In December of 2009, I made the trek across the US in my Saab, packed to the gills with my life and my dog as I moved from LA to New York City. On day 7 of the trip, we hit Ohio around lunch time. Specifically, Columbus, Ohio.

My travel companion jumped on Yelp to find a good place to eat and he came across Dirty Frank’s, a hot dog place that offers bacon-wrapped hotdogs. Knowing that I’m a bacon freak weirdo, he immediately navigated our caravan toward Dirty Frank’s.

There are many reasons I liked my lunch at Dirty Frank’s. First of all, “dirty” is in the title and I’m a child so it made me giggle. Second, they support local musicians. I dig that. Third, they love to wrap bacon around hotdogs. The establishment was basically a hat-trick of happiness.

I follow Dirty Frank’s on Twitter even though I live in New York City and their establishment is woefully too far away for a taxi. A few weeks ago I saw that they had new bacon hotdog items called the Tijuana Dog and the Hula Dog. Squee! So naturally, I had to contact them to satiate my inner bacon-nerd.

I was lucky enough to chat with owner, Elizabeth Lessner LaRue. I had many questions for her and she was kind enough to give me all the answers I needed.

ME: When did you start making bacon wrapped hotdogs?

ELIZABETH: We read an article last year that bacon-wrapped hot dogs were about to be banned from hot dog carts in Los Angeles due to concerns about the bacon not being cooked to a safe temperature. We hated to hear of anyone banning a hot dog! We hadn’t heard of a bacon-wrapped dog until then and decided to give it a try in support of our bacon dog friends in California.

We experimented with bacon-wrapped hot dogs by wrapping them with bacon, securing the bacon with toothpicks and then deep frying them until the bacon became crispy. After we fried the bacon-wrapped dog, we’d pull the toothpicks out and put it on a bun. So many different combinations of toppings taste great on a hot dog, the possibilities were endless. Once you try it, you’ll never want a hot dog any other way.

ME: That’s so true! So that brings me to the question, what’s your personal interest in bacon?

ELIZABETH: There’s an arts collective here in Columbus, Ohio called Wild Goose Creative and they held their first annual Bacon Camp a couple of years ago. When you arrive to bacon camp you are greeted to the sizzle and smell of freshly frying bacon just outside the door. As you stand in line to register you can eat the fresh, crisp bacon and you are given some interesting gifts: bacon-flavored lip balm, bacon buttons, bacon seasoning and much more. There were bacon themed arts and crafts and a bacon inspired food competition. The Bacon Camp organizers asked me to judge the food competition. I sampled bacon pierogies, bacon doughnuts, bacon ice cream, bacon cakes, bacon cupcakes and more bacon than I could actually stomach. It was quite a shocking display of bacon debauchery! After that, we had a lot of fun experimenting with bacon at our restaurants. Our sister restaurant, Surly Girl Saloon made a bacon-infused vodka as well as bacon flavored cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

ME: I think I’m going to have to come back to Columbus to try those cupcakes! I also want to try your new bacon-wrapped dogs, The Tijuana and Hula dogs. What are the ingredients and how were they “invented”?

ELIZABETH: We are huge fans of Serious Eats hot dog artist, Hawk Krall. Krall has a painting of the Tijuana dog and we have it hanging inside Dirty Frank’s. We simply copied the ingredients that we were able to recognize on the painting including grilled jalapenos, avocado, pineapple, cream cheese and pico de gallo. The Hula Dog is just our bacon-wrapped hot dog topped with one of our most popular hot dog toppings: spicy pineapple salsa. The bacon and pineapple taste terrific together.

ME: Okay, now I’m drooling. Can you list for our readers all your bacon items Dirty Frank’s offers?

ELIZABETH: We offer a bacon wrapped dog for any of our specialty dogs. We also offer real bacon bits as a popular dog topping. Our most popular bacon wrapped dog is the classic Texas Tommy. It’s wrapped with bacon AND stuffed with cheese. Our Texan regulars introduced us to this one and it’s a house favorite. We also always carry the BLT dog, all the usual suspects over a bacon-wrapped dog. It’s a simple one and a great seller. You can’t beat a BLT!

The Sonoran is another dog inspired by a Hawk Krall painting, it’s a bacon-wrapped dog topped with refried beans, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, mayo, green chiles, onions and tomatoes. Our Puff the Magic Popper Dog is topped with cheddar cream cheese, jalapenos & real bacon bits. The T-Dog is topped with Sriracha mustard, roasted red peppers, shredded cheddar and real bacon bits.

ME: I had the Texas Tommy when I was there and it was DELISH. So last question, is there bacon in your future?

ELIZABETH: Indeed, we are always experimenting with bacon and always looking for the next new fun idea!

