Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern 15x6 - Amsterdam: SquealingEels & Stroopwafels

Andrew goes across the pond to Amsterdam, an iconic cityreinventing traditional Dutch recipes with inspiration fromaround the globe. With a culture that thrives on nonconformityand a haven for mixed cultures, each dish has a large helpingof flair. From pig head terrine and insect-filled nuggets toraw herring and goose meat krokets, Andrew discovers Amsterdamis a place where creativity and innovation are never offlimits!Andrew's first stop is Gebroeders Hartering, to meetaspiring painter-turned-chef Paul Hartering. Paul has beenutilizing his creative innovation by combining an array ofglobal culinary techniques with Dutch ingredients to create newmasterpieces. Paul gives Andrew a behind the scenes look at afew of his signature dishes, including head cheese cooked in ahollowed-out pig's head, and his delectable North Sea squid.With Paul's creative juices spilling over to his presentation,Andrew raves that his dishes truly taste just as good as theylook.Killing time while Paul's dishes cook, Andrew meandersthough Amsterdam's historic Albert Cuyp Market. The bustlingmarket has been a local institution since 1905, with vendorsselling all kinds of Dutch delicacies, from stoopwafels andpofferties to Gouda cheese and lumpia. Andrew witnessesfirsthand how the Dutch culture has embraced modernizationwhile still valuing foodways that date back to 200 B.C.!Next,Andrew and Chef Paul hop on Amsterdam's famously favorite formof transportation, bicycles, and find their way to EetsalonVan Dobben The self proclaimed king of the kroket, Eetsalonproduces 200 million scrumptious units produce each year. The1950s-style diner also offers bitterballen, a round version ofthe mystery meat-filled kroket, and broodies, the deliciouslittle sandwiches that are a standard Dutch lunch. Andrew andPaul dig in to these classic treats which Andrew likens to"comfort food cement spackle."Andrew ventures north toVolendam, the eel capital of Amsterdam. On his way, Andrewstops by the local street market to devour a raw herring, atraditional snack, usually swallowed in a single bite. Headingto Smit-Bokkum, Andrew meets Jan Smit, a 5th generation eelprocessor whose family has been in business since 1856. Afterhitting the Ijsselmeer with the legendary Schilder glasseel-fishing family for a 500-year-old experience that just mayend with the current generation, Jan shows Andrew the art ofeel auctioning. Back at Jan's smokehouse, the local eels arestomped, sliced and smoked on smoldering pine shavings. Thelast of a dying breed due to a decline in the eel population,Jan hopes his new lab, whose sole mission to syntheticallybreed eels in captive, will help save his town and revive theiconic Dutch tradition of eel fishing.For a true taste of Dutchmodernization, Andrew buzzes over to Kreca farms, whereresearchers are investigating innovative ways to rebrand andconsume insects. Never one to shy away from creepy crawlers,Andrew taste tests freeze-dried buffalo worms and nuggets madewith buffalo worms. Andrew calls the insects good food andadvocates that many problems would be solved if mainstreamdiets were to adopt the protein source.Finally, Andrew meetsup with Martijn Van de Reep and Tom Zinger, who are doingtheir part to hunt a dent in Amsterdam's invasive goosepopulation. After a quick hunting session, the youngentrepreneurs bring Andrew to their kitchen at Gebroeders deWolf for a taste exploration of their experimental takes onclassic Dutch recipes using one main ingredient: goose!