Cook the Book: 'Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon'
Hey, do you like bacon? You do, huh? But do you love bacon? Do you consider yourself a bacon aficionado? If so, this week's Cook the Book is up your alley: Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon.
If you aren't familiar with the all-encompassing gourmet food empire that is Zingerman's allow me to sum it up for you briefly. All the way back in 1982, Paul Saginaw, Michael Monahan, and Ari Weinzweig opened a Jewish-style deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since then they've expanded to include a restaurant, catering company, coffee roaster, creamery, bakery, and a booming mail-order business. All of the facets of Zingerman's have a single goal: to bring together the best food products from around the world.
Weinzweig handles Zingerman's literary wing. In addition to penning a bi-monthly newsletter, he's written guides to cheese, bread, olive oil, and vinegar—but his newest treatise on bacon is perhaps his most intriguing.
Liking bacon is a given—pretty much everyone enjoys it, with the exception of those abstaining for religious or dietary restrictions of course. Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon tells the complete story of bacon, from farm to frying pan. If bacon-related quandaries keep you up at night, your search for answers if over.
Weinzweig has put together a comprehensive history of all things pork belly-related. Curious about the history of eating cured pork? Check. Interested in pig drovers in North America? He's got you covered.
Want to get up close and personal with artisanal bacon makers? You'll feel like old friends. Have you ever fantasized about going to a magical place called Camp Bacon? Well, you get the picture.
If you are still nursing the backwards notion that bacon only has a place on the breakfast table, this week's recipes will blow your mind. Everyday this week we will be sharing a bacon-centric recipe from Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon with you. Here are a few to look forward to: Shrimp and Grits with Benton's Bacon, Apple Bacon Crisp, Cheddar Bacon Scones, and South Carolina Red Rice.
Thanks to the good folks over at Zingerman's Press, we are giving away five (5) copies of Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon this week. All you have to do is tell us why you love bacon in the comments section below.
Five (5) people will be chosen at random among the eligible comments below. We're sorry, but entry is only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Comments will close Monday, September 14 at noon ET. The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.
Comments are closed: 340 Comments:
I don't need a reason. It's bacon, goddammit.
shoneyjoe at 1:12PM on 09/14/09
Bacon just makes the world a better place. I have Jewish friends that even eat bacon once a year. Dogs love bacon. Bacon is love.
katal1 at 1:13PM on 09/14/09
i love the way the fatty ends melt in my mouth!
_greenbean at 1:16PM on 09/14/09
salty, crunchy, meaty, sweet...and surround by luscious fat! What is not to love?
Figlet at 1:17PM on 09/14/09
Bacon is the foundation of flavor in about a zillion recipes. Bacon can be used for every type of meal. I have even used bacon in desert. I love bacon because it makes my mouth feel good, my taste buds rejoice and my mood improves. Bacon Rocks!
zilli at 1:18PM on 09/14/09
pork, fat, salt, smoke, sugar - nuff sed
oishi at 1:18PM on 09/14/09
Because it is delicious. And because it makes almost everything else delicious, too.
maryofdoom at 1:20PM on 09/14/09
The salty and smokey breath of my lovely wife after going to town on some Neuske's Applewood.
browngravy at 1:21PM on 09/14/09
Bacon is love!
fanghsing at 1:24PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon for who it is. It's got some fat, and it's ok with it. Sure there are all these fancy cured products out there, speck, guanciale, lardo, but bacon knows that no matter if I engage in some brief dalliance, it doesn't mean anything. I'm still coming home for some of that sweet, salty goodness.
P.S. Hey Vermont, when are you going to legalize Human Bacon Marriage. Equal Rights Now!!!!
SkinnyFatty at 1:30PM on 09/14/09
The smell of it sizzling in a pan.
annerska at 1:31PM on 09/14/09
There are a lot of reasons to love bacon, but top among them is when I was very young, my grandmother made me bacon grease gravy and biscuits. It was the best!
It wasn't until I was grown and read a biography of LBJ, in which they talked about Crider Gravy and being poor.
Such is the greatness of peasant foods, I guess. I love cornmeal mush as well, but the American public had to wait until it imported from Italy as polenta before they found out about it.
