Bacon Today » breakfast

Bacon is Good For You

Brianne — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:17:48 +0000

These days, within the diet world, it seems that people are on either end of a very wide spectrum. People are either embarking on crazy fad-diets with absurd invariables, or they consume as many calories a day as a small Ethiopian village does in a week.

On the extreme dieting end, you hear about all the new celebrity fad-diets that would have the traditional 1950s, meatloaf-loving, American completely aghast. One diet in particular consists purely of water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper; daily. Oh, correction. That would be the “Master Cleanse” where you are supposedly “ridding your body of toxins”. But last time we checked, a diet where most of your time is spent sitting on a toilet, doesn’t exactly sound like an enjoyable one. Or a very social one at that. And doesn’t someone who poops on the regular, not have to worry about said “toxins”? The intestines act as a filter for your system. They retain the good nutrients your body needs to sustain itself and pushes out the excess. Whatever toxins you’ve ingested would be dumped out into Mr. John naturally. If you’re worried about toxins you should probably stop drinking that bottle of toilet bowl cleaner.

There’s also the cabbage soup diet. While it is quite boring in flavor, it also alienates you from people since you will constantly be fertilizing the air with your flatulence. No, there wasn’t an error with Facebook. You purposely were not invited to that party.

There are so many crazy fad diets that an extreme dieting site has been erected onto the World Wide Web. Guess it’s not that surprising since people think swallowing only air could be called a diet. But aside from these absurd fad-diet eaters, you have the extreme eaters. Extreme in the way they pile the food onto their plates. Eaters, the fast food Moguls have a field day marketing new foods to.

Take the Double Down sandwich from KFC as an example. Fat strips of bacon and gooey slices of cheese, sandwiched between two fried chicken patties. While we are huge fans of bacon, and this sounds really delicious; the aggregated amount of glutinous, caloric intake has us feeling a little… unpleasantly greasy. We also feel that this sandwich would only be delicious until your fifth bite. We’re a little afraid of what would happen to our bodies afterward.

At In-N-Out, you can order a 4×4 if you want. That’s four meat patties and four slices of cheese. Mix it up and get a 2×4. That’s two meat patties and four slices of cheese. Heck, pick any number you want. Apparently, the lovely and ever-pleasant cooks at In-N-Out will even make you a 20×20. Why or how anyone would consume this cheeseburger is beyond us. Especially when it’s larger than your own head.

Now this leads us back to the world of glorious bacon. Because we know you’re probably pretty hungry now. And we know you’ve been asking, “What do these diets have to do with sexy, sexy bacon?” And to answer that question we would like
show people how bacon can be healthy and a good-for-you kind of diet. We know a lot of people like to vehemently denounce bacon’s nutritional value. And even though we’d like to slap them silly with a fat strip of bacon, we’re here to maturely negate their silly arguments. It’s one simple truth: Bacon is, indeed, good for you.

Here are the bare minimum facts:

Studies have shown that pregnant women who eat bacon, boost the intelligence of their child. This is because bacon is a good source of choline, which aids in the development of the child’s memory. It also protects against heart problems and premature birth.(1)

People also like to proclaim that because bacon contains nitrates and nitrites, (compounds used to preserve meat), it will cause cancer. Correction: The nitrite byproducts that actually cause cancer, known as nitrosamines, are found only in overcooked bacon. Plus, bacon that is cooked in the microwave has less nitrosamine than fried bacon.(2) And honestly, it seems that people claim everything causes cancer these days. You could be sitting on a park bench on a sunny day and someone will point out to you, “Hey, you know that sweetener you’re putting into your tea causes cancer.” And in turn you reply, “Umm, you know that sun in the sky, directly over your head causes cancer?” It’s quite a cancer-fearing world we live in these days. All in moderation, folks. All in moderation.

And if you’re still concerned about the nitrites, Bacon Freak has a Nitrite free hickory bacon. Be sure to cook it in the microwave in case you’re still concerned.

