I have a soft spot for confections and (obviously) bacon. So when you combine the two, my head explodes and I have to write about it.

I’ve mentioned it before, I’m a big fan of Twitter. I’ve been introduced to companies I never would have heard of without it. And one of those companies is CupcakeStop. 

CupcakeStop opened in 2009 (by owner Lev Ekster) in NYC and this food truck is bascially heaven on wheels. It tools around NY and serves up different varieties of “handmade made from scratch” cupcakes everyday. It also has a cupcake stand sans wheels at the Limelight Marketplace  on 6th and 20th. And it’s there that I tried the French Toast with Bacon Cupcake. Squeeee(al)!

Okay. This cupcake is PERFECTION. I’ve tried other bacon confections and even tried to make one myself but this one takes the cake. (Yes, I also enjoy a good pun in addition to bacon.) The maple french toast flavor is subtle without being overly sweet nor does it overpower and the saltiness of the bacon. And this bacon is GOOD. Chewy, thick and present. It doesn’t tease, it doesn’t overwhelm, it subtly says, “Hi, I’m porky goodness, what’s your name?”

Obviously, as any good bacon reporter is want to do, I had to ask CupcakeStop more questions about their delicacy.

ME: So tell me, how did you come up with a French Toast with Bacon Cupcake? How many recipes did you try before coming up with the final product?

CupcakeStop: Because our baker Chris Mitchell is a true southern boy with an affinity for bacon, he decided to create this flavor. We like to think of it as the perfect breakfast cupcake. We went through approximately 8 different variations before coming up with the final product.

ME: This is truly the best bacon cupcake I’ve tasted. What are the key ingredients in your cupcake? What is the frosting made out of?

CupcakeStop: Thank you! The key ingredient is Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, that is then caramelized with pure maple syrup and vanilla sugar. The frosting is a buttercream infused with cinnamon.

ME: Well the thought and care that you put into this cupcake shows. I’m sure these cupcakes sell quite well.

CupcakeStop: They sell very well. We only make a limited quantity of them so when they do become available, our customers go crazy. However, they are rarely requested for the Bar Mitzvahs we cater.

ME: HA! I’m sure. How often are they on your rotating menu?

CupcakeStop: They appear on the menu approximately two times per month.

ME: Are the bakers at CupcakeStop bacon enthusiasts?

CupcakeStop: The entire staff loves bacon!

ME: I knew you were good people! So I HAVE to ask, anymore bacon cupcakes in CupcakeStop’s future? And if so, when?

CupcakeStop: Absolutely, we just can’t divulge that information yet. All I can say is that we are currently developing new bacon themed flavors.

ME: Yay! Love it! How can someone who doesn’t live in NY or NJ get to sample your French Maple Cupcake with Bacon? Do you take special orders for specific flavored cupcakes?

CupcakeStop: We don’t offer this cupcake for nationwide shipping, yet.

ME: Last question, any expansion plans?

CucakeStop: Yes! We are currently looking into new locations in NYC and a few out of state as well.

You can follow CupcakeStop on Twitter and on Facebook! And as always, enjoy!

For the past several years we’ve been hearing about the ups and downs, the successes and failures of scientists attempting to create pigs that have been genetically altered to create their own, internal “Omega-3 Fatty Acids,” which supposedly would logically be “Makin’ Bacon” that is dramatically more healthy , particularly for the heart.

Omega-3 fatty acids are those naturally occurring compounds found in fish; that help the body to greatly reduce the incidence of various forms of heart disease. But that just it … isn’t it. Omega-3 fatty acids are completely NATURAL in fish, NOT in Pigs.

So logically, it’s natural, good and healthy to eat it in fish, and by the very same logic, not natural, good and healthy to eat it in genetically mutated pork. Besides, if people would actually consider eating it … supposedly for their health, wouldn’t it be wiser to just get out a take a walk a few times a week for all sorts of numerous health benefits to the body, not just one?

We truly need to stop and ask ourselves, at what cost are we willing to go along with whatever “Dr. Strangelove” comes up with late at night in his secret laboratory, so that we can continue to allow pure, unadulterated “human laziness and lethargy” to drive straight into a diet of scientifically processed, genetically altered “Franken-Food,” merely in hopes that we won’t ever have to get up off of our ever widening derrieres in order to take a walk around the block a few times a week?