Thanks, Gran! And bacon rules!
andymcmorrow at 1:32PM on 09/14/09
Because it makes my taste buds sing!
cochon at 1:35PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because it gives my waistline a visible hug!
Mike13241 at 1:37PM on 09/14/09
what other food can improve the taste of chocolate, scallops, dates, and salad, to name but a few of bacon's friends.
mr guy at 1:44PM on 09/14/09
Because it is better than words can say.
jm chen at 1:44PM on 09/14/09
Because I've never had a bad piece of bacon, in fact most of the bacon I've eaten has been so very, very good.
Louisa at 1:47PM on 09/14/09
Bacon makes anything better and all by itself it makes my day better. Saturday night I made a pizza -- caramelized onions, BACON, sun dried tomatoes and gorgonzola. I ate the last piece for breakfast this morning. Nothing better than that.
ride&cook at 1:50PM on 09/14/09
Bacon needs no "why."
It is in itself just good.
We love the bacon.
cyberroo at 1:54PM on 09/14/09
Because it is so versatile and so good at what it does -- whether it's taking center stage or playing a supporting role, it remains a star.
jefegarn at 1:55PM on 09/14/09
bacon is delicious, but that's not the main reason i love it. i love it because it's so gosh darn useful. bacon fat can be used to fry things. it can be added to every course in a meal from appetizers, entrees, and desserts. it's magical.
fatthy at 1:56PM on 09/14/09
Because it's fun to make yourself.
arbeck at 1:58PM on 09/14/09
I loved bacon before it was trendy, while it was trendy, and now while other things are more trendy! Its recession proof and like a great black dress, it never goes out of style.
AddiE at 2:01PM on 09/14/09
In a world where fat equals flavor, bacon in nearly pure flavor. This would male bacon Nature's most nearly perfect food.
chrisbob at 2:04PM on 09/14/09
it's just perfect :)
mrsbao at 2:04PM on 09/14/09
Every thing tastes better with bacon! It also gives us bacon grease, the best cooking fat in the world, for which we should be grateful.
jackmurphy1969 at 2:04PM on 09/14/09
bacon=love.
reminds me of childhood saturday mornings... bacon and pancakes for breakfast, then exploring ann arbor with the family and sharing a chicken salad sandwich on cherry bread with my mom at zingerman's. one of the michigan eateries i miss most since moving to the west coast!
ladybutcher at 2:06PM on 09/14/09
Smoky, salty, sweet and meaty, simultaneously crisp and chewy - it's the perfect food.
bitchincamero at 2:07PM on 09/14/09
It is the memory-scent of all great Sunday mornings.
bookscooks at 2:09PM on 09/14/09
Because it was my secret pleasure when I was "not eating pig products," and it turned out to be the gateway drug to enjoying the whole swine.
poorstudent at 2:14PM on 09/14/09
Bacon really does make everything better. Especially grilled PB sandwiches...
emskyrooney at 2:14PM on 09/14/09
Because it is too-licious.
MegB at 2:14PM on 09/14/09
You are my bacon, my favorite pork food.
You make me happy, with eggs and toast.
You'l never know dear, how much I love you.
So please don't take my bacon away
Karen Moore at 2:16PM on 09/14/09
taste
tankwatkins at 2:16PM on 09/14/09
Sweet/savory.. smoky/salty... does it get better?
reubensandperrier at 2:16PM on 09/14/09
It's the only smell that I'm not in a hurry to get out of my apartment after cooking it.
RachelDP at 2:16PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon for it's beautiful texture, amazing flavors, versatility and it's ability to make something ordinary into something extraordinary.
puppychao at 2:17PM on 09/14/09
I didn't try bacon for the first time until two years ago (after a pseudo-kosher childhood and then a decade of vegetarianism). I was skeptical because it was so hyped up - i mean, there are lots of good foods in the world, how good could it be, really? (was also skeptical of lobster for the same reason) But, the experience actually lived up to the hype. It's somehow mysteriously more delicious than other salty, fatty, crispy things. I can't exactly say why. I live with a bunch of vegetarians, so i still don't eat bacon very often, but i'm glad for it every now and again.
ephraim at 2:19PM on 09/14/09
Bacon is perfect in every way!
caramel at 2:20PM on 09/14/09
I love how bacon inspires me. For instance, I was in the middle of doing something at work and all of a sudden the thought of bacon shortbread cookies popped into my head. Mmm, I thought, I'm going to have to try making those!
