Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that since the host of this series purposely seeks out unusual food choices -- by American standards, that is -- viewers will see him eat things like rodents, insects (both cooked and alive), fertilized eggs, and whole baby chickens on a stick. Outdoor market scenes often show animal carcasses and seafood being butchered, so this probably isn't for the littlest viewers -- or older ones with weak stomachs. If your kids can handle the unusual culinary choices (and chances are plenty of them will enjoy the gross-out factor), this series will give the whole family a new twist on cultural education.
Families can talk about food. What are some of your family's favorite foods? Where are those foods from? How do those foods get to your home? How do you prepare them? What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten? Did you like it? Once you're talking about food, you can discuss the importance of a balanced diet. What is the food pyramid? What kinds of foods are important for staying healthy? How much of each kind should people consume in a day? How do our bodies respond to poor diets? What other things can people do to stay healthy?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Emily Ashby
In BIZARRE FOODS WITH ANDREW ZIMMERN, world-renowned chef/dining critic Andrew Zimmern combines his passion for food with his love of travel to learn about international cultures by sampling traditional cuisine in different countries.
Sounds tasty enough, right? Pasta in Italy, strudel in Germany, maybe a burrito in Mexico? Not exactly. As it turns out, a favorite snack in the Philippines is a steamed, fertilized duck egg (complete with a partially formed embryo inside), and the Scots just love sheep innards and oatmeal stuffed into the animal's stomach bag and cooked to perfection. Luckily, Zimmern packed his senses of adventure and humor along with his hunger for knowledge.
Each episode in this eye-opening series spotlights a different country, from Morocco to Ecuador to Spain. Zimmern visits restaurants and outdoor food markets in a handful of cities in each country, trying foods that range from unexpectedly delicious (stuffed frogs) to downright bizarre (wood-devouring mangrove worms, pulled from their own pulpy feasts and sent down the hatch raw).
The jovial Zimmern never shies away from a culinary challenge. And even when an unsavory sample leaves his taste buds crying uncle, he's always respectful of his host country's cultural appreciation of the food and conscientious about explaining the traditional and economical importance of local dining choices. (Worms may be slimy, but they pack a protein-filled punch.)
Bizarre Foods is a family-friendly educational series that's filled with facts about each country's history, geography, language, and native plant and animal life. If you can, watch with your kids so you can answer their questions about the unusual foods on display. And be sure to keep the littlest viewers (and those with weak stomachs) out of the room: There are frequent scenes of animal carcasses being cut up, and it might be upsetting to watch recognizable animals (baby chickens on a stick, for example) being eaten.
Fans might also enjoy Awesome Adventures or, for a more straightforward cooking show, 30 Minute Meals. Older viewers looking for a similarly themed show with more edge might like Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
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Sexual ContentOccasionally food is referred to as an aphrodisiac. |
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ViolenceAll kinds of animals, fish, and insects are eaten whole (including heads, feet, and wings) -- some while they're still alive. Many scenes show animal carcasses being butchered. |
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Social BehaviorThe series' varied cultural content includes information about each country's geography, climate, language, transportation, history, architecture, and wildlife. Zimmern is unfailingly respectful to indigenous culture and traditional cuisine everywhere he goes (no matter how bizarre the foods), and he often explains the religious, economical, or health-related importance of natives' meal choices. |
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