If we all already know from personal experience that farm fresh, free range, country raised bacon tastes 100 times better than the low quality, mass-produced, store bought, generic, stuff, then why would we even consider, let alone risk eating “Scientifically Processed Animal Matter! Hmmm, that term seems oddly familiar, like it stands for something. Ah yes … Scientifically Processed Animal Matter … S.P.A.M. Got it!

Wow, what a trip, the words of the “profits” (pun intend) are written on the grocery store shelves! Be care out there!

OK, what do you do when your hunger is on over-load and you are so famished, you can’t figure out which teasingly tempting taste treat you should stick in your mouth first, in order to successfully satiate your “craver for flavor” as well as your stomach which is now dangerously below empty.

You’ve definitely gotta have bacon and at this point a burger sounds good, but your sweet tooth for chocolate is screaming out in need to be satisfied! So what do you do first? The good people over at “Epic Nomz” came up with a solution that sounds most reasonable and definitely enjoyable, to boot!

It’s called the “Brooklynite,” as the chefs that put their culinary creativity together to come up with this burger are located in … well you’re probably already well ahead of me on this one, and I’m guessing that you’ve already assumed … the city of Brooklyn, NY.

That is correct! Here’s what they have to say for themselves about this appetizing adventure and precisely how this deliciously delectable delight can find its way to a “mouth” near you … SOON!

“Step 1: Bacon Dipped in Chocolate (Rain)

… You can cook the bacon like you would for any other dish, according to your preferences.  We went for a crispier texture that would really give the chocolate something to hold onto.

After letting the bacon dry off a bit, we began dipping the strips into chocolate that was melted in a makeshift double-boiler (read: two shallow pots stacked on top of each other).  The key is to fully submerge the bacon into the chocolaty goodness so that it really seeps into the ridges.  Once you’ve got all your bacon smothered, set it on a plate in the freezer for about 20 minutes to let the chocolate solidify.

NB:  It was our original plan to drizzle melted white chocolate over the chocolate-coated bacon, but it was fairly uncooperative so we abandoned that ambition fairly quickly.  Kudos to those to achieve the white chocolate drizzle effect.

Step 2:  Prepping the Patties

With one pound of vegetarian-fed ground beef on hand, we began sculpting the foundation of our meal – the rock on which our Church of Nomz is built. Since the quality and freshness of the meat was so high, we felt it unnecessary to add any spices or additional flavoring to the patties.  We did, however, chop up some Armenian string cheese, and carefully fold it into the meat.  You can really add in any kind of cheese you want (or omit it completely if you want your burger to be not as epic), but if you haven’t tried string cheese of the Armenian variety, you may find yourself surprised by its mild flavor, smooth texture, and well, stringy goodness.

Step 3:  Baking Buns, Cooking Cow

We went with a traditional white bread sesame seed bun, applied a layer of pepper-jack cheese, and laid each half open-faced on a baking rack.  We advise to let bake for about 5-7 minutes, or until buns reach the proverbial golden-brown hue.

Concurrently, we began cooking the patties on the stovetop in a pan greased in butter (as the bacon grease was busy cooking our fries).  For best results, keep the burger-flipping to a minimum.  Too much man-handling of the beef makes it tough and dry.  You want to be able to see the juices dripping from your burger when you take your first glorious bite.  Total cooking time on the two 8 oz. burgers for us was about 15 minutes, and the result was tender, juicy, savory patties of perfection.

You can also wash and prep the lettuce at this point.  We used a head of organic lettuce, but let’s be honest, leafy greens are not to be emphasized in this dish.  As long as you have something to add a little crispy crunch, we think you’re covered.

Step 4:  Put It Together, Admire Your Edible Artwork, and Nom Epically

Now, just look at that beautiful thing that is just sitting in front of you, begging to be devoured.  Notice how the chocolate, warmed by the heat emitted from the burger, begins to melt onto the patty.  It is truly love at first sight – beef and pork making sweet love on your hot buns.

As you attempt to wrap your mouth around this beastly creation, reflect on the savory aroma, mixed textures, and downright weightiness of the sandwich.  If you made the Brooklynite correctly, it will be massive.  When you finally take that first bite, the dichotomous flavor dynamic between the chocolate and bacon may be initially strange and confusing, but as your taste buds familiarize themselves with this new combination, you will begin to appreciate this unique, delectable taste.