I've always said I'd love to wear a bacon fragrance. Will someone please develop that?
disbelief11 at 2:20PM on 09/14/09
I love how bacon can either satisfy a savory/sweet or salty craving one may have. I personally associate brown sugar coated bacon with Christmas morning. Mmmm bacon.
chefbuttercup at 2:21PM on 09/14/09
well, i met my husband at a bacon party back in 1996 (we were cutting edge!)...
sarah at 2:23PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon so much that it became the theme of my post-dissertation defense party on Friday.
jennts at 2:23PM on 09/14/09
because it makes everything better
Carioca at 2:24PM on 09/14/09
Oh wow, do I love bacon! I would have to say that the number one reason I love it at the moment is the savory, smoky flavor it contributes to my maple-bacon mini cupcakes! :)
cupcakemuffin at 2:25PM on 09/14/09
bacon = meat candy
razoo at 2:26PM on 09/14/09
Even pigs love bacon. There's nothing bad about bacon. Had two slices this morning.
dlundin at 2:26PM on 09/14/09
Why do I like bacon? Why not?
ehwhattaugonnado at 2:27PM on 09/14/09
My brain froze up as I went to answer the question because a thousand or so reasons all came up at the same time. So I got up and went to cook some bacon that I just picked up at the farmers' market this weekend. I love bacon because just mentioning bacon doesn't just remind me of something or cause me to ponder any how or why, it makes me get up and cook bacon. It was the answer to its own question and a damned tasty one at that.
God bless you, and Praise the Lard.
thebeef at 2:27PM on 09/14/09
Because as my son says...."if it's got bacon in it...it's gotta be good."
jsd517 at 2:29PM on 09/14/09
As the chefs from Animal in Los Angeles have proven, there is no wrong time to eat bacon!
Bria at 2:30PM on 09/14/09
Bacon is the "candy of meats"!!!!!
bruisedbuddha at 2:31PM on 09/14/09
It's the one final thing I couldn't give up when I tried to become a vegetarian. It adds flavour to everything, from burgers to baked beans and even doughnuts.
avaryne at 2:37PM on 09/14/09
In Greek and Roman mythology, ambrosia is the food of the gods, granting immortality to all who ate it. Something, however, was lost in translation to English, because the food of the gods is really bacon.
I love bacon because it is the food of the gods.
vinpenny at 2:37PM on 09/14/09
They smell alone just makes me hungry. Even after eating a meal!
Grainiac at 2:38PM on 09/14/09
Salt, smoke, and fat -- is there anything else that matters? It truly is the magic ingredient that makes any food better.
johncb at 2:38PM on 09/14/09
Cause it's salty goodness baby!
arm1970 at 2:41PM on 09/14/09
What else evokes such odes and joyous praises? Bacon lifts the spirits, increases the appeal of everyday dishes, and can be included in any course on any occasion. Bacon is the everyfood. And I love it.
MeganBeth at 2:43PM on 09/14/09
it brings a savory salty smokiness to everything
korovka at 2:45PM on 09/14/09
It is the gateway meat
jasmall at 2:50PM on 09/14/09
Because just smelling a braised pork belly that's crisping over red hot coals to finish is freakin' heaven.
cooksultant at 2:51PM on 09/14/09
It reminds me of family breakfasts at Christmas!
terplinz at 2:52PM on 09/14/09
It is the one meat I didn't give up after eating vegan!
kevineoman at 2:53PM on 09/14/09
just look at the list of wannabes... turkey bacon, tofu/soy bacon, bac-o's, to name a few. *salivating*
shuffer at 2:54PM on 09/14/09
Because it's so perfect when covered with the runny yolk of a sunny-side up egg.
dashofginger at 2:55PM on 09/14/09
It's the critical component in the best sandwich in the world: the BLT
MadameTart at 2:56PM on 09/14/09
At various points in my life, I have considered going vegetarian, but there is only one thing holding me back -- BACON. I will not give up my Sunday morning bacon. The crispy texture and smoky flavor is pure heaven.
LizGiff at 3:00PM on 09/14/09
Because bacon fixes everything...
Rottenmom at 3:06PM on 09/14/09
Because bacon comes from that most magical animal, the pig!
Nezrite at 3:11PM on 09/14/09
Bacon lubricates my joints perfectly.
beano at 3:12PM on 09/14/09
Because bacon is bad for me, but it tastes SO good. Sweet, savory -- doesn't matter, it's all delicious.
(I have to admit hesitation in trying chicken fried bacon, though.)
bansidhe at 3:13PM on 09/14/09
Do you really need a reason to love bacon? I agree with LizGiff -- I was a vegetarian for a time, but would miss bacon too much to go back now!
DinnerDuJour at 3:14PM on 09/14/09
crunch, smoke and salt
slowdownandeat at 3:15PM on 09/14/09
Very tasty, in all its forms: thin-cut and thick-cut; strips and little pieces; good for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; can wrap it around other tasty things or layer with other tasty things. It's good salty and sweet and peppery (at Christmas, everyone fights over the candied thick-cut bacon that's served as a appetizer).
jolene278 at 3:16PM on 09/14/09
I love how just a little bit can give so much flavor and depth to any dish. I also cannot get enough of it in maple syrup.
jammin83 at 3:18PM on 09/14/09
Because it has never truly been improved upon, although many have tried. It is pure heaven in it's most basic form.
tgrabler at 3:19PM on 09/14/09
because it's delicious? I mean what else is there?
jonkeane at 3:21PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon becuase it makes everyone smile when I serve it.
Suzzanne at 3:23PM on 09/14/09
I have a kosher friend who recently copped to eating (and enjoying) a lobster. Heating that, I blurted out, "Personally, I would've gone with some bacon."
'Nuff said?
Dee at 3:25PM on 09/14/09
Cause its pork.
ESNY1077 at 3:26PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because it can be the star of a recipe or a wonderful supporting flavor. It also stands alone so well, especially stolen off the cookie sheet after my fiance has oven-cooked a pound of it.
jcwest47 at 3:28PM on 09/14/09
Bacon ice cream. Two great tastes that taste great together.
solidgoldmacher at 3:29PM on 09/14/09
i think, therefore i eat bacon.
yongo at 3:35PM on 09/14/09
because it taste good mverno@roadrunner.com
mverno at 3:35PM on 09/14/09
There is no other perfect flavor combination in my mind than bacon and a sip of milk. Take that, vegetables!
IbisFlight at 3:38PM on 09/14/09
Of all the reasons vegetarians give for giving up vegetarianism, bacon is the one I hear most often.
kuhnjj at 3:38PM on 09/14/09
Why do I love bacon? Because it's good for me!
My emotional state that is...
cgreggo at 3:42PM on 09/14/09
Because it's salty, crispy, and full of pork fat. And delicious. Really, why would I love bacon?
threedogkitchen at 3:43PM on 09/14/09
Braised Pork belly!
BLTS
Pasta Carbonara
Nemis at 3:44PM on 09/14/09
It makes my dog very happy. And me.
KB in Toledo at 3:44PM on 09/14/09
because it is perfect. salty, crispy, fatty, and delish!
llama at 3:44PM on 09/14/09
It's a multi-sensory experience: the taste is a given, but it sizzles so alluringly in the pan, the smell turns the kitchen into an aerial appetizer, it turns a reddish-brown color to let you known it's done, and then (when cooked the way I love it) it bends just a little before giving way. If you add in my likely supernatural bacon-sense, that's six, not just five senses being assaulted (in the kindest way) by bacon.