My thanks to Elizabeth for answering my questions and to the General Manager, Harold LaRue, for the great pics! If you find yourself in Columbus, Ohio, people, GO GET YOUR BACON ON AT DIRTY FRANK’S!

– Jennifer Eolin

Here’s what we can tell you about this guy Pete: He’s a 20-something dude. He likes to bake stuff. He also loves bacon, apparently.

Just look at this for a minute and tell us what you think. And no, we won’t replace your keyboards when they fail after you spill your drool on them.

We love what Pete does here, and we especially dig his photos and general blogging effort. But we must ease his fears that the so-called bacon trend may be “waning,” as he says.

Listen, Pete: It’s not waning. It has never waned. Bacon does not wane. For as long as the glorious pig has roamed the Earth, and as long as pork fans has savored the art of butchery and slow roasting, bacon has stood the test of time. And we believe it always will.

At any rate, Pete, we appreciate your shout-out to our little corner of the online universe. Rest assured, we’re reading. And please feel free to send us a few dozen of those bacon chocolate chip cookies with candied bacon. We probably need to ensure they’re as good as they look.

 

During the upcoming summer month celebrations, you’re going to want to continue to come up with some truly unique, original and unpredictably unusual taste treats to amaze and impress your guests.

This is a delightfully delicious dish that is so quick, simple and inexpensive to lay out for unexpected guests or hungry visitors who have come by to party or watch the big game, fight, concert or a cool movie.

It’s the perfect “pork power” protein combined with a veritable “Garden Of Eden” of your favorite fresh vegetables, so absolutely everyone is “hoppin’ happy” and in a veritable stated of absolute “hog heaven.”

Enjoy

(Serves

Ingredients:

  An ample supply of your favorite fresh cut veggies (carrots, celery, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, baby corn, zucchini, etc.)

 

12 slices of Maple Smoked Country Style Bacon.

16 oz. cream cheese set out to attain room temperature.

1 cup of “half and half”

2 tbsp minced chives.

2 tbsp horseradish

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice.

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper: to taste.

Directions:

   

 

Cook bacon at least till it is ‘moderately crispy” if not fully crispy – your choice!

Remove excess bacon grease after bacon is cooked by patting it down between two layers of a couple of paper towels, stacked on a plate.

Combine the room temperature cream cheese and the “half and half” in a large metal mixing bowl.

Mix vigorously, until the mixture is fully incorporated and smooth.

Now add the chives, horseradish, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.

Mix well.

  Carefully “hand crumble” the bacon into small bits into the mixing bowl and continue to stir until it all mixes together completely and smoothly.

 

Now season to taste with the salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hrs before serving.

Serve with your cut, fresh veggies and a nice punch bowl full of Fruit Sangria.

Enjoy!

 

Thanks to our good friend Emily Gibson over at radio station PDX.FM, in Portland OR, we are very excited to announce to all of our Baconista Buddies & Babes in the Pacific Northwest, that “Round 2” of The Portland Baconfest has officially been scheduled for August 21st, 2010.

The 2009 Portland Baconfest was such a huge success last year, with over 2,500 “Baco-maniacs” attending the event and generously raising more than 865 pounds of much needed food that was donated directly to the Oregon Food Bank, that they are expecting even larger crowds and a lot more participation at the event, due to all of the positive media attention, feedback and word of mouth promotion,

Last year, the passionate hunger for “Meat Candy” was so tremendous, that several of the attending food and beverage vendors sold out of food and drinks, while the crowds of “Heavily Baconated” visitors made their rounds, participating in all of the fun and games, including drawings to win brand new BBQ grills, bacon related goodies, and even some ipods.  

Everything from bacon eating contests to bacon dancing and of course, what would a gathering of “Pork-barrel Baconomic Ingestors” be without a trip to the holy “Bacon Confessional.”

Last year, the event created such a huge stir in the “Broad Based Bodacious Bacon Babes and Bacon Brotherhood,” that it not only enjoyed substantial local news coverage, but also much national coverage including reporters from Austin to Seattle and from Florida to New York.

According to Emily Gibson, of event sponsor, PDX.FM, “We plan to go above and beyond this year. In addition to local companies we will have vendors from around the US coming to showcase there bacon products, as well as more contests, an insane eat-off, bands, DJ’s, food vendors, and a bacon beer brew off.”

For those wanting to participate in the presentation of the even, Ms. Gibson continues to explain “We will have a limited amount of vendor tables available this year, due to the high level of interest, so if you are interested in taking part, contact her through the radio station’s website here.