Feel free to pair with your drink of choice.  We accompanied the Brooklynite with Stone Pale Ale.

Step 5: Reflect on What a Badass You Are

As digestion sets in and you find yourself slipping into a divine state of unconsciousness, think about what a great thing you did for yourself and for humanity. Rub that belly… you are a Hero.  Hells yeah, that was Epic.”

Are you tired of slow-cooking your bacon in grandma’s vintage cast iron pan? Or do you worry that baking bacon on high heat in your oven will ruin its juicy flavors?

Then fret no more, bacon lover. We might have a solution that can ease your pork belly concerns.

Check out the Bacon Wave Microwave Bacon Cooker, a new offering from the As Seen on TV folks. The Bacon Wave Microwave Bacon Cooker is a friend of bacon lovers everywhere. It lets you cook bacon with a precision touch in your microwave. In other words, you get the old-school frying pan flavor, minus the old-school frying pan and the dreaded cleanup!

But wait—there’s more! The Bacon Wave Microwave Bacon Cooker also lets you make bacon healthier! Without a bacon, you get less bacon fat. And fewer calories only means a fitter you with better cholesterol.

And it gets even better! (Yes, we’re CRAZY about this thing!) The Bacon Wave Microwave Bacon Cooker also cooks up to 14 pieces of sweet, sweet bacon at once. Stack two Bacon Cookers and you can make up to 28 pieces simultaneously.

We could go on. But for now, we suggest you check out Bacon Wave Microwave Bacon Cooker today. For more information or to order click here.

Wholesale prices for fresh pork bellies hit an all-time high of $1.35 a pound, according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal. That’s more than 50 percent higher than they were a year ago. And those price hikes only mean one thing—bacon prices are going up for consumers, too.

The Journal reported that demand for bacon tends to peak in summer months as supermarkets promote it to coincide with a seasonal jump in consumption of BLT sandwiches by Americans.

“We are seeing a price increase for bacon,” Jim Kenny, an analyst at Urner Barry’s Yellow Sheet, a livestock and poultry research firm, told the Journal. “The question is how much will retailers be able to pass along to consumers.”

We fear those price hikes will be substantial. Besides, sales of bacon have jumped in recent years as restaurants of all kinds have been adding the fatty delicacy to salads, sandwiches and hamburgers.

For example, the Wendy’s chain of quick-service restaurants is beginning to offer a higher-end bacon as part of its “You know when it’s real” marketing efforts. Its new Applewood Smoked bacon is prepared fresh in restaurants, unlike its predecessor, presumably to evoke the bacon’s natural goodness.

A solution: We haven’t considered giving up our beloved bacon, and of course we never will. But we have pulled out the old piggy bank so we can drop our extra change into it for grocery days. Hey, it’s an old strategy, but we never run out of sweet, sweet bacon—no matter the price.

OK, in order to prevent potentially passionate pork patrons from walking away from this most enjoyably enticing epicurean experience before they fully realize just what a truly amazing meal this really is, let’s quickly clarify a couple of terms that sometimes gets some people making that quizzically stumped face while muttering the words “What The Huh?” to themselves.

Confit: is a term borrowed from French cuisine, actually pronounced as “con-fee.” The culinary term designates a piece of meat that has been immersed, marinated, cooked and even stored in it’s own fat, sometimes with the augmentation of other additional juices and / or spices, for the bountiful benefit of both immaculate flavor, as well as superior preservation.

Pork Belly: Though mostly heard these days in reference to piggish spending and / or political pigeon-holing of funds, Pork Belly is precisely what the term would logically designate, the belly section of a pig, from which most continental bacon is traditionally cut.

Alright, now that we’ve got tat out of the way, this is a savory, slightly sweet and salty, subtle and sapidly scrumptious recipe created by Jimmy, the “gastronomical genius” over at “Eat It, Atlanta,” a blog dedicated to “Cooking, Dining & General Food Philandering, Mostly in ATL.

Intended to serve four people, with a nice glass of slightly chilled Pinot, here’s Jimmy’s story about how the whole thing went down: I first acquired my pork belly. I found out the hard way that Whole Foods Buckhead doesn’t carry it. I asked the butcher why they didn’t have it, he laughed and said, “We cater to Buckhead”. No fat back either. So I picked up a small piece from Star Provisions. It was much smaller than the 2.5lb slab recommended, but my 1lb piece was plenty as an appetizer for four people.

