Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern Season 1 Episode 10 Taiwan

In this episode of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, the adventurous host travels to the island nation of Taiwan to sample some of the most unique and exotic foods on the planet. Throughout the course of the episode, Zimmern explores the bustling night markets that give Taiwan its reputation as one of the world's greatest street food destinations.

Zimmern's first stop is the Ningxia Night Market in Taipei, where he digs into a dish known as "iron egg," a preserved egg that has been soaked in a mixture of herbs and spices for months before being boiled to perfection. After sampling some other local delights, including stinky tofu and fried pig intestines, Zimmern makes his way to the nearby Raohe Street Night Market, where he samples a soup made with snake bones and snake meat.

Next, Zimmern heads to the central city of Taichung, where he tries his hand at making dumplings with a local chef. The dumplings, filled with pork and shrimp and cooked in a bamboo basket, are a staple of Taiwan's culinary culture. After perfecting his technique, Zimmern heads to a nearby oyster farm, where he tastes some of the freshest and most flavorful oysters he's ever had.

The episode's next segment takes Zimmern to the mountain town of Jiufen, where he samples some traditional tea snacks, including taro cakes and glutinous rice cakes. He also tries a savory pancake filled with Chinese sausage and egg, which he washes down with a steaming cup of hot tea.

Zimmern's final stop is the southern city of Tainan, where he visits a local farm that raises black chickens. Despite their ominous appearance, the chickens are prized for their delicious meat and health benefits. Zimmern watches as the chickens are slaughtered, plucked, and cooked up in a variety of dishes, including a hearty soup loaded with local herbs and spices.

Throughout the episode, Zimmern marvels at the ingenuity and creativity of the Taiwanese people when it comes to food. Whether it's using every part of an animal or testing out new flavor combinations, the Taiwanese food scene is one of the most innovative and exciting in the world. By the end of his journey, Zimmern has not only sampled some of the world's most unusual dishes, but he has also developed a deep appreciation for the cultural and culinary traditions of Taiwan.