EvilTimmy at 3:49PM on 09/14/09
Ah bacon. There is not a faster way to the heart of any of the people in our home. When we had a rough start to the weekend Saturday morning with an overflowing washer I immediately went downstairs and defrosted some bacon. It's impossible to be unhappy if you can smell bacon cooking. :-)
HSlater351 at 4:05PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because it's delicious by itself, and it makes everything else better!
melting at 4:15PM on 09/14/09
cdziuba@aol.com I love bacon because it smells so good and because I so seldom eat it that when I do, it's a taste explosion.
cdziuba at 4:15PM on 09/14/09
People, please! Enough with the bacon already. If you put bacon in everything it stops being a treat. It's not really that good for you. Are we all in such a sad state that we are comfort food-ing our way to heart disease and strokes? No more bacon articles, it's like shooting fish in a barrel.
Tallula Hamburger at 4:18PM on 09/14/09
it's the most acceptable method of eating big pieces of fat.
skim at 4:21PM on 09/14/09
because it makes my tastebuds happy.
andshewas at 4:25PM on 09/14/09
When bacon is just a little bit chewy (best achieved through baking it) it is like the heavens opened straight into your mouth. I have bacon salt just so everything can taste like bacon (a good thing when you're in college)
Beanalicious1 at 4:29PM on 09/14/09
Bacon is good for me! That's why!
timferlito at 4:31PM on 09/14/09
Because it's awesome!
eatingme at 4:35PM on 09/14/09
Zingermans! A land of magic and mystery! And bacon! delicious bacon...
bacon, salt, fat. crispiness and chewyness and an amazing amount of umami all in one go.
Anran at 4:36PM on 09/14/09
because its bacon
oregonpinot at 4:38PM on 09/14/09
cheap and delicious!
drew13000 at 4:40PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon in the springtime.
I love bacon in the fall,
I love bacon in the summer, when it sizzles,
I love bacon in the winter, when it drizzles,
I love bacon every moment,
every moment of the year,
I love bacon,
Why oh why do I love bacon?
Because it's bad for me, I fear.
Wonder if Cole Porter loved bacon, too?
bessfour at 4:43PM on 09/14/09
Bacon makes everything taste better! Latest example, bacon and chocolate chip cookies, and bacon chocolate muffins! Lots of bacon sampling during cooking = yum!
AngeloFresh at 4:56PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because it's sooo delicious!!! My cousin has said, and I agree with him, that any food can be made better by adding bacon. I haven't thought of anything that breaks the rule yet!
darragh24 at 4:56PM on 09/14/09
Because life's no good without it.
bigfatmouth at 5:23PM on 09/14/09
Jim Gaffigan says it better than I ever could: "Oh my greasy lover bacon!"
MollyMolly at 5:27PM on 09/14/09
It makes all foods better - eating it right now crumbled into my mac 'n cheese!
Mary_Eats at 5:32PM on 09/14/09
There is nothing else that tastes as good.....
balabusta at 5:38PM on 09/14/09
its crispy, salty, meaty, greasy and can make a meal anytime of day
ssultan23 at 5:41PM on 09/14/09
oh man. why do i love bacon? um....it's just soooo good! such delight in a little piece, from start to finish - cooking, eating, saving the bacon grease in the pan for later. mmmm!
nothing brings people together like bacon. =)
tguidici at 5:44PM on 09/14/09
Because it's one of those scents that permeates the house while it's cooking, and you just know something good is coming your way!
bobcatsteph3 at 5:53PM on 09/14/09
why do I love almighty bacon?
because its:
- versatile
- moisture-producing for lean meats
- fattening
- its pork
- I'm Canadian
- its used in rolladen *drewl*
- its good with seafood
- its used globally in many cultures
- it's got many forms and names
..among many others :)
hungrychristel at 5:53PM on 09/14/09
Because candied bacon ice cream is one of the best things I've ever eaten.
Runningwithbeaters at 5:58PM on 09/14/09
Because the delicious smell reminds me of lazy Saturday mornings, back when I was growing up.
