Gadling

Location: Andrew's adopted home state of Minnesota, where he's lived for 16 years.

Episode Rating: 3 Sheep Testicles (out of 4)

Summary: Andrew heads to tiny Cyrus, Minnesota, for a supper at a senior center-slash-diner. On the menu is a Scandinavian dish called lutefisk, which is cod that's prepared with powdered lye and resembles a slab of see-through fish gelatin. Perhaps the only thing more translucent than the lutefisk was the skin of the two women Andrew was dining with, who were a combined 193-years-old.

After his trip to Cyrus, Andrew heads to the Minnesota state fair near St. Paul, where he samples deep-fried Spam nuggets and every food that can conceivably be served on a stick, including spaghetti-and-meatballs and a reuben. In Andrew's conversations with fellow fair-goers, one can hear more "oot's" and "aboot's" than in an NHL locker room.

After the state fair, Andrew heads to a "meat raffle," which sounds like something that might happen at a bachelorette party, but is actually just a raffle for meat. As Andrew explains: "Buy a ticket. Spin the wheel. Win a pot roast." Sadly, our host didn't have much success at the ol' meat raffle: "Fifteen spins of the wheel, 122 dollars later, and I'm still a big loser."

It wouldn't be an episode of Bizarre Foods if Andrew didn't eat some testicles, and in this episode it's those of a wild boar. "Fabulous," he declares.

Finally, Andrew heads to the White Earth Re-Discovery Center to harvest some wild rice, and then goes up to a small northern Minnesota town and samples some sauerkraut pie at-- where else-- Betty's Pies.

Bizarre Foods: Spaghetti-and-Meatballs On A Stick; Lutefisk; Deer Heart; Pig Toe; Fish Eyes; Deep-fried Spam Nuggets, Chicken Gizzards, A "Goober Burger"-- A Hamburger Topped with Peanut Butter and Mayo; Herring Row (mmm!)

For more on this episode, check out Andrew's blog here.

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, Food and Drink, Blogs, United States