The 2nd annual Portland Baconfest will be held on Saturday, August 21′st on 18th avenue between Burnside and Stark (adjacent to 1801 E Burnside). For those seeking even more information about the event, be sure to check out the Facebook Page of the event itself,  or PDX.FM, the sponsoring radio station.

       

 

Pork belly lovers who also seek fine chocolates can unite. The online specialty shop chocolate.com blends the best of both worlds—excellent small-batch chocolates and sweet, sweet bacon…often in the same bite.

Chocolate.com is the online stop for artisanal chocolate gifts from top chocolate vendors around the world. The site brings together the chocolate chef and the gift buyer to form an online marketplace for consumers with discerning tastes for sweets and savory chocolates from small shops across the globe. These suppliers offer a product that is more distinctive and artistic than factory-made chocolate. And here’s a bonus: Some of the chocolates pack an extra punch with equally fine bacon!

Check out chocolate.com for some ideas on what to order for mom, your best friend, or maybe  for yourself the next time you’re looking for some great chocolate.

The site showcases everything from chocolate-covered popcorn to dark chocolate truffles. Both sound great to us, but what’s our favorite selection? It might just be “Pig Candy” from Roni-Sue’s Chocolates in New York. It’s nothing less than crispy fried bacon dipped in melted chocolate. Now how can you go wrong with that?

 

We all know how it goes, when you are absolutely dying for a great bacon oriented meal when you are on the go, but you don’t want to have to fuss with the hustle and bustle of dealing with the mess.

Besides, you’re all dressed up and don’t want to have to worry about bacon spatter getting all over you, your clothes and the kitchen.

The solution = Bake the bacon instead of frying it.

Here’s exactly how you do it!

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, so that the shiny side is “up” and the foil has enough length to not only fully cover the entire baking sheet, but has enough additional length to wrap over the lip to hold the grease safely in place without the sheet coming loose or leaking through.

Trust me, take the time to make sure, as it will definitely save you a ton of time and hassle later on when you have to clean up!

Arrange your bacon slices on the foil and place the baking sheet on the center rack of a cold oven. Do “NOT” preheat the oven,

Close the oven door and turn the oven on 400°F.

In 10 minutes, carefully take the hot sheet of bacon out of the oven with oven mitts and turn each slice of bacon over and place back into the oven for another 8 minutes, if you like your bacon flexibly soft or another 10 minutes if you want your bacon well done and crispy.

When the bacon has reached your preferred level of crispiness, carefully remove the sheet from the oven

Now using tongs of a fork, carefully remove the bacon from the baking sheet that you cooked it in, by placing the bacon on another separate baking sheet layered with paper towels or in not another baking sheet, then a plate with a couple of layers of paper towel on the plate to absorb the extra bacon grease.

Once all the bacon is on the plate, place another couple of layers of paper towel on top and pat the bacon down to remove as much excess grease as possible.

Eat the bacon! (I truly can’t overemphasize the vital and significant importance of this very critical step.)

When the bacon grease has cooled and hardened in the baking sheet that the bacon was cooked in, simply unwrap the foil from around the lips, lift the sheet of cold, hardened grease out of the sheet and wrap in into a ball and throw in the garbage can.

Then wash both of the baking sheets or sheet and plate at the next available time and get ready to cook and eat more bacon.

Mission Accomplished.

The End.

 

As so many of you already know, we sincerely value and appreciate our “human to human” personal connections and interactive relationships with our readers. We most definitely LOVE to hear from you when you have a fun, interesting, or just plan funny story or idea to share with the rest of us.

Here’s a really fun and “COOL” (pun intended) bacon  recipe idea that was sent in and shared with us by our long time friend, Shah Brionez of Syracuse, Utah.

Thanks Shah, you rock buddy!

Shah wrote:

“Frozen Banana Dipped In Chocolate And Bacon!

Long time follower, first time poster.

So my Brothers-in-Law (Brandt & Gavin Crawford) had this bright idea

yesterday.  We were dipping frozen bananas in chocolate then rolling

them in nuts and crushes Nilla wafers.  

We thought, why not Bacon!?

Let me say it was actually very good!  That salty from the bacon and

the sweet from the chocolate!

Just wanted to share.

You guys are awesome!  Love your blog.

Thanks,

Shah Brionez

Syracuse, Utah”

 

It’s a life threatening lie that has been propagated by a culture that has gone obsessively mad, lost in the raving craving to acquire the ultimate, unattainable world of the teeny tiny, trim and tight little body that is just beyond the reach of even the most anorexic, bulimic and disturbingly “eating disordered”!

How did we ever allow ourselves to buy into this insane rape and life threatening trap of absolute cr*p? The truth is, not only is it not true that we need to avoid eating fats at all costs, but in fact, Doctors and University Researchers openly admit that in fact, our bodies actually need a consistent supply of fats for our bodies to stay healthy.