PeteRepeat42 at 5:58PM on 09/14/09
because it's greasy and fatty.
hungrygirl at 5:58PM on 09/14/09
I was a vegetarian for about 10 years, but during all that time, the smell of bacon would drive my crazy. I'd crave it nonstop, and no fake-bacon substitutes could satiate the craving. My first bite of a BLT three months ago was like heaven - I fell in love again. How could I not? Bacon weaves that kind of spell...
ford2prefect at 6:09PM on 09/14/09
Bacon just tastes wonderful. It makes almost everything it touches better, it moisturizes, adds flavor, it's love.
Erisian Saint at 6:11PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because one piece makes me happy, two pieces make me love the world around me, and three means I can consider sharing with someone else. Also, nothing completes a breakfast like a crispy, salty, smoky piece of bacon dipped in high grade maple syrup. Chew slow and long, savoring it, or just dig in like its the last bacon on earth. Of course, I also hold a special place in my heart for salt pork, bacon's naughtier cousin. Always in the freezer and ready to add to anything!
bluberryfields3 at 6:16PM on 09/14/09
Can't make a BLT without it.
dmcavanagh at 6:32PM on 09/14/09
Because my dad used to make big breakfasts on Saturdays when I was growing up, and the smell of bacon flavors every precious memory I have of those mornings.
miskadventures at 6:38PM on 09/14/09
you can never go wrong with bacon...can't really overcook it because it still tastes good crunchy. can't really undercook it because it still tastes good chewy. it tastes good with pretty much everything under the sun, including CHOCOLATE. try it people - chocolate covered bacon...your mouth won't know what hit it.
lollie at 6:43PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because it can be crispy when fried or grilled, but bake it and it can be crispy or soft and chewy. Like that all occasion little black dress in your closet goes with everything, bacon also goes with everything and can go anywhere... breakfast, lunch, dinner, perhaps a snack, bacon has your back. In-laws on the way at the last minute, cook up some bacon the house will smell nice and they won't realize you forgot to take out the garbage. Apples, potatoes, shrimp, peppers, onions, maple donuts, you name it bacon can be paired with it. Hark the bacon is calling me, so I must end this comment.
melissah33 at 6:49PM on 09/14/09
it really is a versatiel meat that goes with ALOT of things
agordon10 at 6:59PM on 09/14/09
Several years ago I was recovering from surgery and had no appetite. I was staying at my parents' until I was better, and one day Ma fried up some bacon at breakfast. The aroma literally woke me up. I ran (ok, shuffled slowly) downstairs and ate the first large meal I'd been able to stomach in weeks. Seeing this, we bought a ton of it. I had bacon with every meal for two weeks, and I never got sick of it.The smell, the texture, the way it can go with just about anything... that's why I love bacon.
Nosey at 7:04PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because greasy fingers mean magic dishes.
annabanannas at 7:09PM on 09/14/09
bacon bacon bacon bacon bacon!
cobaltab at 7:19PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because bacon loves me.
finewinendine at 7:23PM on 09/14/09
SMOKED PIG FAT
DanielJ at 7:24PM on 09/14/09
Bacon is God's way of telling us that he loves us and wants us to be happy (apologies to Ben Franklin).
shalomblack at 7:32PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because ANYTHING is better with bacon (and because of goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon finished with a balsamic vinegar reduction!)
InJuneau at 7:52PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because I used to hate bacon--the smell of burning pork fat isn't what I want to wake up to. But it's one of those foods that just needed to put in its right time zone aka DINNER TIME. Also, dessert time and lunch time and (if I drank enough the night before) brunch time.
Wayward Daughter at 8:08PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon with an enduring passion to make up for all those childhood years when I didn't even know it was lovable (darned anti-pig Jewish parents!)
thatgrrl at 8:11PM on 09/14/09
It adds a special taste to a meal that nothing else can. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
toastworthy at 8:22PM on 09/14/09
It is salty and flavorful. It is a great complement to pretty much everything and I just love it. Bacon is just so incredibly sensual
risanom at 8:30PM on 09/14/09
Thick-sliced pepper bacon from the Fresh Market-nothing else compares.
