Texans vs. Surströmming

[aria]

I first heard about Surströmming when Andrew Zimmern took Bizarre Foods to DC's Embassy Row and the Swedish Ambassador invited him to the roof deck of the embassy to partake in this local delicacy. There was a reason they picked the roof, as these unwitting guys soon find out.

If you know about Surströmming, this video is as satisfying as you can hope. These guys clearly had no idea what they were getting into:

[direct link]


If you want to see the Bizarre Foods clip, here it is on bad video-of-the-TV clip. Zimmern always does a good job of explaining the food in its context.

 

[evil wasabi]

I have learned something.

 

[OrochiEddie]

Feels hammed up for the cameras

 

[Marek]

The guy in the blue Volcom shirt really carried that Texas video.

This thread made me realize that I have never heard someone say "Zimmern" out loud, besides myself and my boss. Every other person Ive ever heard talk about this show calls him Zimmerman and will hear/read no different.

Those Texas guys are hilarious. So is that what hip gangster wannabe's look like down there? At least the first guy with all the ink anyways. I liked blue volcom shirt guy. He was crushing it.

Feels hammed up for the cameras

Nah I have a feeling this is Durian bad.

 

[Kristian Meller]

Uh oh. Not this shit. I've never tasted or smelled it myself, but I don't think I have to

 

[Kristian Meller]

Feels hammed up for the cameras

Don't think it is. I've seen similar on tv here. I think Jamie Oliver went to Sweden and tried it.

 

[aria]

Feels hammed up for the cameras

Nah, if you had no idea what this was like those Texas guys you'd be more liable to have that reaction. Zimmern knew exactly what to worry about, so he could brace himself.

Incidentally, as Poppy referenced: he hates durian because of the smell (although the Indonesian embassy made some he could eat in this episode--before that he refused to eat some food because it had it as an ingredient). They sell durian on occasion at my favorite Asian market here, they even have durian ice pops--I've never been tempted.

I actually have a point of reference to compare his sense of smell: When he did Fez, Morocco last season he visited the ancient tanning areas of the old town--I've also been there and, to this day, I swear that it was the worst scent I've ever smelled (and I wasn't told ahead about it): I didn't gag, but other people did. Zimmern mentioned it was really, really awful (but still stuck it out and later took all the workers out to lunch) so I feel that I would probably react like him with Surströmming. I'm more interested in trying hákarl in Iceland, though.

 

[Late]

Deffo putting on a show, I've eaten Surströmming, and while the smell is rank as hell, it's rather good with chopped raw onion. On the other hand, there are many other, far better tasting varietiesbof cured herring around.

 

[Kristian Meller]

I'm more interested in trying hákarl in Iceland, though.

I'll have to remember to ask a former Icelandic colleague of mine about that.

 

[Takumaji]

Deffo putting on a show, I've eaten Surströmming, and while the smell is rank as hell, it's rather good with chopped raw onion. On the other hand, there are many other, far better tasting varietiesbof cured herring around.

I also tried it. Opening the can (which should be done under water to avoid collateral damage) is the hardest part, from then on it's smooth sailing. Fresh bread, salad, lots of onions and other veggies, pepper, salt and Sürstromming, really delicous.

 

[bokmeow]

This I have to try.

The Taiwanese Chou Doufu —stinky tofu— prolly barely measures up to this Surströmming's putrid odor.

 

[Pope Sazae]

I have had durian before and the combination of smell, appearance of dead fetal creature, and the texture make it easily the worst thing I have ever encountered. I don't know how people can stomach something so utterly disgusting.

 

[OMFG]

Is the smell worse than cured shark (Jakarl/Hakarl)? We've had that at a family function. It cleared out a patio in an instant.

 

[aria]

Is the smell worse than cured shark (Jakarl/Hakarl)? We've had that at a family function. It cleared out a patio in an instant.

The only person I've seen have both was Zimmern and he didn't seem nearly as put off by it. I think it's because they air cure it vs. canning it to ferment.

 

[StevenK]

They had Surströmming on QI, a panel show with Stephen Fry. He had to repeatedly warn the guests not to open the can under any crcumstances or the studio would pretty much be a write off.

 

[aria]

I always enjoy clips from QI--never seen a whole show but it seems enjoyable.

 

[SNKorSWM]

They didn't video tape the dog, but since it has the sharpest sense of smell of the bunch, I wonder what was its reaction.

 

[StevenK]

They didn't video tape the dog, but since it has the sharpest sense of smell of the bunch, I wonder what was its reaction.

Dogs eat shit straight out of their own arseholes. I'm guessing it's reaction was indifference at best.

Smell is an odd sense actually, they've been trying to weaponise bad smells for years for use in riot control etc but the more they try the more it seems there isn't a smell that is universally hated - there's always a nation or a race or some subsection of society who it doesn't bother at all.

Rotten egg was the holy grail for a while but it turned out big sections of china love the smell, like the 100 year eggs they happily munch on.

The conclusion was pretty much that no smell is hard wired in humans to dislike, it's all learned, so a dog who isn't told what smells to like and not like probably wouldn't have any reaction to it at all. They still look for a smell that everyone hates though, so all this may well be disproved.

 

[Zenimus]

Never heard of surströmming before. The worst thing I've ever eaten was natto in Japan, but this might give it a run for its money.

 

[aria]

Never heard of surströmming before. The worst thing I've ever eaten was natto in Japan, but this might give it a run for its money.

Yeah, natto isn't bad.

 

[Takumaji]

Natto is okay taste-wise, I just don't like the texture.

 

[Fuzzytaco]

Natto is nothing compared to durian, just thinking about putting durian in my mouth makes me shudder, even the durian flavored candy is intolerable.

 

[Splitt442]

I love the genuine reaction from the group, Matt is one brave/ funny bastard!

 

[SNKorSWM]

Dogs eat shit straight out of their own arseholes. I'm guessing it's reaction was indifference at best.

Smell is an odd sense actually, they've been trying to weaponise bad smells for years for use in riot control etc but the more they try the more it seems there isn't a smell that is universally hated - there's always a nation or a race or some subsection of society who it doesn't bother at all.

Rotten egg was the holy grail for a while but it turned out big sections of china love the smell, like the 100 year eggs they happily munch on.

The conclusion was pretty much that no smell is hard wired in humans to dislike, it's all learned, so a dog who isn't told what smells to like and not like probably wouldn't have any reaction to it at all. They still look for a smell that everyone hates though, so all this may well be disproved.

Except that in the video, one guy offered the dog some, but the dog didn't want it.

 

[StevenK]

Except that in the video, one guy offered the dog some, but the dog didn't want it.

I'm sure there are smells that you don't mind but still wouldn't choose to eat, it's no different for a dog I'd guess.