It was a glorious day for “The Price is Right” contestant, Michael Hudson; for he won a car instead of an exercise bike. And anyone wearing Bacon Freak’s signature tee would much rather have a new car instead of an exercise bike. Not that exercising is bad, but c’mon. A car is a much better mode of transportation to pick up more bacon from the store. Also, anyone sporting bacon is bound to get good things coming to them. Do we think the shirt helped him win? Of course we do! Did it help that Drew Carey really loved his shirt as well? Of course! Because we all know that bacon makes everything better. Bacon is good luck. If you want your own piece of luck, get your own Bacon is Meat Candy™ tee. And watch the show! Doesn’t Michael look awesome in this tee? We think so.

I have to give some serious kudos to Hormel for seeking to get even better at something that most people out there already think they are pretty darned good at. That “thing” would be coming up with ac “pre-cooked” bacon product that satisfy the “Bacon Jones” of even the most serious and dedicated “Bacon Freak.”

Being Bacon Today, we were of course contacted ASAP and asked to give this baby a serious “test drive” out on our state of the art, expert track and laboratory testing facilities … in other words, our very own family kitchen and dining room table!

Here was the objectives that they set out to achieve with “Gold Medal” results. First of all, they set out to present a “pre-cooked” bacon to the public that was reasonably priced, 20% more meaty, with an all natural wood smoked flavor, that is over-all heartier, tastier and more “bacony” than any other “pre-cooked bacon product.

Mission accomplished Hormel!

But what would the premier gourmet bacon connoisseurs and expert pork aficionados of the foodie world have to say about Hormel’s “even better” fully pre-cooked bacon? In other words, would the improvements be enough to satisfy the sophisticated standards of the reputable and renowned “Rasher Royalty?”

There was only one way to know for sure. It was a dangerous proposition and not one for the weak willed fearfully faint at heart, but that’s why we “Bacon Battling Baconistas” are who we are and do what we do! Perhaps a certain “suey-side” mission … but I was going in to “The Family Zone!”

0800 Hours: I just barely heat the bacon up in the oven, which is where, now days, I cook all of my regular, gourmet bacon, as it is so much easier to clean up afterwards and I can avoid all messy spattering and burn injuries that might potentially knock me out of commission.

0815: I served the bacon up with some scrambled eggs and toast. Absolutely everybody loves it and nobody guesses that the bacon was pre-cooked, possibly hundreds of miles away and delivered safely and securely for our dining pleasure. So far, so good!

0817: Aunt Gladys shuffles into the kitchen and tells me she thinks the bacon was a little bit thinner and not quite as wide and thick as our usual gourmet, premium cut. I quickly distract her with some chocolate pudding manage to avert a catastrophe. Now one seems to notice that Aunt Gladys is down on a stool in the kitchen and the threat of exposure has been neutralized.

0822: I smilingly announce to the entire family that they have been tricked in order to verify just how good this Hormel “pre-cooked” bacon actually is, it was substituted into meal of an entire family of dedicated “baco-holics,” with only Aunt Gladys coming close to blowing the entire caper wide open, before she was effectively distracted by chocolate pudding.

1100 Hours: After nearly15 full hours locked in the garage, I am finally offered safe passage back into the house, with a verbal agreement that will in fact, NEVER deceive the family again when it comes to something as sacred as bacon.

Next week – my menu item of choice will be Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwiches, all served slightly chilled and made once again exclusively with Hormel’s new “fully cooked” bacon in a box.

Perhaps I will live to tell you the story of what happens … and if not, it truly was a great, bacon filled ride and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Cheers!

Have you ever noticed that many of the “pretentious snobs” who don’t eat bacon; tend to often portray those of us “Bacon Freaks” who do, as a bunch of stupid Neanderthals who lack the intelligence and sophistication to “Know Better?’