Here’s the actual scientific facts that the maniacal, sadomasochistic deviants of the fashion industry simply don’t ant you to know.

We ALL need to regularly consume fat in order to stay healthy and alive!

Did you know that:

- Fat provides desperately needed energy to run and activate the body and its necessary systems and organs.

- It is extremely difficult for the human body to avoid falling into “starvation mode” and the body begins to shut down and devour itself when eating many of the popular “low fat diets” that are currently sweeping the nation

- Fat is needed to prevent essential fatty acid deficiency.

- You must eat consistent amounts of fat in order for your body to effectively absorb the fat soluble vitamins such as A, S, E, K, in order to prevent serious deficiencies of these vital vitamins.

- Fat naturally provides flavor and texture to help prevent food from being bland and dry.

- Fat actually helps lubricate the intestines and stomach lining to aid in proper digestion.

- Fat helps food to stay in the stomach longer, giving a greater sense of satisfaction and preventing over eating and weight gain from hunger occurring too soon after meals.

- Fat helps your body produce endorphins, which are natural substances in the brain that produce positive, pleasurable, happy and satisfied and content feelings and sensations.

- Most highly renowned and respected “Diet Doctor” applauded by other Doctors in the medical and nutritional community will tell you that you that Fat should actually be 30% of your daily diet, each and every meal that you eat.

- Diets too low in fat (less than 20 – 25%) may trigger cravings.

- Fat provides stored “back-up energy” if blood sugar supplies run out after 4 to 6 hours of going without food.

- Fat provides the necessary insulation under the skin to naturally protect us from the elements such as cold and heat.

- Fat protects organs and bones from shock and provides support for organs.

- Fat surrounds and insulates nerve fibers to help transmit nerve impulses.

- Fat is part of every cell membrane in the body and it helps our body transport nutrients and metabolites across cell membranes.

- Your body uses fat to make a variety of other life sustaining building blocks needed for everything from creating necessary hormones to activating our immune function.

- If you don’t get your daily allotment of fat on a regular basis, you will begin to see the detrimental effects as your bodies fat supplies are increasingly diminished, such as:

Dry, scaly skin / Hair loss / Low body weight / Cold intolerance / Low immunity & weak immune system / Excessive bruising / Low energy / Depression / Diminished growth & healing / Lower resistance to infection / Clouded & distorted thought processes / Loss of menstruation in females.

Wow, what a load of bull we have been sold by a group of twisted, deviant, self obsessed fanatics, seeking perfection while losing their health and ability to reason, heal, grow and enjoy life. How very sad!

Midtown Lunch had the best siting today: The Bacon Police!

Although… I hope this Bacon Police unit is making sure people keep the peace by eating the porky strips of heaven and not confiscating it. Or maybe they are on a mission to arrest Kevin Bacon for career over-exposure. Yes. I said it.

“…because if that zeppelin crashes into that bacon factory, all of us will be without bacon. And that simply will not do.”

And so goes the closing line in a television spot from one of the hottest advertising initiatives going, the Old Spice “Smell Like a Man, Man” campaign, which propels bacon front and center in what’s becoming the viral communications breakthrough of the year.

Sure, you might remember grandpa for smelling like Old Spice. We bet he’d smell a lot like bacon, too. That is, assuming your grandma made a mess of it every morning for breakfast, especially when the treasured grandkids were over for a bacon-fueled visit!

But make no mistake. This is 2010, and bacon holds a place in even the biggest marketers’ advertising initiatives. The “Smell Like a Man, Man” campaign created for Old Spice by Portland-based advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy is now a huge hit. And that’s thanks in no small part to social media channels like Twitter and YouTube, Internet forums and general word of mouth, plus a little thing called an Emmy nomination.

Sure, the campaign probably sells a ton of old-school cologne. We’re just glad it raises awareness of the possibility a world (gasp!) without delicious pork bellies.

