Makin’ Bacon, The Epilogue

I love iPhoto. Nick downloaded all the bacon snaps from his highly advanced digital camera and they went scurrying into iPhoto, the way a good little digital photo should. And then we watched a slideshow of the entire bacon-makin’ process set to “Bizarre Love Triangle”. I’ll tell you, you haven’t lived until you’ve watched a slow-motion slide show of your home-cured pork product set to British alternative/dance music sensations, New Order. It was very beautiful and touching. Much better than “Cats.” This is clearly how Jimmy Dean got inspired to build his multi-million dollar breakfast meat empire.

And thinking about it, it is kind of a Bizarre Love Triangle, between me and Nick and the Bacon. He didn't realize he married the Crazy Bacon Lady. Sunday afternoon saw my home-cured goodness put to use in Spaghetti Amatriciana, Marcella Hazan style. Future bacon related plans include [but not limited to] bacon vinaigrette, an assortment of bacon-infused chowders, and bacon brownies. Yes, I said bacon brownies.

A few years ago, I had the most amazing dessert at Blackbird in Chicago: a chocolate semi-freddo, with a waffle, and bacon pieces. The semi-freddo and the waffle were tasty, but add a little piece of bacon to and it turned into an absolutely sublime experience. A recipe for bacon brittle has a host of shocked cooks hoarding their porcine confection from family and friends. And now, there's a bacon candy bar (although word on the street is that its not bacon-y enough). There’s something good happening here. It makes sense, because isn't everything improved by a touch of bacon?

Scallops? Yummy, but wrap them in bacon and they’re fabulous. Sprinkle bits of bacon on fresh vegetables, potatoes, or salad, and its always a winner. Fry up some bacon as you’re starting a stew or a soup and the smokiness just takes the whole thing to a new level. And I know it’s so 1973 dinner party, but dates stuffed with almonds (or blue cheese) and wrapped in crispy bacon makes for a stellar snack, to which, I suspect, even Escoffier would gleefully surrender his fastidious French taste buds (Escoffier was a big pig proponent). So why should dessert be exempt from the Bacon Makes Everything Better rule?