Well now there’s a really awesome pillow available out there, that not only is totally cool and comfy, but presents bacon from a very intelligent, scientific, as well as artistic, suave and cultured perspective. Introducing the BaCoN Pillow; based on the “Periodic Table” of elements.

That’s right! Take the scientific symbols for the elements Barium (Ba), Cobalt (Co) and Nitrogen (N) and what’s that spell? Ba-Co-N …OMG, that’s BaCoN. So just how totally awesome is that?

Remember the old joke about a guy waking up from a dream where he was eating cotton candy and he wakes up to half eaten pillow. Well cotton candy may be good, but a bacon pillow is the ultimate, so just be sure to remind yourself before you go to bed each night that while the Bacon Pillow is quite tasteful and alluring … it’s definitely not for eating!

So where can you get these awesome pillows? Glad you asked.

They can be found right here and before you go, be sure to check out the fun, fully animated video about the pillow below.

Walt Disney had himself quite an impressive collection of highly inspired and craftily creative “Imagineers.” Well today I’m here to introduce you to another artistically adept group of inventive entities.

You see, way up in the mysteriously majestic, magical moors of the well forested Pacific Northwest, a gathering of playfully prolific and enthusiastically energetic “Baconeers” have come together to ask that age old question that true, deeply devout Bacon Freaks  have been asking themselves for perhaps centuries, if not longer: What Do Bacon Do?”

Now you can find out for yourself, as there just happens to conveniently be a website / blog of that very name, “What Do Bacon Do” where passionate pork people can go to interactively create their very own bacon oriented art projects, including some of the most hilariously funny and … OK … I’ll say it … “adorable” little “Bacon Buddies” you ever have seen.

The intent is to create a very relaxed, comfortable, “interactive” environment where people can talk, laugh, play and dream about al things bacon.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, you really do need to click over there and pay them a visit and be sure to let them know that “Bacon Today” sent you by to say hello!

This porcine public portal is proudly and passionate presented by 3 serious Baconistas, namely “Bacon Mama” Kathy J. Rose who, in her own words, “kind of runs the whole hog,” Uncle Mike Lahue, the site’s official ‘Director of Porkduction” and craftsman who actually “makes” the bacon dudes and Kathy’s best pal, the lovely Ms. Wendy Watkins, who is the creative director who adds her crispy magic to the whole gig!

So you can see; this most definitely is a family friendly “friend and family affair!”

Kathy explains that “Each bacon person comes with a birth certificate and creative license.  This license entitles the bearer to create awesome things of fun and wonder for the rest of their lives and the license holder can affix their own image to the license.”

Bacon Mama continues by explaining that “What we LOVE about this project is that it gets strangers laughing and talking together.  We’re in a world that’s both ‘uber connected’ and sort of disconnected from the basic face to face human interactions. It’s awesome to see people’s faces light up when they start playing with the bacon dudes and creating things together.”

“The bacon people project slogan is “building a better world through laughter…and bacon” and this resonates from our company dinner meetings in Seattle parks with peanut butter and jelly to our “baconize yourself” machine at craft fairs where people can dress up like bacon and take pics of themselves.”  

What DO Bacon Do welcomes you to the craftier side of bacon (Mmmmmmm … side of bacon!!!) where you can become the artist of your own bacon adventures and share them with others while both “makin’ bacon” and the world that we live in, a better place for us all. With that “Viva la meat candy!” can do attitude.

According to Kathy, the “Bacon People” are “handmade with love in the USA using bacon-related rocket science techniques and good old Pennsylvania Dutch know-how. We are building a better world through the bacon arts by encouraging healthy amounts of laughing with strangers and high consumption of good times.”

Check it out for yourself and have a totally awesome time.

OK, well in the increasingly popular words of Kathy the Bacon Mama …”Stay crispy!”

Click image below to buy.

