Typing “Bacon” in Google’s News search feature brings up all kinds of baconish news. Sometimes it’s about a person named Bacon and other times it’s about the tasty food. Today it digs up an article about pig farmers in England. They are under the threat of becoming extinct. With the rising cost of grain for the pigs it’s getting to expensive for the farmer to say in business.
The costs of pork products in England have gone up, but the farmers have yet to see any of that money. All they are asking for is their fair share so they can stay afloat. These farmers breed and care for their pigs in a free-roaming fashion, unlike a lot of US pig farms. The cost for raising pigs this way is higher but produces a better quality (in my opinion) bacon. If you check out the cause’s website pigsareworthit.com, you can learn about the situation and how they raise their pigs.
If you dig around on the website you will find an amusing song about pigs called “Stand by Your Ham”, it’s sung to the tune of “Stand by Your Man”. There is also a farm-aid style video for it too. So to all my England readers support your local pig farmers and they will keep you supplied with great tasting bacon.
LzRocks, owner of my favorite Bellevue shop “Your Mom’s”, sent me an email about one of the most amazing uses for bacon. A cup or bowl made out of woven bacon strips. The best part is you can fill with leafy greens and tomatoes, creating the ultimate breadless BLT.
Here are some more ideas for what you could fill the bacon cup with.
Ice Cream – I know there’s already bacon ice cream, but think about how great it would be to eat it out of a bacon bowl.
Thick Dips – If you can keep the bacon from shrinking, it could probably hold something like humus or spinch dip.
Shrimp – I think this could be a match made in bacon heaven. Throw a handful of shrimp in a bacon cup and top it with cocktail sauce, yum!
Steak Salad – Would this create the ultimate breadless bacon cheese burger? Someone will have to make it and see.
Eggs and Hash-Browns – Wow this sounds like a great breakfast for the bacon lover that’s on the go. Just grab a bacon breakfast cup and head out to work.
If you think of anymore fun things to fill the bacon cup with please share them via comments!
The PR guy for Wendy’s emailed me a few days ago about their new burger, the Spicy Baconator. He also told me that he was sorry I wasn’t a bigger fan of the Original. He thinks that this one may tickle my fancy more. I will not have time to try one this week, but once I do I will let you know about it.
If you’re wondering what this new extreme bacon burger is all about here is the run down. Just like the first Baconator this one has six strips of (hopefully crispy) bacon on top of two hamburgers. What make it spicy is the addition of two slices of Pepper Jack cheese, chipotle ranch sauce, and jalapenos. Wow that’s a lot of hot.
It is available now through mid-April. If you have tried one of these spicy monsters let me know what you think about it. Since the fine people at Wendy’s read this blog, I am sure they will hear your screams of joy (or pain).
Here is the video I took of the intense bacon eating contest at the first annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival. If for some unknown reason you don’t know what that is, I advise you to check out this recap right away.
This was the best part of the event. I can still remember it like it was yesterday. The smell of bacon, the roaring crowds (ohhhh bacon!), and the steady (some not so steady) eyes of the bacon Gladiators waiting to devour 3lbs of (cooked) bacon. It was a sight to see, I can’t wait till next year.
The Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival in Des Moines, Iowa was a bacontastic event. There was so much bacon goodness I don’t know if I can even give it justice with only my words. That’s why during this week I will be posting a lot of videos and photos of the event.
I would like to mention how impressed I am with Iowa’s capitol city, it’s clean, new, and the traffic is very mild. The people that live there are so friendly and they left a lasting impression on me. Des Moines is a city with a small town atmosphere. I felt safe and comfortable as soon as I got into town.
This is the part where I bore you with vacation pictures. The following pictures were uploaded live via my cell phone. Continue reading ‘Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival: Recap’
