February 27, 2009 by Marianne

February 27, 2009 • Filed Under: Bacon News , Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, Des Moines, Iowa

Not to disparage the fine state of Iowa, but I’ve never had the compulsion to go there. I’ve probably driven through it on one of my family’s many road trips across the country, but I can’t say I remember anything about it. So why, now, do I wish I had a weekend pass to Des Moines? One word: BACONFEST!

This one-day party only started last year, but it must have been a smash. Of the 300 tickets that were available to this Saturday’s event, there are zero left. So even if you decided to make a mad dash for it, you’d be out of luck. Sold out. Sorry suckers.

The day begins with Bacon Bloody Marys, and there are eight different menu items being served throughout the day. Attendees will hear a bacon invocation, three lectures on bacon, and be invited to enter the bacon eating contest. Not to mention a beer hour on the patio. All this for just $32.50? Total bargain. I’m definitely adding this to  my 2010 itinerary.

February 25, 2009 by Marianne

February 25, 2009 • Filed Under: Bacon Art , Bacon, etsy, nicodemusgreen

Faithful reader Chrissy recently sent me a link to an etsy artist with a healthy appreciation for food, including our favorite meat. As you can see here, Nicodemusgreen thinks “bacon is like a little hug from god.” For me, it’s a gentle reminder to be thankful for the simple pleasures in life, and I couldn’t agree more. I often think of the wonder of living in America in this day and age, when I have access to nearly every type of food from every region of the world. Unlike past (and a number of present tribal) cultures, I am not restricted to those foods I can hunt, gather or grow. It’s almost ridiculous how easy it is for me to access exotic produce, or meat I didn’t have to slaughter with my own hands. I don’t even have a garden! And don’t get me started on the water that I have delivered to my home. It makes me feel like a bad person.

So thanks to Nicodemusgreen for helping me to keep things in perspective, whether he meant to or not. You can find some other appreciative pieces at his site, like “hummus is like a little hug from allah,” and “jamon serrano makes the world go round.”

Art makes me hungry.

February 23, 2009 by Marianne

February 23, 2009 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes , Bacon, bacon-wrapped chicken

When my husband is out of town (which is often) I get lazy about a lot of things. For instance, all the shoes I wear in about a 2 week period end up in the living room because I can’t possibly expend the energy to put them away. Apparently they end up in train formations. Man, I need to update my fashion; I’ve been wearing low-top Cons for about 20 years now.

Anyhow, I also have a hard time cooking anything of interest unless I invite friends over for dinner. Which, clearly, I am too lazy to do. So Friday night I cut a chicken breast into strips and wrapped them in bacon, just because I couldn’t stand the idea of another plain baked chicken breast. I threw those puppies in a frying pan and browned them on one side, then turned them and stuck them in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. (I took these photos with my iPhone because I simply couldn’t muster the gumption to find a real camera.)

Anyhow, not surprisingly, they were delicious. I didn’t even salt or pepper the chicken, but let it be flavored entirely by the bacon. They were tender and juicy and I will totally make these again. I mean, it can’t be any worse for me than batter-dipping and deep-frying them, right? Served alongside a green salad, this dinner felt downright healthy! Well, okay, whatever…at least it was better than fast food.

February 20, 2009 by Marianne

February 20, 2009 • Filed Under: Bacon Gifts, Bacon Reviews , Archie McPhee, bacon floss, bacon mints, gummy bacon

A couple of my friends like to joke about becoming “Crazy Cat Lady,” that old woman who has 2 dozen cats roaming her home with names like Mittens and Uncle Albert, and little bowls of milk all over the floor, piano and stairs. My mom is another form of cat lady — the kind who constantly gets cat-related gifts because she likes cats. Every birthday, Mother’s Day and Christmas she gets a new book, calendar, figurine or card featuring cats, whether she wants it or not. I myself am guilty; I bought her Dewey for Christmas, but only because I really thought she’d enjoy the read. She’s a reader, that one.

Anyhow, what does this have to do with bacon? Only that I think I’m becoming Bacon Lady, the friend who you buy little bacon-related gifts for because, hey! She likes bacon! I’m not complaining. I recently received a box of gummy bacon, some bacon floss, and my personal favorite, the bacon mints. The gummy bacon tastes like strawberry gummy anythings, and I liked it. I’m a sucker for gummy. The floss was weird; when I first opened the package and sniffed, it reminded me of a big, meaty dentist hand. I know that sounds strange, but the mixture of rubber gloves and whatever antiseptic soap dentists use…well, it smells like bacon floss. I couldn’t really taste the bacon in the floss, but the more I used it, the more I could smell that smoky, dentisty smell. I vote no on bacon floss.

To my great surprise, I liked the bacon mints. The smell when you open the tin is similar to the smell of the bacon floss, except that the container is a metal tin rather than a plastic box, so it’s kind of metallic with a backwash of liquid smoke. When you put it in your mouth there’s an instant of smoked meat flavor, but then you mostly just taste mint. The weird thing, though, is that you continue to smell the smoke, almost like you’re smelling it with your mouth. It’s hard to describe, but the essence of smoke remains sort of ethereal throughout. So I give the mints at least one thumb up. If you’re curious about any of these bacon delights, you can find these and much, much more at Archie McPhee.

Big thanks to Todd, Kerby and Lorraine for thinking of me when you see anything bacon. I hope someone thinks of me next time they see a gourmet bacon of the month club!

February 18, 2009 by Marianne

February 18, 2009 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes , Bacon, soup, sweet potato

I don’t know what the weather’s like where you are, but in Santa Barbara we’re having an actual winter! Rain! Temperatures in the 50s! I know that sounds mild to lots of people, but I swear I’ve never been so cold for so long since moving here. If you are from one of the even more wintery places in the world, here’s a great cozy soup recipe to warm you up!

Sweet Potato, Paprika and Bacon Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 8 slices bacon, diced (reserve about 2 slices, finely diced, for garnish)
• 2 tsp garlic
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cans chicken or vegetable stock
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Sour cream or creme fraiche (optional)

1.   Pre-heat the oven to 400º F

2.   Toss the sweet potato with 2 tbsp olive oil, season and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and soft.

3.   Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan. Add the bacon and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until brown and crispy.

4.   Add the garlic and paprika and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the onion and cook gently for 10 minutes, until softened but not browned.

5.   Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and gently add the roasted sweet potatoes, cook for 5 minutes.

6.   Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth, and return to the pan.

7.   Squeeze in the lemon juice and season to taste. Top with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche and a sprinkling of diced, cooked bacon for an extra kick.

Enjoy!