Who wouldn’t love some free bacon?  Well, the fine people over at “Mark’s Daily Apple” are putting together a bacon contest.  The winner of the contest will receive a 6 month membership of fine gourmet bacon from Bacon Freak.  Head on over to Mark’s Daily Apple to check out this contest to get your bacon on for the next 6 months.

Gourmet “Foodies” and dedicated “Baconistas” alike have been spending a lot of time talking about all of the various economic factors and theoretical possibilities behind the current perceived “value increase” in all things bacon lately, but no one was prepared for the reality of what actually went down in the world of bacon on that fateful day that no Bacon Freak will ever be able to forget, August 26, 2010,

That was the day that the going rate for a very famous and popular Broadbent Country Ham was a tidy little $99,688.47 per pound, making the total cost for this most spectacular of hams an whopping record breaking $1.6 million dollars.

So, as you can imagine, this most definitely was not any ordinary event, but was in fact, the official annual auction that took place at the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s 47th Annual Country Ham Breakfast.  

Also, while everyone in attendance had the best intentions of raising some serious funds for some very notable and noble charitable causes, this most certainly was not just any old country ham that drew such magnanimous attention, but was in fact, this years 2010 Kentucky State Fair’s Grand Champion Country Ham, most elegantly displayed on an ornate silver platter, completely surrounded by roses, and enthusiastically carried around the room like royalty by none other than the very gorgeous and cordial, “Miss Kentucky” herself. 

So while more than 450 pounds of premium quality country ham was served up as the delicious main course entrée at this breakfast gathering, what really tipped the scales at this event was the eventual record bid of $1.6 million dollars to purchase a country ham weighting a mere 16.05 pounds. 

Now that my dear friends, is some seriously expensive pork!

Our heartfelt congratulations and official “10 Snout Salute” go out to our good friends over at Broadbent’s, who besides their award wining hams, make a mighty fine gourmet quality bacon that we highly recommend and love as well!
 

The Pacific Northwest has long been renowned as the veritable “Holy Land” of awesome, all natural restaurants, with connoisseur, culinary competence to create “classy cuisine,” “choice cookery” or “comestible chow” capable of captivating the complete cross-culture of chewable concession, from café’ to canteen and from coffee-shop to chuck wagon.

The Original Pancake House, founded by Les Highet and Erma Hueneke in Portland, Oregon back in 1953, draws upon their decades of experience as both “chefs” and “cooks,” particularly their extensive expertise in the proper and precise preparation and presentation of authentic national and ethnic pancake recipes and original menu items that have drawn national acclaim.

Now in it’s third generation of family ownership and management, they take great pride in maintaining the highest possible standards, using only the very finest and truly fresh ingredients, successfully propelling this national treasure into a now prosperous, popular and prominent restaurant chain, with well over 100 franchises, coast to coast across the United States.

Perhaps even more important than all of that, however, is the fact that they serve up the most amazingly delicious Bacon Pancakes and Bacon Waffles. We’re talking real, truly authentic Bacon Pancakes (Buttermilk pancakes filled with real bits of bacon, served with whipped butter and hot syrup) and Bacon Waffles (Golden brown waffle baked with real bits of bacon, served with whipped butter and hot syrup).

For those of you, who may have already had your three daily recommended allotments of bacon, be sure to try their “Three Little Pigs in Blankets” (Special links wrapped in light buttermilk pancakes and lightly dusted with powdered sugar, served with whipped butter and hot tropical syrup).

Here’s what they have to say about their pancakes & waffles, in their own words:

“All of our Formulas and Recipes are authentic and were selected from many submitted to us by housewives of the nationality originating the pancakes of their respective countries.”

“Our old-fashioned sourdough yeast, just like your great grandmother used to use, is used in all our pancake batters. It is grown in our own kitchen from a culture of potatoes, flour and sugar, activated by a “start of yeast”. The sourdough yeast gives light, fine-textured pancakes.”Enzymes are organic substances created by nature to serve as catalysts and to convert food to energy.”

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For more information:

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!

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.

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.