And if you’re worried about the fat content, 45% of the fat in bacon is monosaturated. The good-for-you, oleic acid, fat that can help lower bad cholesterol levels; the same fat found in olive oil.(3) There are also many studies that have revealed that eating a protein-rich diet in the morning, lowering your carbohydrate intake, and eating smaller meals throughout the day; will in fact leave you feeling full longer, help you lose weight, and boost your energy. Add in an adequate amount of exercise and you’re more likely to loose weight and keep it off.(4) More effective than consuming cabbage soup. And aside from it being tastier, you won’t be crop-dusting your coworkers all day.

It basically fries down to this: (See what I did there?) Eating a healthy amount of bacon with a side of exercise is good for you. Wow! Who knew? So put away that whole pound of bacon sitting on your plate; use the maple syrup on your pancakes instead of mixing it into a colon cocktail, and embrace the art of bacon moderation. No need to get too excited, we know it’s delicious. But think of yourself as the kid in the candy store that ate half the store and made them self sick. Too much of any good thing can be treacherous. Treat your body like a temple and a playground. You’ll realize the world is a much better place with bacon in it. No need to thank us. Thank bacon.

(1)http:www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1240932/Bacon-eggs-help-pregnant-women-boost-babys-intelligence.html?ITO=1490
(2)http://www.extrension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/DJ0974.html
(3)http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshows/2009/06/the_terrific_ten_slideshow slide=1
(4)http://www.annals.org/content/140/10/778.abstract?etoc

Pancake & Bacon Breakfast Whoopie Pie

Boss Hog — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:00:41 +0000

So I’m new to the whole whoopie pie thing, but from what I’ve seen and tasted I love it. Two cake-like cookies mated with a sweet fluffy filling. I’ve seen varieties ranging from chocolate with vanilla filling, to red velvet with butter cream filling, and vanilla with chocolate filling. These 3 example are fairly basic, but imagine the possibilities you could do with this!
And that’s exactly what I did. I put my foodie brain into gear and thought, ‘why not whoopie pies for breakfast?’ Naturally my next thought was to include bacon because, 1. I LOVE BACON (ps check the vid on my about page, FUNNY!!) and 2. umm…it’s bacon! Why not?
Enjoy!

So here it is, from my kitchen to your tummies:
Pancake & Bacon Whoopie Pies

1 lbs bacon, cook it pretty crispy
1 C complete pancake mix (the kind where only water is needed)
1/4 C water
1/4 C half & half
1 egg

Filling:
1 8oz brick cream cheese
4TBS maple syrup (I use the real stuff)
2TBS half & half

For ultimate bacon flavor, cook your bacon the night before and mix half of it with your cream cheese filling (just add all ingredients and beat until fluffy)

Combine the pancake mix, half & half, egg and water until well blended. If you are a bacon lover like I am, add the other half of your cooked bacon to the batter. Scoop even amounts of batter and pour onto a cookie sheet that is either greased or lined with parchment. Depending on the scoop sizes, this should yield 6 to 10 scoops. [3 to 5 pies]
Bake at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tops start to show light golden brown. Remove immediately from pan and allow to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, spread a heaping amount of filling on one cake, and top with another.

Article and Recipe submitted by Laura Crawford.

A Salt & Batter Story About The Long Tradition Of Bacon Pancakes

Boss Hog — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:00:35 +0000

Who has always been trusted to put the wide and enthusiastic smile on the “Happy Face” of every child’s pancake, eggs and bacon breakfast over the last 100 + years?

Bacon, that’s who!

So what’s with all of the national buzz and sudden shock and surprise being displayed all across the country, from mass media outlets and news portals stretching from San Diego CA to Portland, ME and from Seattle WA to Miami FL, all hysterically going on and on about how amazingly odd and totally off the wall, but deliriously, delightfully delicious these Bacon Pancakes are?

Parent’s have been making bacon happy faces for their kids since long before the airplane or even automobile was invented and obviously you’ve never stayed the night and woken up alive at a family members home anywhere in the south or mid-west, if you somehow haven’t had the flavorful frenzy of waking up to a breakfast of hotcakes, eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, grits, biscuits, gravy, fruit, coffee, juice, milk … and that’s just the pre-meal appetizers to get you ready for the REAL FEAST!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I just don’t get the sudden surprised reaction to bacon and pancakes going together as perfectly and naturally as peanut butter and jelly, steak and potatoes, cookies and milk, coffee and cake.