Here’e the gem that centers on our favorite thing other than Old Spice—sweet, sweet bacon:

 

Never fear, fellow bacon freaks. Whether you’re traveling out of town or just looking around home for new tasty treats, look no further than InterestMIX for the best local places for bacon, other good foods, places to go, and much, much more!
In a nutshell, InterestMIX is the new one-stop destination web site for local recommendations. Sure, there are countless sites out there for reviews and opinions, but most of them work by just gathering the same old anonymous snapshots of what people love or hate about a restaurant, bar or other hot spot.
InterestMIX is different. It’s for people on the go—film fans, food lovers, wine drinkers and music buffs of all stripes. It’s a virtual gathering space where people choose what they like themselves. The mission of InterestMix is to make recommendations more democratic. And hey, what could be more democratic than finding the best bacon joints in town? We know you’d like that!
InterestMIX offers customized recommendations that are tailored to your personal tastes. We here at Bacon Today believe it’s a great addition to the online review community. In fact we just found a new restaurant to get a great BLT—with a side of extra bacon, of course.
But what does InterestMIX do that’s really so different? Here’s how it works: The site analyzes user ratings, what their friends like and they experts they choose. That formula generates recommendations that are much more practical and reliable than anything else online.
As an extra bonus, InterestMIX also allows users to rate and review practically any category, including books, music, movies, restaurants, things to do around town, and more. (And yes, the best local places for bacon are on that list!)
All you have to do to get going is click on the links below. Everything is free and ready for your reading and reviewing pleasure. Here are a few ways you can get started:
interestMIX: one stop review and rating site

Restaurant reviews on interestMIX

Los Angeles restaurants, nightlife, culture, activities”

New York restaurants, nightlife, culture, activities”

Chicago restaurants, nightlife, culture, activities”

 

 

Oh, ThinkGeek,  I believe I’m crushing on you big time. Behold, the Bacon Bubble Buddy.

This product is going on my wish list for Labor Day. (What? I like to get gifts.) I love that this product utilizes A) bacon, B) bubbles and C) dogs. My 3 favorite things!

I sense hours of entertainment as pooches chase after bacon flavored bubbles while their “people” sit and giggle and take a million pictures for Facebook. (I would dedicate an entire photo album to this occasion, personally.)

According to the ThinkGeek site, the Bacon Bubble Buddy doesn’t need batteries and the bubbles are not toxic and “great for pets or kids.” I’d like to add “also good for silly adults” to that description as well.

 

As the weather continues to get nicer and nicer, there are more and more opportunities for some really nice outdoor dining experiences, combining a true touch and taste of gourmet sophistication and class to our usual inclination to feast on the best we lovingly and adoringly call porky.

This recipe will score you tons of “Brownie Points” with your more health conscious, light and breezy eaters who love lots and lots of vegetables, while at the same time, feeding the frenzy that burns inside of us, calling out for sweet and slightly salty satiation of our inherent “need to feed” on bacon, bacon and more bacon!

Hot Bacon Dressing

Ingredients:

1 pound sliced sun dried tomato bacon, diced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cups fresh drinking water

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 ounces diced pimientos

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold fresh drinking water

 

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook up your bacon until it is medium crispy.

Remove bacon and place on a plate between a few layers of paper towels to absorb any excess bacon grease.

Retain 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the skillet.

Add the onion and sauté until tender; then remove from the heat.

Now add in the vinegar, water, sugar, pimientos, mustard, salt, pepper and bacon and mix it all up well.

Combine the cornstarch and cold water and then stir that combination into the skillet.

Cook and stir the mixture till comes to a boil.

Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Serve the dressing warm, over a variety of cut salad greens, fresh spinach or mixed vegetables … your choice.

Refrigerate any of the leftovers and reheat before serving again.

James Boo is the founder, editor and head writer of “The Eaten Path”, a blog that has come to describe itself as “The Gastronome’s Guide To Travel – The Globetrotter’s Guide To Food. This blog delivers the story of a meal. Sometimes that story is specifically about the meal, while other times it’s about the journey to get to the meal.

In a post called “Six Degrees of Caramelized Bacon,” Mr. Boo explained the inspiration and the journey to create what he dubbed “Bacon Corn Dog Ice Cream.” I was sure that true, dedicated “Baconistas” around the globe would be quite interested, dare I say, even inspired by this story that I knew it had to shared now, as the hot, sultry and sweltering days of summer begin to make their presence known.

After all, over the generations, summer has come to mean: Baseball, Hot Dogs, Bacon & Ice Cream in the consciousness of America. Assuming one is open to eating a culinary concoction that does NOT include a baseball, this is just what the doctor ordered.

Here’s what Mr. Boo has to say about his bountifully bacony creation in his own words:

“Suffice it to say, I discovered who my true friends were when I began spread the message of bacon corn dog ice cream and its potential benefits for human civilization. Meg and the Mathemagician immediately volunteered to help me realize this vision, and in two weeks I was mixing corn dog batter in their kitchen. 
 
I used a disheveled Wikihow recipe for the corn dogs, replacing full sized frankfurters with cocktail wieners. My first few attempts were overcooked and uneven, but eventually I mastered the art of the coat-and-fry, turning out frank-filled hush puppies that plumped, crisped, and melted in my mouth in one ineffable bite. The main event, of course, was the groundbreaking submersion of mini corn dogs into a river of ice cream. To administer our great experiment, Meg prepared what would become the greatest ice cream I have ever tasted.

