UAB labschefaz
3 weeks old, urchin inverts itself and sprouts feelers and needles. Amazingchefaz
Mapping year old urchin feed trails in algae bedschefaz
Look closely between the needles and you can see the feet extended moving food to the urchin mouth. You never see that!chefaz
Urchin on right has feelers extended to grasp food and reposition its body. UAB research aimed to develop way to save this wild food by offering restocking and aquaculture options to a frighteningly popular market for these tasty critterschefaz
Fresh live urchin from UAB’s pilot program to create viable product to meet escalating demand for uni. The stuff is incredible. Game changer.chefaz
.@potlikker @johntedge @kittenwithawhip Lunch for one at Niki’s West in Birmingham…. A stunnerchefaz
Stewed tomatoes w toasted bread ‘dumplings’ at Niki’s might be tops in my book. I ate 2 bowls.chefaz
Real succotash …. Can’t stop eating it…Niki’s Westchefaz
@andrewzimmern @johntedge @potlikker HUMINAH! I’m gonna need to know more about that slaw sauce, sir.Kat Kinsman
@kittenwithawhip Have you not been B’ham? Niki’s has a finely shaved cabbage w salt and house made "real French" dressing that is amazingAndrew Zimmern
@andrewzimmern Ooooh! I went to B’ham but save for a Piggly Wiggly jaunt with @jennifervcole, didn’t get to explore. Gonna fix that in ’13.Kat Kinsman
Love Nikki’s West. @potlikker oral history for back story: http://southernfoodways.org/documentary/oh…@andrewzimmern @johntedge @kittenwithawhipJohn T Edge
Wanna see the Magic City? Check out @instagrambham , cool account that I stumbled on posting my own B’ham photos on @chefazAndrew Zimmern
Eat well & support #Alabama fishermen & foragers @HotnHotFishClub http://ow.ly/gQ1Tr #restaurantsAndrew Zimmern
Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q
Ribs at Miss Myra’schefaz
Entry way ….wall of fame of pigs at Miss Myra’s…. Can’t wait to try the chicken w white saucechefaz
Another hour and these are readychefaz
BBQ chicken at miss Myra’s in B’ham AL. Quite possibly best I have ever eaten… Amazing , check out the skin…!!chefaz
Miss Myra’s ribs…. Ray Sokolov called them the best he ever tasted… Can’t disagree. And the green beans are etherealchefaz
Best bbq chicken and best banana pudding I have ever eaten…top five ribs for sure, top ten in potato salad, green beans and slaw…incredible food at Miss Myra’s in B’hamchefaz
@andrewzimmern Thank you for choosing Miss Myras it was awesome having you and your crew to choose us to dine with thank you very muchMyra Wheat
@dauphinlover21 Thx Myra! Say hi to your dad and grandma for me , what a great time last mightAndrew Zimmern
Talking with chef Chris Hastings
Welcome to AL! “@andrewzimmern: Real succotash …. Can’t stop eating it…Niki’s West http://instagr.am/p/Ug9JASIK_1/”Chris Hastings
@chrishastings00 Great seeing you today! Looking forward to cooking with you tomorrow. Thrilled to be eating my way around your townAndrew Zimmern
@andrewzimmern This city is our little secret AZ. An honor to share it with you!Chris Hastings
Talking with Chad Fisher and chef Frank Stitt
It’s neat that @andrewzimmern’s been making the rounds in #Bham today. He’s at Ms. Myra’s now, one of my favs. Where would you send him?Chad Fisher
@RegsCoffeeHouse @ChadFisher77 @andrewzimmern @SliceBirmingham @dreamlandbbq @sawsbbq @littlesavannah I second those choices!Frank Stitt
@FrankStitt @RegsCoffeeHouse @ChadFisher77 @SliceBirmingham @dreamlandbbq @sawsbbq @littlesavannahFrank has my attention. Done.Andrew Zimmern
Talking with Justin Bieber
Both @andrewzimmern AND @justinbieber in Birmingham today. Twitter is going to explode.UAB Students
I think B’ham might not survive! RT @UABStudents: Both @andrewzimmern AND @justinbieber in Birmingham today. Twitter is going to explode.Andrew Zimmern
.@justinbieber You and I are both in B’ham today and tonight. Wanna grab some dinner later? Couple of places ya gotta see before you go.Andrew Zimmern
.@justinbieber You need to leave me your number when you leave a message on my phone, call back options blocked on your service plan.#kidsAndrew Zimmern
Gridlock at my hotel because of Bieber Fever in B’ham. Local Walgreens reports mascara scarcity at record levelsAndrew Zimmern
.@andrewzimmern, did you and @justinbieber ever meet up in Birmingham? The world wants to know!HuffPost Food
@HuffPostFood @justinbieber The Beebs flew in and out, and stood me up! Lesson learned, never make firm dinner plans with a teen idolAndrew Zimmern