”

The pork brines for about 12 hours before cooking. This was a cooked brine of rosemary, thyme, pepper, garlic, parsley, honey, and salt.The next morning I set my alarm for 5AM, dragged my ass downstairs, then melted some lard and duck fat, submerged the pork, went back to sleep, and let the pork cook at 200F for five hours.Then I poured the fat into a firm container, covered it with wrap, set a heavy can on it to press it, then it went into the fridge for six hours.When I was ready to sear the pork, I took it out of the fat and cleaned it off fairly well.I scored the fat side, then cut it into squares.Then I seared the belly, fat side down, on low heat for 15 minutes. After that, it went into the oven for 10 minutes to warm through.Then we dug in.Divine. With each bite, the fat melted and pressed into the flesh of the pork, creating a warm, and savory bite of the best pork belly I’ve had to date. This is the way fat was meant to be consumed.”

Bon Appetit!

They’ve always said that the easiest way to a lover’s heart is through their stomach. So it is with today’s latest trend, where pork passionate “paramours” please one with the gentle heat & sweet of a salty and sultry, tantalizing treat of taste-bud temptation.

Were talking about chocolaty caress of freshly dipped flesh, bacon that is … and it’s the latest rage in “Elite Epicurean Eroticism” as lovers willingly surrender themselves to the appetizingly ambrosial allure of today’s acknowledged and approved aphrodisiac of the aficionados …chocolate dipped bacon.

The amazing thing is that it’s so very simple to prepare and enjoy.

Simply cook the bacon till firm, but not brittle while slowly heating a fine chocolate to the point of melting, just like the will power of that very “special someone” whom you plan to enjoy this intoxicating and feverishly famished flesh-fest with.

Remember to drain and pat off any excess grease and allow to cool enough to avoid any injury when these sheets of sweet and salty sizzle are dipped in the luxurious luster of love and lust’s number 1 accomplice, a good quality, fine chocolate, warmed up slowly in a fondue pot or “double boiler” and relaxed just enough to allow it to voluntarily give up it’s existential essence with ease and ecstatic enthusiasm.

It truly takes two to tango … so slowly and playfully take turns teasingly and pleasingly feeding one another this sumptuously satisfying sensation and make a playful dance of it. You won’t be disappointed, we guarantee it!

Bon Appetit!

National Public Radio recently reported on the efforts of a New York man who hopes to influence the way we eat one day every week.

Chefs, public health advocates and even moms are backing Sid Lerner in his Meatless Monday campaign, which targets the health issues of high cholesterol and heart disease. Experts say a risk factor for these chronic health conditions is eating too much saturated fat, which is the type of fat found in most meats including bacon. (For more information, click here)

Sid Lerner, the founder of Meatless Mondays, is a retired advertising industry executive who enjoys his share of meat. Lerner, however, is concerned about the increasing volume of meat Americans consume as well as the resulting health effects. So he decided to do something about it.

Lerner knows he faces a big challenge in pitching Meatless Monday. The concept is focused on persuading people to cut back on saturated fat by eating three meatless meals every Monday. Lerner launched a not-for-profit organization to spread the word, and he raises money from foundations and partners with health experts.

Even though we love bacon and can’t imagine a world without our beloved pork bellies, we wonder if Lerner’s idea makes some sense. Bacon will always occupy a special place in our hearts, of course, but we’re curious if the Meatless Monday approach could do a better job of calling attention to wellness and health issues than attempting to legislate consumer behavior.

What do you think, citizens and bacon lovers? Do you think the idea will go anywhere? Why? And how would you feel about waiting until Tuesday to crack open the next package of bacon? Let us know!

WHERE were these little beauties when I was a kid?

While scrolling through Etsy, I came across CoolThings1′s awesome product: BACON BARRETTES.

The description reads: “Can’t you almost SMELL the bacon!? I know there are those of you out there who know that Pork Fat Rules! This barrette is for you. Celebrate your passion and make a statement.”

My response : Yes, I can smell that bacon! Pork fat DOES rule. That barrette is for me and my passion knows no limits.