She followed a recipe for candied bacon ice cream, with two key changes. The first was to eliminate the candying process, instead frying and chopping the bacon to mix, unadorned, into the final product. The second change was to replace the butter in our ice cream custard with pure bacon fat.

The results of this alteration were immense: while the taste of bacon emerged as a subtle undercurrent, the richness of the mixture was downright devilry. Sensations of maple, meat, and brown sugar streamed from the spoon in deceptively smooth ribbons of flavor, each more consummate than the last.

The fresh bacon bits completed the picture perfectly, providing a savory punch and a scatter shot of focus for the bacon fat in the ice cream.
Having taken the penultimate step towards my black bulb thought bubble, I fried up a handful of mini-corn dogs, mixed them into my bowl of ice cream, and immediately lifted the spoon to my mouth. The freshly fried cornmeal batter promptly absorbed its host, not unlike the fried shell of tempura ice cream.

My bite into the corn dog retained the crisp of its batter, which quickly gave way to a delightfully blended texture of crumbs and cream, all swirling around the pronounced bite of a cocktail frankfurter in its prime.

While the intrusion of a streetwise hot dog into the more sophisticated realm of bacon fat and milk brought an abrupt end to the symphony of flavor, it remained reassuring to anyone who’s ever wondered if chicken fried bacon would be great or amazing, or jumped at the chance to taste a fresh batch of Kool-Aid pickles.”

James Boo, we proudly salute your adventurous, culinary “bacon-thusiasm” Sir!

 

So, just what exactly is it that makes Sticky Pig Candies so bacon freakin’ amazing?

Well, I suppose it’s pretty darned simple to do the math and come up with the right answer: Gourmet Bacon + Delicious, Handmade Artisan Candy + Hot, Playful & Classy “Bacon Vixen” = 5 Snout Salute from Bacon Freak.

The genius behind the entire operation, Tara Simon, also known online as “The Bacon Vixen,” was inspired to artistically combine everyone’s favorite flavor; gourmet bacon, into some of the most mouth-watering, remarkably fine, elegant confections that you will ever come across, presented in a succulently sweet and salty, sensuously “suite and sultry” tongue tempting taste treats that are truly as visually stunning and aesthetically inspiring as they are delightfully and decadently delicious!

Guess what … SHE SUCCEEDED!

Literally blowing your taste-buds out of this universe with such luscious flavors as: Maple Cinnamon, Apple Pecan Dulce de Leche, Raspberry Jelly Doughnut, Coconut Curry Lime, Orange Ginger, Maple Sriracha, “The Sticky Pig” even pays an homage to everyone’s favorite childhood indulgence, “S’mores” and then honors the King himself with an amazingly scrumptious candied concoction proudly named “The Elvis,” consisting of bacon, peanut butter and of course, banana.

As if that’s not enough, and thankfully “The Bacon Vixen” declared that it most certainly is NOT, each month, there is Special Monthly Flavor, available ONLY in that month and then disappearing at the stroke of midnight when the month comes to an end. Some of these monthly works of art include: Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Mint Chocolate Irish,

Pig in a Blanket, Vanilla Cognac & Tobacco, Napoleon Dynamite, Amusement Park, Vin Santo Fig Newtonian, Dark Chocolate Peppermint.

The latest flavor is “HOT Mama – Spicy!” which is a wonderful combination of cool mango and lime paired with some muy caliente’ cayenne and ancho chili peppers, topped off with a candied jalapeno pepper some dried mango. Warning, this baby is pretty spicy and not recommended to the “fein of heart!”

Sticky Pig is absolutely awesome because Tara, The Bacon Vixen herself, as well as Sticky Pig owner / creative culinary chef is just as amazingly clever, fun, creative, playful, cool, alluring, classy and mysteriously mesmerizing as the Candied Bacon Confections that she so deliciously brings to her table of temptingly, tantalizing taste treats.

Bacon Freak enthusiastically gives “Sticky Pig” bacon featured fine candies, a definite 5 snout salute!

 

This month, the destination was lovely Ann Arbor Michigan, were another gathering of “Bacon Camp” converged and where bacon was once again passionately and porkulently celebrated with orgiastic, gastronomical abandon.

Yes my dear friend, its Bacon Camp, an event that has continuously promised to be much more than merely a destination for Bacchus like “Baconistic” behavior.

Once upon a time, ‘Camp Bacon” was simply a one-day gathering of those who truly enjoy the ecstatic ingestion of God’s gift to man, the wonderful, cured, smoked or both bevy of beautiful, beautiful bacon.