Lunch at Red Pearl in B’ham. Great asian in back of SuperOriental marketchefaz
Red Pearl’s stellar eggplant and garlicchefaz
Red Pearl’s chile flecked chitlins with blood cake, tofu and pickled vegchefaz
Shindigs …. Superb B’ham food truck. Real. Good. Food.chefaz
Ras al Hanout braised goat on cous cous w foraged micro greens from Shindig!chefaz
Shindig’s fried chicken livers w grits, greens and satsuma beurre blancchefaz
@andrewzimmern Great time hanging out and cooking w/ you yesterday you and your team are amazing. Safe travels!Chris Hastings
@chrishastings00 pleasure was all mine. You have an amazing gift my friend.Pics rolling out this morning. Brilliant food, better companyAndrew Zimmern
Brassicas and other foraged greens at Hot & Hot courtesy of @chrishastings00chefaz
.@Chrishastings00 …Same greens on plate w grille mushrooms,pine meringue, mushroom taffy and Meyer lemon. Dish is called Walk in the Woods and comes from one foragers moment in time collecting one morning. Brilliant. Delicious.chefaz
.@chrishastings00 shrimp and grits with Benton ham and urchin saucechefaz
Hot & Hot pig skin noodle bowl from @chrishastings00chefaz
Bon white quail w blood sauce and offal forcemeat stuffed pasta from .@chrishastings00chefaz
Interview: 5 Questions with Hot & Hot Fish Club #Chef /Owner Chris Hastings. http://ow.ly/gU8eo #restaurants #alabamaAndrew Zimmern
Hot and Hot Fish ClubWhen Chris and Idie Hastings opened Hot and Hot Fish club in 1995 they were ahead of the farm-to-table craze, using locally sourced ingre…
Chris Hastings’ Alabama BouillabaisseFor the Seafood Broth 12 head-on large hoppers (or large pink shrimp) 12 snapper jowls 6 long, thin strips of orange peel, white pith rem…
Eagles restaurant in B’ham in shadow of Cipco factory… A lost era represented here… Amazing chow, scratch cooking, soulful and gorgeouschefaz
Neck bones on left, oxtail on right. Heavenly. Eagles restaurant. B’hamchefaz
.@johntedge @potlikker These neck bones and oxtails at Eagles in B’ham are as good as it gets. Stunners …chefaz
@andrewzimmern You’re a neck man from way back…John T Edge
Ain’t that the truth. Thinking of you gorgeous. RT @johntedge: @andrewzimmern You’re a neck man from way back…Andrew Zimmern
Lunch at Eagleschefaz
Real peach cobbler at Eagles . Check out the crust!chefaz
Thanks to @andrewzimmern and crew for stopping by and making our day!Lockerz
Here’s my post on @andrewzimmern’s visit to @EaglesCafe in B’ham today, w/ pix from @tamikabham http://bit.ly/Wkm7gSBob Carlton
Flurries in B’ham. Not a canned good left on grocery shelf anywhere. City braced for Snowmageddon.chefaz
Only place you find a bigger picture of @rodneyscottbbq than the one @jimnnicksbbq is in my house! Lunch is in play!chefaz
BBQ shoulder sandwich @jimnnicksbbq is in hall of fame IMHOchefaz
.@jimnnicksbbq brisket ribs pork turkey platter w sides… Thx Nick Pihakis, you are all about excellence!chefaz
Lemon pie @jimnnicksbbqchefaz
Birmingham snowshowers …once in a blue moonchefaz
Just spent last few hours bailing out my crew!Club raided by Bham PD, 13 dancers arrested | http://al.com http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/01/illegal_strip_club_raided_by_b.htmlAndrew Zimmern
Typical day in Alabama. Boudin noir from @FatBackTeam pigs & rosé. Thanks @cochonbutcher @jimnnicksbbq @andrewzimmernLockerz
@Angiemosier @FatBackTeam @cochonbutcher @jimnnicksbbq Thx to you all for an amazing day. Truly, you are all the gold standardAndrew Zimmern
.@cochonbutcher You two have now set a record! 3 bizarre foods eps… see you at the Super Bowl…chefaz
Hog heaven… Step one from @fatbackteamchefaz
Some hogs just taste better! @fatbackteam @cochonbutcher @jimnnicksbbqchefaz
Can’t beat that! @fatbackteam @cochonbutcher @jimnnicksbbqchefaz
Boom! @cochonbutcher @jimnnicksbbq @fatbackteamchefaz
Birmingham dinner event with guess who??? @jennifervcole in the house getting her goat groove on.chefaz
Thursday night private dinner club at Fish Market… Superb meal from George Sarris , note goat head in bottom right. Insane soup with yogurt and herbs…chefaz
Barns make the best sets thanks to @mrattnight and @tommystewardchefaz
Sweet Home Alabama. Thank you for an amazing week. From top to bottom a breathtaking and delicious culturechefaz
Wade Kwon is a communications consultant based in Birmingham, Ala. He has also been a journalist for 25 years.
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