I’ve been making bacon pancakes all my life, as did my father and his father before him. Probably goes back much farther than that, but these are facts that I can solemnly swear and attest to in a court of law, because I saw, smelled and enthusiastically ate the bacon pancakes made by my both my father and grandfather.

Featured in the accompanying photo to this article, is a January, 1961 advertisement for “Rath Black Hawk Bacon” and Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Pancake Mix,” showing the pancake batter being poured over the slices of bacon cooking on the griddle. Just one look and you can instantly smell the aroma of that flavorful, traditional taste combination.

Bacon Freak has been selling its bacon Pancakes for years now and if you have ever traveled throughout the Midwest or south, you have to have come across at least 100 diners that proudly present Uncle Buck’s or Aunt Edna’s Home style Bacon Pancakes as part of the menu or as “Today’s Special” for as long as I’ve been traveling.

So stop freaking out and simply try them. You’ll soon discover that they have become a regular part of your family’s breakfast tradition! Enjoy!

Toffee Bacon Doughnuts

Peter — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:29:28 +0000

When pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac introduced epicurean-quality doughnuts to a restaurant’s brunch menu earlier this year, she banked on the fact that customers would savor the sugary indulgences. After all, guests at Birch & Barley in the Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., tend to have an appetite for adventure, especially when they order from the restaurant’s list of more than 500 specialty beers.

Ales and lagers aside, orders of high-end doughnuts fit the bill for many Birch & Barley diners. At a weekend brunch, MacIsaac says, they’ve been looking to spoil themselves a little.

Turns out MacIsaac was right about the doughnuts, which are now offered as a “sharing” plate on the restaurant’s Sunday-only brunch menu. The plate includes three doughnuts per order, including a chocolate doughnut and a lemon-poppyseed version. The doughnuts are freshly fried, order by order, and delivered to tables piping hot.

But doughnuts are doughnuts, right? Wrong. The all-star doughnut that has many beltway brunch lovers buzzing is an extraordinary pastry that can’t be found in any old bakery. It’s the toffee-bacon doughnut, an invention that will cause lovers of pork belly to moan in ecstasy. Here’s why:

For each order, MacIsaac says, brioche dough is rolled into a round doughnut shape and dropped into a deep fryer. When it’s finished frying, the doughnuts are drained and coated with a special brown-sugar glaze, which MacIsaac describes as a toffee sauce she uses to ice the doughnut. She then garnishes the doughnut with pulverized bacon bits. That final touch is a brace of pork belly-fueled goodness that injects each toffee-bacon doughnut with its distinctive salty-and-sweet flavor profile.

“People absolutely love it, even though we only offer it one day a week,” MacIsaac says, noting that it takes around 10 minutes to produce each order given her mission of freshly frying and plating each doughnut as diners place orders. “Originally I prepared it for a ‘family’ meal for our staff after service. Everybody loved it, so we put it on the brunch menu, and it’s been there since then.”

MacIsaac moved to the nation’s capitol last year to help open the restaurant with her husband Kyle Bailey, who also serves as the restaurant’s executive chef. The pastry chef says the first year of serving local diners has signaled a sense of adventure among D.C.-area diners who flock to the restaurant for the specialty beers and an eclectic mix of savory foods that match them.

Surely there’s at least one beer that complements MacIsaac’s bacon-fueled donut. But what if you don’t drink beer? “There’s always good coffee,”MacIsaac says.

Bacon Coffee

Corey James — Tue, 25 May 2010 05:18:10 +0000

The fine folks over at Boca Java sent us over a bag of their special “artisan roasted coffee” flavor Maple Bacon Morning™ to get our opinion. Well, let me start off by saying WOW — that’s a mighty fine coffee!

I had some family in town so I thought what a better way to taste test a maple bacon coffee flavor then on a bunch of folks too polite to say no. I brewed up the first batch of Maple Bacon Morning™ and just as the coffee maker started to drip I heard the first “What is that? It smells like…maple syrup!” comment. The news trickled throughout the rooms of the house as quickly as the maple smell reached the noses of the family members. Their interest was peaked and a line was forming around the coffee pot.

