August 4, 2009 by Marianne

August 4, 2009 • Filed Under: Random Bacon , Bacon, Breakfast

Most days my posts have to do with some great bacon find, or a cool recipe, or a weird product. Today I just want to talk about eating bacon, the way we did on Sunday morning.

Saturday evening Naseem and her crew threw a big backyard BBQ. Something like 40 people were there, people from all different circles and spheres of her life, brought together for one big event. It was super fun, and my husband and I got to catch up with some of Naseem’s long-time friends that we don’t see very often. She attracts a great crowd.

The coolest thing about a big Naseem event is that a bunch of folks end up spending the night, sitting around a bonfire until 3 am and camping on the lawn. We never make it that late, but the campout always leads to my favorite part of the event: Sunday morning breakfast! Before we cabbed it home Saturday night, we told Cory and Mike to text us in the morning when the bacon was cooking. Thank goodness they did or we would have slept right through it.

By the time we arrived, there was already a giant pan of potatoes frying, and Naseem was in the middle of cooking FOUR POUNDS of bacon! Because there were 13 people planning to eat, so…right. That equals about 4 pounds. (Note this photo of the fastest bacon flipper in the West!) There was the “before” bacon (everyone’s allowed a slice while breakfast cooks) and the “during” bacon, not to mention the bacon grease which was used to cook the scrambled eggs.

A big topic of conversation was how gross it might really be to chug a cup of bacon grease, and whether it should be an activity at this year’s Bacon Day. I contend that it’s basically liquid bacon, so it can’t be that bad. Everyone else contends that I’m an idiot and they’d like to see me put my money where my mouth is. We’ll see how that one plays out…

July 3, 2009 by Marianne

July 3, 2009 • Filed Under: Random Bacon , 4th of July, Roger Bacon

I just love the 4th of July. I wish I could say it was because I’m so patriotic. Don’t get me wrong; I’m wildly grateful to live in America and truly enjoy the freedoms that come along with that privilege, but let’s be honest:I love having a day off to barbecue and hang out at the beach. Santa Barbara may be the greatest July 4th spot in the US. Not only is it a beautiful city, generally sunny and warm (not blazing hot) in July, but there are amazing free fireworks displays at our downtown beach and in nearby Goleta. I love laying on the sand, watching the beauty overhead, feeling the pounding in my chest, and of course wiping the ashes from my face. Oh well, nothing’s perfect…this is just damn close.

So what does this have to do with bacon? Well, only that Roger Bacon is widely credited as the first European to write specific instructions for the preparation and use of black powder way back in the 1200s. Does this mean he invented fireworks? No, that was the ingenious Chinese. But he made those skills widely accessible through formal instruction, rather than by folk learning and the passing of knowledge from father to son, thereby sharing the joy of fireworks with the whole world. Incidentally, this also brought about rapid advances in warfare, so…good job? Whatever. Fireworks rule.

And of course since the 4th of July is America’s official BBQ holiday, bacon is going to play an important role in your day. Bacon cheeseburgers? Bacon-wrapped filet? A kebab of bacon-wrapped chicken chunks? Yes, yes please, and hell yes. So make sure that propane tank is at least as full that ice chest, and get to grilling. For those of you in counties that allow the purchase and ignition of smaller scale fireworks, be careful! Don’t blow off your fingers or start any brush fires. And for those of you in “dry” counties like mine, well…don’t drink and drive I guess. Everyone have a super 4th!

June 22, 2009 by Marianne

June 22, 2009 • Filed Under: Random Bacon , Bacon, European Vacation, London, Paris

Cheerio! Royal Bacon Society is back from our European Vacation! (Naseem, by the by, has never seen European Vacation and never laughed once when I said, “Look Naseem, Big Ben. Parliament.” I started feeling kind of stupid after the 10th attempt to make that one fly.)

Anywho, it was a fabulous trip and I cannot tell you how proud I am of my English heritage. Turns out I come by my love of bacon honestly…those Brits just ADORE it! Bacon rolls, bacon turnovers, bacon on every sandwich and in half the pasties. We had an English breakfast each morning that included a big slice of very salty bacon that more closely resembled ham, but was welcome and delicious none the less. The only thing that could improve upon it was the entire teapot of English breakfast tea that I also consumed every morning. Between the two of us, we had a serious tea party. I’m officially hooked.

Paris, on the other hand, not such a bacon hot spot. Their lardons are thick little bacon nubs that always include a chunk of fat and never seem to be cooked well enough. We stuck to the amazing variety of ethnic foods and fell in love with the duck confit, but I was very happy to get home to my thick-cut Trader Joe’s bacon on Friday.

Special thanks to Paige for acting as our unofficial tour guide in London. (That big tip is on its way, I swear!) I’ll be back later this week with some of our photos, and an update about Bacon Day 2009!

January 14, 2009 by Marianne

January 14, 2009 • Filed Under: Random Bacon , Bacon, edamame, Enlightened Cooking, New Year's Resolutions

Once again I’m blown away by a simple yet profound use for bacon. Why did I never think of this before? Because I tend to get too complicated. I need to remember that the simplest food ideas are the best. And Camilla at Enlightened Cooking has proved it with her recipe for Warm Edamame Salad with Bacon Dressing. You’ll love her post, explaining that even New Year’s Resolutions are better with bacon. And here’s my favorite quote: “I encourage you to follow suit in my vegetable quest, dear readers. But make it better, not bitter. Make it with bacon.”

Here, here! And now I’m off to Trader Joe’s for a bag of edamame. This recipe calls for immediate action.

January 13, 2009 by Marianne

January 13, 2009 • Filed Under: Random Bacon , Bacon, quiz, trivia

How well do you know bacon? Do you know something about it’s history? Do you have a favorite brand? Do you know about it’s omega-3 fatty acid content, or lack thereof?

I’m a sucker for quizzes and surveys, so when a friend sent me this Bacon and Pork Belly quiz, you know I took it right away. It’s only 10 questions long, and it seemed like maybe I knew a reasonable amount about bacon if anyone did. Do you want to know how many questions I answered correctly? Four. 40%. Not even a passing grade. Which just goes to show you, bacon is a more complex subject than most people think. Think you know your bacon better than the RBS? Give it a try and let us know.