Click here to see CoolThings1′s Etsy store! And then someone please buy me these for the next appropriate holiday. Or just because. Either way, I need these!

One “not so healthy” thing that tends to happen to us all during the hot summer months, is that we are often so very busy and on the go all the time, we begin to neglect or need for healthy veggies to healthfully balance out all the fast food and quick snack “carbs” and proteins that we continue to consume to fuel our flight and fancy while constantly on the run from morning to night.

Here’s a great recipe to fix that scenario in a very tasty, time sensitive treat that is as good for us as it is delicious.

Baby Bubba’s Braised Veggies & Bacon Bonanza.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp unsalted butter

8 slices of Baby Bubba’s Butcher Block Hickory Smoked Peppered Bacon chopped into ¼ inch segments.

1 lb. chopped potatoes

8 oz. chopped carrots

8 oz. chopped onions

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

¼ cup chicken broth

1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces

¼ cup “creme fraiche”

5 sprigs chopped tarragon

Directions:

First melt your butter in a wide shallow braising pan or large, deep skillet over medium heat.

Toss in the bacon and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often until well browned and crisp on the outside but still flexible.

Dump in the potatoes, carrots and spring onions.

Season to taste with salt and pepper

Pour in the broth.

Once the broth begins to bubble at the edges of the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cover and cook for 12 to 18 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.

If the mixture seems dry, add a few additional tbsp of broth or water.

Cover and cook for 5 minute, until all the vegetables are tender.

Uncover and add the creme fraiche.

Now increase the heat to medium-high cook for an additional 3 or 4 minutes, stirring constantly until the creme fraiche thickens and the vegetables take on an appealing fawn-colored glaze.

Stir in the tarragon.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Enjoy!

Love her or hate her, Katy Perry the musical world’s reigning Princess of “Pop Sarcasmgasm” has proudly proclaimed to her media minions that the next passionately awaited C.D. will be fronted by a tasty, fleshly feature photo of the Diva donned in nothing but a skimpy bikini made completely of bacon.

The “California Gurls” singer / songstress remarked that while her current record is all about sweet things, (sugar and spice and everything nice) she intends for her next album to be very much “MEAT” themed and is already in the process of getting her label to come up with a way to ensure that the CD actually smells like sausage.

While Ms. Perry, who is currently engaged to popular, vegetarian actor and comedian Russell Brand, was speaking with “Q Magazine,” she explained “My new record is more about confectionery and candy and baked goods. There’s less fruit imagery. For my next album I’d like it to be about meat and I want to be on the cover wearing a bacon bikini. Also I want my records to smell of sausage or pork. CDs are over, but not if they smell original.” 

While a lot of people still think of Lady Katy as a novelty gag item, she continues to whip out one popular album after another and she not only is a pretty accomplished singer / songwriter, she is also a fairly compelling actress and a very clever and funny humorist who effectively parodies a lot of the simply silly and ridiculous things going on in our society with a sharp wit and a knowing smile. It probably doesn’t hurt her cause that when it comes to “looks;” she’s and easy 17 on a scale from 1 to 10.

So while Ms. Perry, who first worked her way onto the music scene with her first hit tune; “I Kissed A Girl” and currently is demanding audio attention with her current release “California Gurls” may not be taken all that seriously by many music aficionados, her publicly proclaimed pork passion has the bacon and sausage world taking note, as one tasty piece of meat deserves another , even it’s just to walk around wearing on stage, album cover shoots and in one or more ‘cheesy –sleazy” videos.

Viva La Bacon!

What would you do if you were completely out of bacon and your next Monthly Gourmet Bacon Club “Membership-ment” wasn’t due for another 4 days?

How would you satisfy your need to feed on the world’s only “Perfect Food,” what we have come to call Bacon? Obviously it would be physically impossible to go without bacon for 4 days, so that option is simply ridiculous.

Would you risk buying mass produced, store bought bacon. That’s pretty dangerous because, as you know, once that stuff gets into your fridge, it will eventually get moved into your freezer, then out the garage freezer and over time, it’ll be completely forgotten about and therefore never, ever go away!

Well, thankfully we now finally have “the answer for” you that we believe can help you get through the mistake of not ordering enough gourmet bacon to safely and comfortably get you through your month.