This particular brew of coffee is on the light side, which matches up perfectly with the hint of maple syrup taste. While there is not actual bacon flavor noticeable, this coffee does make a perfect compliment for a bacon-enriched breakfast as my family & I certainly proved on the morning of my little experiment.

We had pancakes, eggs, and thick-cut bacon with a side of toast and with the addition of Maple Bacon Morning™ coffee, no one left the table disappointed. In fact, they asked where they could get a bag for themselves.

Bacon Pancakes

Mr. B. — Mon, 10 May 2010 20:17:56 +0000

The folks over at This is Freaking Ridiculous posted this picture which will undoubtedly cause bacon lovers around the world to collectively smack their foreheads and say “why didn’t I think of that?”

So bust out the pancake batter and fry up some bacon and have yourself a hearty breakfast (or you could just buy pancake mix infused with bacon, but hey to each their own). Here is a site dedicated to Bacon Pancakes.

Thanks to BT reader Chris in Virginia for sending us the link.

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit from Hardees

Corey James — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:00:28 +0000

If you’re in the midwest and the early morning hunger pangs hit you, head on over to Hardees for a quick & affordable bacon fix. It’s the Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this small sandwich.

Hardees touts it as:

“Folded egg, slices of crispy bacon and American cheese all on a freshly baked Made from Scratch™ buttermilk biscuit.”

As far as breakfast fast food on the road goes this one really hits the spot. The bacon was above average for a fast food joint, the eggs & cheese were tasty and the biscuit was delicious. Definitely recommended when you’re on the run!

FREE BACON!

Corey James — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:53:14 +0000

You may have seen the Denny’s Super Bowl ad (if you haven’t, we’ve saved you the trouble of looking for it and embedded the Denny’s Super Bowl commercial below). You can get FREE BACON on February 9, 2010 at Denny’s restaurants. Just go there and order a free Original Grand Slam® breakfast between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. and get your fill of bacon for free!

Personally, I’d just eat the bacon…although those pancakes look mighty tasty too…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=njnOFYSVkJc

Bacon and Eggs Plate at the Burger Basket

Corey James — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:02:54 +0000

A mighty fine little hole-in-the-wall restaurant exists smack dab in the middle of Corona, California. If you’re not paying attention you might drive right by without even knowing it was there.

That place is the Burger Basket and they’re open from 6am to 10pm, 7 days a week serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What we were there for was breakfast fortified with bacon. For our first taste test we ordered the simple meal of the bacon & eggs breakfast plate. We ordered the eggs over hard with some white toast to top it all off.

The bacon was excellent. Thick, just the right balance of soft & crispy for this reviewer’s taste. The slices had just enough grease to keep things interesting without making the bacon too dry.

If you’re in Corona, make sure you stop by the Burger Basket.

Smaste™ Rating: 32.191

The Burger Basket
1058 West 6th Street
Corona, CA 92882
(951) 734-1331

Read what others are saying about the Burger Basket on Yelp

Creative Bacon Breakfast Help Needed

Mr. B. — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:01:47 +0000

Okay, BT Readers, Eugenia P. needs our help and needs it fast. Here’s the email she wrote…

Hey there – I work at a pretty well known company in WA and have been tasked to come up with an ingenious breakfast event that does not resemble the standard boring breakfast display of bagels, fruit, and muffins. I had an ephifany moment when I thought “who doesn’t love bacon?” – to which my co-workers response was “even vegeterians love bacon”

Anyways, I would love to start a quick dialogue with someone at Bacon Today about creative ideas (including what to serve) for this event. Any takers to help me?

Quick summary:
Event will take place on the first floor atrium of a 4 story bldg from about 8am – 10am. Purpose is to get people interested in stopping by our table to chat with us about ‘our services’ we are presenting. The majority of employees in this particular bldg are professional males in their late 20′s to mid 40′s. Attendance is TBD – we most likely can anticipate 100-200 people during the course of the 2 hours and our budget would be no more than $700.

Thanks for your time!

For our money, there’s nothing better than the bacone, which we were first introduced to during Baconcamp 2009 San Francisco…

The Bacone is basically a bacon cone stuffed with eggs, biscuit gravy, hash browns and topped with a tasty buttermilk biscuit.

But Eugenia needs your help, too. Leave a comment below with your most creative bacon breakfast idea.

– Mr. B