Now this has grown to a major, newsworthy celebration, featuring several heroes and demi-gods of the Bacon Battalions that bask in this gourmand gathering of glory.

According to sources from the Washington Post to the Ann Arbor Chronicle, such notable stars of “Baco-mania” renown, like Allan Benton, the humble Tennessean whose pork bellies have made chefs swoon from New York to Napa, Herb Eckhouse, whose La Quercia pancetta and prosciutto from Iowa stand up to the best from Italy and Nick Spencer, a Brit based in Chicago who began making back bacon this spring, attended and were honored as they dazzled the crowds with both their presence and their presents..

Of course, there had to be bacon poetry readings and a performance by 73-year-old R&B artist Andre Williams, who wrote a song called “Bacon Fat” back in the year 1956, that came to define a the common “meat culture” of “Baconism,” for generations to come. “It’s a thinking person’s bacon camp,” said Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of Ann Arbor’s gourmet “mecca” Zingerman’s, which hosted the event. Camp Bacon is Weinzweig’s attempt to readdress the issues and hopefully re-channel bacon enthusiasm in a way that is real, relevant and meaningful for all.

Looking to inject and encourage a lot less emphasis on the silly and trivial, more attention paid to the authentic, substantive issues at hand.

The event cost $150 per person and was held in an industrial park near Zingerman’s creamery and bakery and the smell of bacon continued to waft alluringly through the air for hours after the everyone had eaten their fill and gone “ wee, wee , wee, all the way home.

 

There have been so many numerous incarnations and variations of the Bacon Burger over the past few months, that everybody’s favorite “Gourmet Guru” Emiril Lagasse; finally decided that enough is enough … and so BAM … he has now just released this absolutely awesome recipe from his very own personal collection “tempting taste treat treasures.”

This recipe is specifically custom crafted for us genuine gourmands who are seeking a more elevated evolution of the “busy burgers” currently being bantered about by every single fast food chain on the planet.

Emeril’s Home-Ground Burgers with Bacon, Cheese, and Fresh Thyme

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

6 ounces bacon, chopped

1 cup finely chopped onion

3 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 slices cheddar cheese

4 sesame-seed hamburger rolls, lightly toasted

1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

8 thin slices tomato

Mayonnaise, for serving

Ketchup, for serving

Mustard, for serving

Pickles, for serving

Ingredients for Orange-Habanero Ketchup

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 habanero chile, stemmed and seeded

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground mace

One 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes (with the juice), broken into pieces

 

Cooking Directions

1. Place the diced chuck in a large bowl.

2. Set a 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and most of the fat has been rendered (for about 7 or 8 minutes.)

3. Add the onions to the pan and cook them until they are softened (about 4 to 5 minutes.)

4. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute, until it’s fragrant.

5. Add the thyme and toss to combine.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture over the diced chuck. Drizzle with the Worcestershire, and season with the salt and pepper. Toss gently but thoroughly to combine. Cover and set aside to marinate, refrigerated, for 1 hour.

7. Assemble a home grinder according to the manufacturer’s instructions, using a medium die for grinding. Grind the meat mixture and then gently form it into 4 patties, being careful not to overwork it. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

8. Pre-heat a grill to medium, and lightly oil the grate.

9. Remove the patties from the refrigerator and place them on the grill. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Then turn them over and place 2 slices of the cheddar on each burger. Cook for another 7 to 8 minutes for medium-rare to medium, or until the burgers are cooked to the desired degree of doneness.

10. Place a burger on the bottom of each of the 4 toasted buns. Dress with the lettuce

and tomatoes, and add mayo, ketchup, mustard, and pickles as desired. Serve immediately.

How to Prepare the Orange-Habanero Ketchup

 

 

1. Set a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, habanero, garlic, and ginger and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, until softened.

2. Add the wine vinegar, cider vinegar, brown sugar, orange juice, orange zest, kosher salt, mustard, and mace. Stir to combine.

3. Bring the sauce to a boil, and add the tomatoes and tomato juices. Continue to cook for about 20 or 25 minutes until the liquid has been reduced by half.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool briefly, then transfer the mixture to a food processor, and puree until very smooth. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

3. Store the ketchup in a clean non-reactive container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. This preparation yields about 3 cups.

Special thanks for this recipe go out to Chef Emeril Lagasse, from the book “Emeril at the Grill,” published by Harper Studio Publisher , New York, 2009, courtesy of Martha Stewart’s MSLO, Inc.

 

Fletcher’s Classic Style Bacon has recently been welcomed onboard over at Bacon Freak  and everyone in the pig pen is celebrating with squeals of absolute “Hog Heaven” joy.