Special Thanks to Dan S. of Los Angeles, California, who had the interest, time, energy and clever idea to assemble a special forces team of 12 serious “Baconistas” to go out and compare / compile a rating system, grading (A) The actual quality of the bacon that is used, as well as (B) The over-all taste, quality and enjoyment of the menu item served up at 12 of the most visited fast food restaurants.

As explained by Dan the grading system is thoroughly logical and quite easy enough to understand. Each of the 12 members of the team of the rank the restaurants from #1 to #12, so that when scoring, #1 gets 1 point and #12 gets 12 points. Like in golf, the lower the score that you receive, the better the ranking the restaurant gets on the list.

Then all 12 grading sheets are carefully tabulated, and the restaurant with the lowest number … wins.

Let us know what you think of the results of Dan and his team’s investigation and we hope this helps those of you who usually don’t do the fast food thing, but simply have to get your “Bacon Fix” before you totally lose it. Thanks Dan.

Here’s what the team concluded when it came to fast Food restaurant with the best Bacon Meal available out there:

#1: Wendy’s

#2: Subway

#3: KFC

#4: Starbuck’s

#5: Quiznos

#6: Carl’s Junior

#7: Del Taco

#8: Arby’s

#9: McDonald’s

#10: Dairy Queen

#11: Taco Bell

#12: Tie Between Sonic and Burger King

Special thanks to fellow “Baconista” Stephanie Kun of “MomLogic” (What Moms Are Talking About) who sent us word of her recent compilation of all things “BACON,” both edible and inedible, because … well, basically because “BACON IS FUN!”

You can check out Stephanie’s entire “Beautiful Bevy of Baconosity” right here and be sure to take a moment to drop her a comment and her know how much you appreciate here time, energy and effort, dedicated to everyone’s favorite delightfully, delectably delicious dish … BACON!

Thanks Stephanie!

Crispy day
Fryin’ the grease away
On my way to where the air is sweet
Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Bacon Street?

That’s right folks. There’s a Bacon Street out there. In fact, there are a lot of Bacon Streets, Avenues, Boulevards, etc. in the world. Do you know of a Bacon Drive? Bacon Circle? Sweet Sweet Bacon Square?

Snap a picture and send it to us as BaconToday@gmail.com. We’ll make sure the bacon-loving world sees your Bacon Way.

There are absolutely no signs of the clogging of the community’s arteries “Deep In The Heart Of Texas” … specifically a little town called “Snook” (population 568) located in the Big Ole’ State Of Texas.

For many years we’d heard tell of all “them there rumors” about the deliriously delicious “Chicken Fried Bacon” but never actually caught a whiff nor saw with our own two eyes till now. OK, we are now proud converts and believers.

Yep, Chicken Fried bacon, clear as day, being dipped in gravy, dressing, even syrup, eaten all by itself, or as a wonderful side dish to go along with “heapin’ helping”” of eggs, pancakes, or even more bacon, ham and / or sausage

Praise the “Lard” and let’s get to eatin’ them vittles like “thars” no tomorrow!

Hey, if you think were spinning and yarn and you jest don’t believe us, then take a “look-see” at this video proof right here!

OK then, time to dig in and pig out to your hearts content, my fellow Bacon Freaks!

Are you getting “sick and tired” (literally) of all those horrendously disappointing and sometimes stomach wrenching “Samo-Samo-Lamo” fast-food “Bacon-Buggers” (pun intended) that continue to promise you a satisfying squeal of delight … but usually tend to deliver nothing more than a desperate moaning, groaning 3-way conversation with yourself and the “Big Guy Upstairs” exchanged over the Ralph’s big, white porcelain phone?

Well we feel you pain and want to introduce you to our good friend Sara over at “Average Betty’s” , who offers up her very own, scintillatingly savory, sense seducing sizzle of a recipe to craftily create your very own gourmet bacon burger, called “The Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno POP Burger.”

For those of you who don’t yet know who Sara is … she’s not only one totally cool and awesome cook who has a deep understanding and penchant for meat, but she is also one truly bodacious “Bacon & Burger Babe!” You might even go so far as to view her as a definite “Betty,” and thus, I suppose the name of her tasty and tantalizing website.

Here’s what Sara had to say, in her very own words:

‘Hi Bacon Today, I love bacon and I love your site!

I wanted to share my latest recipe for the Jalapeno POP Burger and I hope you love it! It is a spicy take on a cheeseburger topped with cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers.

