Best Bacon of 2009

I started rating bacon at the beginning of this year so as it comes to a close it seems appropriate to take a look back at the best bacon I’ve had this year. Below is a list of all the 4-strip ratings of 2009... Happy New Year!

Sala - datil (dates stuffed with almonds, wrapped in bacon)

Applewood - applewood smoked bacon

Char No. 4 - cheesy bacon grits

S’mac - 4 cheese mac with slab bacon

Salt - honey-glazed, bacon wrapped dates

Char No. 4 - grilled asparagus with bacon dressing

Irving Mill - bacon cheddar burger

Hale & Hearty - sweet corn chowder with bacon

Nolita House - mac & cheese with bacon

Permanent Brunch - Hungarian smoked kolozsvari

(also available at Grateful Palate)

Elvis Cookies

The King of Fat meets the King of Rock n’ Roll... in a cookie! Elvis’ favorite sandwich (and General Greene’s ice cream flavor that I have yet to try!) was my inspiration. I used the Love me Tender recipe from an article posted last month with a few slight alterations. Instead of just butter, I used 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup bacon grease. A little extra bacon flavor couldn’t hurt! Another tip: use a fork to flatten the cookies to get that classic peanut butter cookie criss-cross pattern.

The original recipe called for praline of bacon which involves worcestershire sauce, pepper and cinnamon. A little too complicated for my tastes. I prefer something simpler (bacon doesn’t need much help)—especially with peanut butter & banana flavors. Instead I used bits of candied bacon from this ice cream recipe. I should also mention I made it with Wright Brand applewood smoked bacon. Samples were sent to me last week—some of which I had with a huge breakfast this past weekend. I♥Bacon can confirm that it is “damn good bacon.” Thick cut, smokey and flavorful... and perfect for baking too!

Bacon Ettiquette

Kansas City Star’s Dear Abby fills us in on the proper way to eat bacon:

DEAR ABBY: What is the proper way to eat bacon in a restaurant? — Mother Knows Best

DEAR MOTHER: It depends upon how you like your bacon cooked. According to Emily Post, bacon can be eaten as a finger food “when it is dry, crisp and served whole. If the bacon is broken into bits, served in thick slices (as with Canadian bacon) or limp, eat it with knife and fork as you would any other meat.”

I’d rather not order bacon that requires a fork and knife to eat—except in the case of Applewood’s delicious thick cut bacon.

Review: Willard Street Inn

Breakfast at the Willard Street Inn in Burlington, VT.

Applewood smoked bacon:

Afternoon snack at the inn.

Broccoli and bacon soup:

More Bacon & Bourbon

As you can see, there is no shortage of bacon and bourbon lovers out there. By far one of the coolest events I’ve been to... ever... in life.

Applewood smoked bacon samples being passed around while Josh Ozersky spoke of the importance of a 50/50 meat to fat ratio in bacon. He compared it to a well balanced meal in which “the fat is the meat and the meat is the vegetables.” Ozersky also recommends Benton’s bacon and his preferred method of cooking bacon is in the oven at 375°.

Scott Smith from RUB shares with us step-by-step his recipe for making BBQ Bacon Chunks—cured, triple smoked and deep fried in lard. Note to self: Eat at RUB very, very soon!

Bacon & Bourbon—a wildly successful pairing. Read more about the event here. And check out video from The Feedbag.

Review: Applewood

Brunch at Applewood on 11th street & 7th Ave in Park Slope.

Applewood smoked bacon:

Review: The Lovin’ Cup Cafe

Dinner at the Lovin’ Cup Cafe on N6th between Berry and Wythe in Williamsburg.

Mini burgers with applewood smoked bacon and cheddar: