It was the very last of 120 Bacon Maple Bars baked as a prototype at TopPot Doughnuts‘ flagship store in Seattle (where the excellent staff often has my favorite doughnut, a cinnamon-sugar ring, ready for me before I get to the counter).

After a photo-op, the knives came out, we cut it up and sampled it. Reviews were universally positive, though I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t note that the bar itself was a little on the doughy side, and I’m not sure about the provenance of the bacon. It was, however, quite tasty, and I would have liked more than the two bites I tried, though not a whole bar’s worth.

“BACONOPOLIS! SOLD OUT FRIDAY, APRIL 24TH 6-8PM

Join us in the Palace Ballroom for bacon’s biggest social event ever- Baconopolis!  Who doesn’t love bacon?  Even some vegetarians indulge in the occasional bacon treat because you just can’t beat the smoky deliciousness of bacon!  By attending Baconopolis!, you’ll get the opportunity to taste 5 bacons from different producers side by side, and sample creative bacon dishes such as braised bacon “pork and beans”, classic bacon carbonara, and butterscotch bacon bits.  Don’t miss this sensational bacon event.

Tickets are $20 plus tax and gratuity and must be purchased in advance. Tickets include one drink ticket for wine or beer, and a cash bar will be available.

To purchase tickets contact Christy at (206)448.2001 or via email at christinal@tomdouglas.com”

I wasn’t invited, I wasn’t even notified, but what makes it so exquisitely horrible is that it is going to be taking place right under me.  In my day job, I work right above the venue.  In the past we’ve suffered through the end of our work days with various delicious smells filtering up into our offices, but this is going to be too much.  I’m either going to have to storm the gate, or slink away home before the cooking starts.

Fortunately, I was on my way to breakfast. An extra order of bacon takes the edge off.

In looking around, I found that the blogger, Heather Lauer, has a book coming out called “Bacon: A Love Story” (pre-order link).  I don’t know much about the book, but the cover is certainly attractive and the contents look appetizing, with sections on making bacon, recipies with Bacon, Bacon history, and more. Read more, and pre-order on amazon

]]> http://baconisthenewblack.com/2009/03/bacon-a-love-story/feed/ 1 http://baconisthenewblack.com/2009/03/baconnaise-in-john-stewart-on-the-daily-show/ http://baconisthenewblack.com/2009/03/baconnaise-in-john-stewart-on-the-daily-show/#comments Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:59:31 +0000 admin http://www.baconisthenewblack.com/?p=80 After the Onion’s generally positive review of Bacconaise, we need to give equal time to John Stewart on The Daily Show.

He takes strong issue with both the taste of Bacconaise Lite (“I think my tounge just took a shit”):

and also what Bacconaise says about American character:

After the general bitching about how Bacon Salt tasted more like Bacos than bacon, we expected Baconnaise to taste like Bacos in mayo, but Baconnaise is actually much richer and more bacony by far than Bacon Salt.

But that wasn’t an unequovocal good thing:

It’s so rich and meaty that it’s actually a bit overwhelming both in smell and flavor. It should probably be used more moderately than we used it, and maybe cut with regular or light mayonnaise for recipe purposes.

One of their staffers summed up his objections to Baconnaise by crontrasting it with what is wonderful about real bacon:

Scott Tobias came through toward the end and delivered an entire polemic on the concept of Baconnaise: “The fun of bacon is that it’s crispy and it has a texture. You put bacon and mayo together, and you have a winning combination. But bacon needs to exist as something to chew on, not something that lingers in your mouth as some horrible… it shouldn’t be a chemical aftertaste. It’s real food. I want bacon, not a bacon aftertaste.

While voicing sympathy with that point of view, the writers still found that Baconnaise had its merits:

And you know what? We agree with him. But we still think Baconnaise is a pretty genius idea, and it won about the closest thing to A.V. Club taste-test approval we’ve seen from something that wasn’t entirely made out of sugar.

The satircal wing of the American popular media is by no means united though.  John Stewart doesn’t like what it symbolizes, or how how it tastes.

No, bacon RAP!

]]> http://baconisthenewblack.com/2009/01/bacon-wrap/feed/ 0 http://baconisthenewblack.com/2009/01/sweeet-sweeet-bacon/ http://baconisthenewblack.com/2009/01/sweeet-sweeet-bacon/#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:26:00 +0000 admin http://baconisthenewblack.com/?p=35 Check this out, candied bacon, complete with DIY instructions.

It’s candy coated!

It doesn’t look like much, but I’m sure its soothing!