Cheers,

Sara O’Donnell

Average Betty’s Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno POP Burger

(Serves 5 – 6 Burgers & 1 cup Jalapeno Relish)

Ingredients For Burgers:

1 pound lean ground beef

1/3 cup chopped jalapeno (majority of seeds and membrane removed)

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt, pepper

(try a splash of soy sauce or balsamic vinegar for more flavor)

I typically get five to six quarter pound burgers out of one pound of meat. Like that math? The chopped pepper and onion bulk up the patties. A lot more flavor, a little less meat!

Ingredients for Jalapeno Relish:

2 fire roasted jalapenos

4 fire roasted “wheels” sweet onion

juice of 1-2 limes

salt

(enough relish for six burgers)

Additional Ingredients:

Buns

cheese (jalapeno jack)

lettuce

tomato

Instructions:

We don’t call this the Jalapeno POP Burger for nothing! Start by making the jalapeno poppers. The complete (and printable) recipe can be found here.

Next, make the jalapeno relish. Grill jalapeno and onion. Chop and combine with fresh lime juice and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

To season the meat, add chopped jalapeno, chopped onion, cumin, garlic powder and black pepper.

Shape into patties and season with sea salt right before placing onto a super hot grill or griddle. The salt ensures a nice crust on the outside of the patty.

TIP: Try making a juicy lucy by putting the cheese inside the patty. Watch the Jalapeno POP Burger video to see me make one!

Flip and top with cheese. To help melt the cheese you can cover for the last minute. Allow the burgers to rest while you grill or toast the buns.

Then, add lettuce, tomato, the juicy and delicious burger patty, some of that ultra-spicy fire roasted jalapeno relish and the top bun. Garnish with jalapeno poppers and enjoy.”

Thank You Sara!

Let’s say you drink wine. On a weeknight, you might be happy to come home after work and pop open a simple blend that goes with a grilled burger. It tastes good enough to suit a Monday night.

Fast forward to the weekend: You crave a more complex wine, so maybe you’ll search your stash for an older Bordeaux or fine Pinot Noir. We like those sophisticated wines when we have the time and energy to savor them.

That’s also how we feel about bacon. Yes, BACON. There are Monday bacons, and there are weekend bacons. We love them, both but the weekenders are extra-special.

Such specimens can be found in the selection of fine bacons from Johnston County Hams in Smithfield, N.C., a southern pork mecca where the 60-year-old company has been cranking out heritage-quality hams and other smoked meats with an emphasis on quality. The company even produces a boutique-level ham that rivals Italian prosciutto. And that’s what we call good.

But you know us. We’re bacon people. We love the stuff. And we love the dry-cured bacon slabs and sliced bacons from Johnston County Hams. We think the samplers are the way to go, but we’ll let you decide. Take a look here:

Still not sure? Consider Johnston County uses the old-school curing process. It’s a craft based on the traditional curing process used by early American settlers and perfected by the legendary curemaster Jesse Brown. Plus The New York Times, Esquire, Wine Spectator, Men’s Journal and Southern Living are just a few of the media outlets that have featured the quality of Johnston County’s cured pork.

Try the bacon. Maybe a ham, too. We think you’ll taste something special. Of course, we won’t be surprised if you start building a special dry-cured pork collection for those weekend indulgences. Just like that special wine. 

Johnston was kind enough to give all Bacon Today readers a 10% off coupon on their fine products.  At the time of checkout enter the coupon code: bacontoday10.

Enjoy

Thank goodness for great weather, great times, great friends and great opportunities to eat outside under the wide open, sunny skies or cloudless, moonlit evenings with our family and all the other people who are truly near and dear and very important in our lives.

Here’s a great recipe that Boss Hog’s family has been handing down generation after generation, for those really special times when it people get hungry, but it’s more important to be spending time with the prized company at hand, than being off in the kitchen for hours sweating over a hot stove.

Enjoy the scrumptious simplicity and delightful “deliciousity” of Boss Hog’s Bodacious BBQ Bacon And Bean Salad!