TNFarmer at 8:36PM on 09/14/09
Because we're supposed to eat fat and salt but they're not good for us. This is the perfect guilty pleasure.
ky2here at 8:37PM on 09/14/09
if you look up delicious in the dictionary, there is a strip of bacon
foodieteen at 9:31PM on 09/14/09
hickory smoked - sugar cured what else could you need scooter7018@aol.com
scooter7018 at 9:58PM on 09/14/09
Bacon, the sound and smell of it cooking on the stove makes my cats come out of hiding and my dog sit at attention in the hopes that I will share even a tiny little portion of my treasure with them.
lauralou at 10:01PM on 09/14/09
bacon has such a unique texture and taste. Just about any recipe is enhanced by adding bacon to it.
Thanks for the giveaway!
js2222 at 10:03PM on 09/14/09
I love bacon because it has so many dimensions, so many possibilities:
salty, sweet, smoky
savory, dessert
dry, greasy
chewy, crisp
thin, thick, brittle, sturdy
on it's own, a primary ingredient, a garnish
diced, lardons
etc.
Josh Baugher at 10:20PM on 09/14/09
Wow, I have commented already and returned to see what everyone else has to contribute. I've never seen so many comments before, sure it's true that I'm sorta new to this site, but WOW! A lot of people love this sublime culinary delight. I have been dreaming of crispy bacon dipped into silky, melted dark chocolate and lighting up a stick of bacon incense. Yeah, these are delicious dreams....
zilli at 10:56PM on 09/14/09
because it's just not brunch without bacon
graciecat at 11:01PM on 09/14/09
Because it is one of the major food groups that makes everything taste better along with chocolate, butter and champagne.
Oenonome at 11:03PM on 09/14/09
nom nom bacon
sandy89 at 11:18PM on 09/14/09
When I cook bacon, I cook a whole package at a time. That way, whenever I feel the urge, I can put bacon into any recipe I want. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. Sometimes even a snack.
The smell of that much bacon lingers in the house for a couple of days and it makes me with there was a bacon candle to accent my chocolate Hershey's candle.
Justin N at 11:20PM on 09/14/09
Bacon is meat nirvana. It pairs well with every vegetable, even cold ones. It improves everything it accompanies. Bacon fat has become a part of my kitchen, and bacon guest stars in many of the things I make, from pizza to chicken to cupcakes. I own 3 bacon cookbooks already. The best reason of all, is that bacon and onions are best friends.
noxturne at 11:40PM on 09/14/09
Because it's magical, and God's way of showing us that He loves us.
madball911 at 12:05AM on 09/15/09
Because it reminds me of my childhood when everything tasted better. Why you may ask? Because my mother kept a small coffee can of bacon fat that she used for fried foods. That's why.
palatineboor at 12:08AM on 09/15/09
I love bacon simply because it goes with EVERYTHING!!! besides the obvious breakfasts its good in soups and chowders, salads, stuffings, barding birds, wrapping veggies and even desserts(bacon maple cupcakes or the now popular chocolate covered bacon :D
There is o where in my home bacon is not welcome and thats why i love it!
hoff_83 at 12:12AM on 09/15/09
Now I just want one of those "Bacon is a Vegetable" t-shirts. Dammit.
TheKitchenette at 12:16AM on 09/15/09
The question is: why wouldn't you love bacon? And moreover, if you don't, why do you hate America?
ClearlyDiluted at 12:30AM on 09/15/09
Bacon, crispy, crunchy bacon......is a food group isn't it??
Ever had a Peanut Butter and Bacon Sammich?? Omgosh its Heavenly!
thanks
greeeneyedwhwoman at 12:56AM on 09/15/09
Because it reminds me of weekend brunches, when someone made me bacon piled on eggs benedict.
hoipolloi at 4:51AM on 09/15/09
I'm a bacon-a-holic who never passes up a chance to eat this culinary treat.
sassy1 at 6:31AM on 09/15/09
I've never had a bacon dish that I didn't like! Well, OK, the bacon old fashioned was a little iffy, but that's more because I'm not a fan of bourbon :-)
DuncanHusky at 8:28AM on 09/15/09
I love it because I feel so decadent when I eat it. I don't like sweets, but loooove my bacon.
rilabby at 8:48AM on 09/15/09
Anything + Bacon = 2398473 times better :-)
Cupcake819 at 9:41AM on 09/15/09
salt, sweet, smoke, fat.
