Gotta do what a baby's gotta do.

I want to say I started this particular blog because I am fascinated with the drama of food. A frequent question on my mind is “why the hell would you eat that?” I like to think that I can develop opinions on junk food, of normal and extraordinary heights, and the people who relish these treats, from snacking to competitive eating.

A blog, in my opinion, is the most appropriate venue for the endeavor of journalizing foods and eating habits because it is where my interest in the hobby originated. The Internet has allowed me to witness a multitude of cultures showcasing their cuisine at a much faster pace than magazines or television could ever allot. Food and the web are a dynamic duo, because you can entertain yourself with watching other people eat things you would never try yourself. Or maybe you do want to try it, and then you can print up a recipe, or more amazingly, order it online. The Internet has brought the global community so close together you can smell what everybody’s cooking.

Junk food is particularly interesting as well because it is a taboo nowadays. Dieting has seen a new rise and now snacking has taken second fiddle to eating conscientiously. I don’t see a problem with that, but I also think that archiving this food phenomenon is important to written history. Don’t you want your kids to see what you were eating back in 2009?

I must do what I can to make sure nobody forgets the euphoria, and other side effects, that they had promoted by consuming this “shit”.

Cheers,
Tony G.

Links to Whet the Appetite

Not only is this website about my own experiences with extreme junk-food, but it is also a celebration of all eating that would be considered adventurous. Below is a list of links to food blogs of personal experiences, junk food recipes, and forums for those who want to connect with other foodies.

1. Junk Food Blog
Entrepreneur Steve lists links to distributed extreme foods and makes some dough doing it! I might have to pass on "Internet Porn Flakes" by Betty's Breakfast Cereal, but at least I'm not not ignorant to its existence anymore.

2. Phoood
Another website of well distributed food oddities, but with the exception that it has a more well-rounded group of blog contributors.

3. Crazy Food Festivals of the World
László András of Multicultural Today compiled a list of some of the world's best recognized Crazy Food Festivals, from food cook-offs to food fights, for easy reference. It also makes a great "Things to-do before you Die" List.

4. Spokane Food Blog
Remi André not only does a food and drink experience blog, but she also put together a food tv criticism blog, a decadent recipe compilation, and a public service for Recovering Vegetarians. Remi also does a restroom chronicle, criticizing bathrooms from her travels. Very fascinating reading.

5. Steve Don't Eat It!
This website has sentimental value to me because it was the first online extreme food-blog that I encountered. Seemingly discontinued, but still well established, it was an eye opener to read about Steve's bouts with Pickled Pork Rinds, breast milk, and prison wine.

6. What's Wrong with Eating Dogs?
An engaging article by William Saletan about the politics of eating dog meat. It's apparent that if it is edible it will be eaten at one point or another, but what are the consequences?

7. The New York Times: Bitten by Mark Bittman
If its in The New York Times it has to be good, right? Mark Bittman provides in-depth commentary on food and food paraphernalia.

8. Accidental Hedonist
Kate Hopkins contributes her observations on alcohol and "Food Porn", which would have made a great blog name too. Too bad its already been taken (see below.)

9. Food Porn
If you google this, please keep safe-search on. PLEASE. The linked website is crammed full of innuendos, but its PG13, and it also has a ton of interesting photos, recipes, and commentary. (Also, check out Food Porn Daily for just pictures, and to check out a humorous rivalry between the two similarly named websites.)

10. Is My Blog Burning
A blog that exploded into a forum for foodies. It also includes some cool educational tools to the novice food blogger!

11. Traveler's Lunch Box
This is fascinating to me because it mixes two obsessions of mine, food and traveling. Melissa Kronenthal has an ability to make you just want to get up and go somewhere, and then to enjoy a snack when you got there.

12. Fast Food Fever
HERE WE GO. This is a website dedicated to creating crazy fast food concoctions, and it includes "recipes" (mainly you take different fast foods and combine them together) and pictures. This is the stuff dreams are made of.

13. Squidoo (or Crazy Japanese Food!)
In my opinion, sushi, fish, and all together raw foods is about as crazy as it gets. Squidoo is a generic compilation of Japanese food, but its still interesting to those with less exposure. Gotta start somewhere!

14. Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern
Had to be mentioned somewhere. Although "Bizarre Foods" has been replaced by "Bizarre World", you can still get a glimpse at one of the best produced food and travel shows to have existed. If you're further interested, check out full episodes on youtube (Yes, I was that big of a fan.)

15. Anthony Bourdain
He's written an international best-seller, and produces his own blog and a television show on traveling and food stuffs. Why don't I like him?

16. Extreme Cuisine with Jeff Corwin
Here's another show to keep an eye on, although it has not premiered yet. It might help fill the void that Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern has left?

17. Recipe Zaar: Junk Food Gourmet
Recipes for Junk Food! These snacks could provide some interesting blogging material.

18. Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest
The Holy Grail of Junk Food and competitive eating. One day you'll probably see me face first in a plate of hot dogs, either unconscious or dead. Competitive eating might be a good angle to go for a junk food blog, too.

19. Man Vs. Food
I think I watch too much travel channel. Man Vs. Food follows Adam Richman in his endeavor to conquer the world's most insane food challenges. I watched the man eat a 72oz. steak, this is the real deal.

20. International Federation of Competitive Eating
Did not even know this existed. Provides rules and regulations, profiles on eating celebrities, and the opportunity to join as a competitive eater or as a host to a new competition. I think I might have found a new angle? GREAT website.

Andrew Zimmern has failed us all.

"Going Where the Fringe Isn't Extreme"

by Mike Hale

The New York Times tells us that Andrew Zimmern has abandoned his original show, "Bizarre Foods," to move to the more generalized broadcast "Bizarre World." Food lovers shed a tear, and Zimmern's decision also left television critics skeptical.

Mike Hale of The New York Times comments that the premiere of Zimmern's new show lacked the bite of its predecessor. "He's kept "Bizarre" in the title for branding purposes, but based on the Cuba episode it now barely applies." I agree Mr. Hale, work with what you know! The expansion from culinary odyssey to a briefing of the whole world stage makes the viewing experience feel less focused and lazy. One prospect of "Bizarre Foods" which was lost was that Zimmern would dig through the proverbial trough to find the gems of exotic delicacies, and offer his viewer exceptionally unique and taboo food stuffs. Now he's just offering the trough and telling us to make the best of it.

If I wanted to learn about exotic cultures I could find a show that does Andrew Zimmern's new job much better. He was filling the niche by being the weird food guy! There was nothing wrong with that because it was unique, although Anthony Bourdain also occasionally offered up opportunities to watch him eat extreme foods, but Bourdain appeared crass by frequently making snarky comments. For example, I was watching Bourdain's program today and he described the spiciness of a chicken dish to "have set his pubes on fire". That is not very appetizing AT ALL.

Zimmern was authentically charming and made the effort to seem genuinely respectful of the cultures he exhibited.

Zimmern’s authority on the “Bizarre World” is also questioned because of the content that appeared in the first broadcasting. Hale states “So what does he explore in Cuba, the subject of his first episode? Cigars, old American cars, boxing and baseball, rumba and salsa, a May Dayparade, and Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner’s honeymoon suite at the Hotel Nacional.” It seems like Zimmern offers up general information in spectacular fashion, having a superb technical team, but it’s painfully apparent how shallow the show has become.

Mr. Zimmern, if you happen to read this, please return to the original format of “Bizarre Foods”, because that would be totally awesome and give me back the reason for looking forward to Tuesdays. I’ll be watching “Bizarre World” next week, but I might not be a repeat viewer. I’ll probably become on of those “happened to watch your show on coincidence” guys, like how I can watch Discovery channel for hours on accident. Unless you compromise, I will be tuning in to Food Network to check out “Extreme Cuisine with Jeff Corwin” as it already looks promising. Seeing Jeff Corwin go from animal enthusiast on Animal Planet to animal devourer will also be maniacally fantastic.

Also, has anybody checked out that other show on Food Network, “What Would Brian Boitano Make?” Now that’s the weirdest fucking thing I’ve seen in a while.

Today

is my first post.