Renowned and respected throughout the gourmet food industry since 1917, Fletcher’s Classic Bacon has been the hometown pride and joy of Algona, Washington for nearly five full generations, due to what can best be described as “a continuing commitment to excellence.”

Therefore, this delightfully delicious, country style, gourmet bacon, has continued to become an established honored and trusted household bacon brand name for well over 90 years, with some very deep roots all throughout the Pacific Northwest, as it continues to grow in increased popular loyalty for nearly a century now.

A vital part of the success of it’s proud “parent company,” Sofina Foods, Fletcher’s Classic Style Bacon understands the importance of delivering high quality, responsibly produced and safe foods for you and your family to enjoy.

Successfully bringing premium quality bacon and sausage to the Pacific Northwest for decades and decades, Fletcher’s customers have come to rely upon their uncompromising commitment to quality, service and absolute excellence in value.

So naturally, after a lot of deep research, testing and investigation, Bacon Freak knew that this was one of those rare brands that met all of the stringent requirements and strict prerequisites to earn a place on the Bacon Freak Team!

For generations, Fletcher’s Classics “Stak Pak” Bacon has been regarded as one of the very highest quality and best tasting bacons on the market. Like they’ve always said, “when you are looking for something a bit more special you can confidently choose Fletcher’s Classics!” Fletcher’s originally introduced “Stak Pak” Bacon to the Pacific Northwest in order to more effectively how off their impressively lean Canadian bellies. These hand-selected bellies are trimmed and then cured with Fletcher’s very own special blend of spices.

Then they are smoke house roasted over all natural hickory fires and carefully placed into their unique “stak pak” packaging, which allows you to get a much better view of some of the most beautiful bacon you’ve ever seen in your life.

 

The good people at Foodmarathon have a food wish list. And on that list is Maple Bacon Potato Chips:

I have to say, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. Currently the best bacon chip (w/ potato) is by our friend Bill in San Fran. Check out our past BT article here:

But if we’re putting together a wish list for bacon products, here’s mine: Bacon M&M’s. I’ve recently discovered the Pretzel M&M’s and while they are good (salty + sweet = insanely good!) it could be made better with bacon. In my humble opinion.

What’s on your Bacon Food Wishlist?

 

While off looking for a new, exciting twist on the ever popular Bacon Cup, a most visually stunning version of a recipe for Bacon Cups popped onto the computer screen and I knew immediately that I had to share it with you, even if just for the excellent photos that come with the recipe.

The recipe and the photos come to us from Megan Reardon of the blog “Not Martha” and her “artistic eye” for aesthetic expression and passionate photographic prowess is truly impressive, check this out:

Bacon Cups

I had an occasion calling for bacon themed food and my mind immediately turned towards the famed bacon mat. I needed something a little more single-serving though, so I decided to attempt bacon cups. In the bacon mat instructions there is mention of draping the mat over an overturned metal bowl and cooking it so that it would turn out in as a bowl shape. I decided to try using the backs of various muffin and mini cake pans, I ran out of bacon before I got to try as many as I would have liked so I’ll have to try more at a later date. Any excuse for more bacon.

I set the oven at 400 degrees and carefully formed foil over the back of the muffin pan. I did not coat with cooking spray, it would have been easier to remove but I suspect that the bacon would not have held the form as well if the foil was oiled and would have popped apart half way through cooking. On the other hand some bacon did break when I was peeling away the foil. I cooked the bacon, moving the pans around, until it was crisp looking and waited for it to cool before removing the foil and shaped bacon.

This all took three hours and my house filled with smoke, but it was worth it. Be sure to put a cookie sheet with a rim below the cooking bacon in the oven, there was a lot of dripping fat and I saw a few flames. Watch your oven carefully!

For cup shapes I used the back of this Wilton King-Size Muffin Pan. These are the width of jumbo muffins but are almost twice as tall (see this cupcake for a visual).

For the first try I used two layers of bacon on the sides and wove it like a basket, or at least like I imagine a basket would be woven.

I turned out to not be enough after the bacon cooked and shrank.

It held its structure very well though.

The next time I used three layers of bacon on the sides, this worked out better.

For as floppy as the bacon is when trying to weave it, it keeps its shape really well once cooked to the point that it is crisp.

I also tried to make small round bowls using the back of a Betty Crocker mini filled cake pan.

It shrank up quite a lot, leaving more of a shallow rounded shape.

Going for a breadless BLT I filled the cups with lettuce (the arugula was the best) and sliced cherry tomato. After some serious investigation it was determined that the shallow bowls were the easiest to eat as finger food, while the cups were dramatic.

I had hoped to make a mayo-based salad dressing to really fill out my BLT theme but I completely ran out of time. Overall, a success.