Boss Hog’s Bodacious BBQ Bacon And Bean Salad

(Serves 8 )

Ingredients:

1 lb. Boss Hog Honey BBQ Rubbed Bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 large onions, diced

4 “15 oz.” cans of white beans, drained

1 jar or 15 oz. can of olives (black, green, or mixed)15 oz.” cans of corn kernels, drained

2 “15 oz.” cans of corn kernels, drained

1 cup Gourmet BBQ Sauce

½ cup chives, finely chopped medium bulbs of fennel, finely chopped tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 medium bulbs of fennel, finely chopped

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. garlic powder

1tsp. powered cayenne pepper

1 tsp. smoked paprikaSalt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook the bacon till lightly browned in a large frying pan, over a medium flame or heat, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.the bacon is nice and crispy and the onions are tender and lightly browned

Now pour the chopped onions into the pan along with the bacon; and sauté them until

Take the pan off of the stove.

Drain all but about 2 tbsp. of bacon grease from the pan, leaving the bacon and onions in the pan.

Now slowly and carefully stir in the smoked paprika and the Gourmet BBQ Sauce.

Transfer the contents of the pan into a bowl and place the bowl in the freezer for 12 minutes.mix the corn, beans, olives and fennel together.

Now in a large mixing bowl,

Now toss in the cooled bacon mixture and toss it well.

Sprinkle in the apple cider vinegar and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Garnish with the chopped chives.

Serve with chips and dip / salsa, some multigrain bread and a nice cold glass of Sangria and fruit juice or lemonade for the kids!

Enjoy!

As you know, we here at “Bacon Today” pride ourselves on consistent ability to always be 3 or 4 steps ahead of the game when it comes to everything worthy of being known in the wonderful world of bacon.

Clearly one of our huge advantages in being able to stay well ahead of the game is the very positive, close-knit relationship that we have with out loyal, long time readers and friends.

Here’s a perfect example of that personal “heads up” connection that keeps us on the cutting edge whenever anything of note is about to, or has just taken place, anywhere on the planet, that involves gourmet bacon.

Here’s an important communiqué’ that just came into us from our good friend “Doctor Atomic” regarding his latest and possibly greatest creative, culinary concoction from his esoterically eclectic laboratory deep within his mysterious, secret lair.

This is the good Doctor’s story, as expressed in his very own words:

“I make ice cream at home and a friend requested a Bourbon and Bacon flavor from me. After thinking about it for awhile what I came up with was Butterscotch and Bourbon Ice Cream with Bacon and Butter Toffee chips.

I started by making a reduction of Markers Mark Bourbon and Butterscotch. I’ve tried baking Bacon before, but I find that good old fashioned frying in a pan gives the best result.

The rest was normal fair ice cream base, eggs, milk, cream and sugar, all organic. I do heat my base to make a custard. Once I had incorporated the syrup and base I put them in the fridge to cool over night, as well as the now fried and chopped bacon.

The Toffee chips went into the freezer. The next day the mixture went into the ice cream maker. The bits were added near the end. With the Bourbon I wanted to give the ice cream a good amount of time to set so it was placed into the freezer overnight.

The next day we enjoyed the result! The flavors came out in layers. The first thing you taste is the slight bite of the Bourbon followed by the sweet of the Butterscotch. The chewy Bacon then jumps to the front with it’s smoky and saltiness followed closely by the crunchy sweet of the toffee.”

Doctor Atomic – Keeping the world safe for Ice Cream

Faithful reader Jack Nixon wrote to us at Bacon Today after he and his fiancée embarked on an outing to Ocean City, N.J. Let’s just say the lovely couple told us about something that we find much more exciting than beaches, boardwalks and salt-water taffy.

Of course, we know the Jersey shore is both a beautiful vacation spot as well as inspiration for one of the most artistically significant television series of all time. We get that. But Jack found something we find far more appealing: Chocolate-covered bacon.

That’s right. You heard us correctly. Chocolate-covered bacon. Jack wandered into a local candy shop and discovered this seaside surprise.  Here’s a photo that proves Jack wasn’t suffering a post-sunbathing delirium from too much time on the beach.

We’re unsure how many Bacon Today readers visit Ocean City during an average summer, but we bet Jack and his fiancée are far from alone. That’s why we wanted to spread the word about the modern wonder that is chocolate-covered bacon.

But how does it really taste?

Here’s how Jack describes the candy-covered treat: “The bacon was nice and crunchy and the chocolate was delicious!”

Sure it was, Jack. Now, please be a kind reader and send us a sample