Bacon: the new condiment?

Remember when bacon was a scarce luxury. When mom used to prepare a full Sunday breakfast and the smell of bacon would waft through the house.When it was finally time to sit down and pig out on a perfect concoction of eggs cooked in bacon grease, pancakes drizzled with maple syrup, golden buttered toast and finally savouring the very last crisped crumb of the measly three slices of bacon with never any left overs. When it came to bacon, it felt like we were living in an economic crisis. The great depression of the bacon era had fallen upon us and there was no way to get more. I thank the pork gods that bacon is now an abundant source of pleasure for all and chef’s have become pork-crazed artisans. Ranging from heavenly versions of the all-american classic BLT to surprisingly delectable desserts such as maple bacon donuts.

Bacon has found its home on just about any dish. But dare I ask, how much is too much bacon?

As I was reading through my latest edition of Bon Appétit magazine, I fell upon an interesting article by the Foodist, Andrew Knowlton. His answer to the new world order of overloading already rich dishes with bacon sprinkles was spot on. As the Foodist put it, “I’m simply asking for a little moderation and a lot more creativity.” Don’t get me wrong, bacon is my belly’s best friend but like any friend, you need to give it space.

Does adding crispy salty lard help make frosted cupcakes any better?
And is the culinary world now complete with the invention of the calorie busting Bacon Explosion I keep hearing about? Bacon Explosion: pork dish that consists of bacon wrapped around a filling of spiced sausage and crumbled bacon. Urgh, I think i heard an artery pop. And to add to the bacon overkill, how about the never-ending bacon flavoured novelty items such as bacon mints, bacon gumballs, bacon gummies, baconnaise, bacon salt, bacon gravy, bacon toothpicks, bacon soap, floss and gloss, and my personal um favorite?, bacon fresh toothpaste. How far will we go to exploit this porker?

My personal take on the story, just add a few (5-6 or 10) slices to your weekend breakfast plate, indulge in a gut busting dish once in a while and your bacon relationship will last forever. By all means people, enjoy your bacon but avoid the useless heart-attack at the age of 45.

For your bacon information, here’s a few tips and recipes.

Best way to cook bacon:

The best way to achieve perfectly cooked crispy bacon without the mess and burnt eyeballs is to bake it on a sheet in a 400F oven for 20 min.

Quick and easy breakfast:

Bacon, egg and toast cups

Super Delicious Salad:

Iceberg Wedge with Warm Bacon and Blue Cheese Dressing

My Favorite Sandwich:

The Best BLT ever

Bacony Mashed Potatoes:

M ashed potatoes with bacon and cheddar

Super Easy Hors-d’Oeuvres:

Blue cheese stuffed bacon-wrapped dates