vitpil at 9:48AM on 09/15/09
Once you start using good smoked bacon from a butcher you will never go back to the stuff in the packs at the store. It will make amost anything better.
slvance at 10:07AM on 09/15/09
salt + fat + crunch + free book about salt and fat and crunch = heaven.
browsell at 10:32AM on 09/15/09
Bacon makes everything better. Bacon also reminds me of visits from my godfather and his family -- growing up, my mom didn't make bacon often because we would j ust scarf all of it, but everytime they came we had bacon. =)
kfarrel3 at 10:35AM on 09/15/09
Bacon is fantastic. A very small amount can be added to any number of dishes and has a big flavor impact. It adds flavor to greens, seafood, even dessert ... and I hear it's good with breakfast too. It's fairly easy to cure at home, and it freezes very well. There's very little not to love, actually.
hungryengineer at 10:49AM on 09/15/09
Bacon. Additive, delicious, salty, crispy, versitile.
What's not to love?
npfldmom at 11:14AM on 09/15/09
I love how it is salty, smoky, sweet, crispy, and fatty all at the same time. It makes everything taste better.
Vanderbecca at 11:34AM on 09/15/09
I love bacon because it represents all that is good in the food world, plus truth, justice and the American Way!
Mizbee at 12:05PM on 09/15/09
Because everyone knows that true biscuits and gravy (the perfect food) is made with bacon gravy. Never, ever, ever sausage.
yellowrice at 12:26PM on 09/15/09
I love bacon because it's delicious...and my Mom said that there's nothing like frying bacon to get your man's attention!
misplacedtexan at 12:59PM on 09/15/09
Porky fatty crispy goodness
Pupster at 1:16PM on 09/15/09
Because bacon can improve anything. There is a (now-defunct) bar here in Des Moines that served a "bacon shot." Half Crown Royal, half Butter Schnapps, and an inch-long piece of crispy bacon. Swig and chew and it's like a pancakes and bacon breakfast in your mouth. Not sure how it works, just that it does.
Rhetor at 1:48PM on 09/15/09
Because it tastes good.
sidebernie at 1:54PM on 09/15/09
I would give up barbecue before I would give up bacon.
lemons at 1:57PM on 09/15/09
Everything is better with bacon.
peglar at 1:59PM on 09/15/09
The best part from the perfect animal - pure fatty goodness! I bow before the benevolent swine.
EliEats at 2:09PM on 09/15/09
Bacon is fatty, meaty goodness.
emeraldreverie at 2:15PM on 09/15/09
divine fatty salty meat. yum yum yum.
lisenz at 2:16PM on 09/15/09
I love bacon because it is delicious and yummy and tasty and good. It works in sandwiches and vegetables and ice cream and breakfast plates and everything else. Who wouldn't love bacon?
jbramley at 2:16PM on 09/15/09
BACON BACON BACON - food of the gods
ashtonsh at 2:17PM on 09/15/09
because bacon is meat candy!
Captcha at 2:21PM on 09/15/09
i already won a book from SE awhile ago, so I tend to keep myself out of the running to win more because i don't want to be a prize hog (no pun intended), but i simply can't resist this one-praise the lard!
as dave grohl so aptly put in the foo fighters' tour rider: "bacon. i call it 'god's currency'. hell, if it could be breathed, i would. bacon in any form is great. not as an entree, but just in general"
now give me that crispy book-oink! oink!
gastronomeg at 2:28PM on 09/15/09
I love the way it crunches and melts in your mouth at the same time!
sammie at 2:40PM on 09/15/09
Because I grew up in Iowa. And you should try it with cream of mushroom soup. (Campbell's, of course.) :-)
Michael Z at 2:42PM on 09/15/09
Everything is better with bacon.
peglar at 2:42PM on 09/15/09
Smoke, fat, pork.........what more could a man want?
1stmakearoux at 2:43PM on 09/15/09
the taste! I love the variety... smokey, salty, sweet, hot, peppery with all of them giving everything that is cooked with them incredible flavor. The addition of bacon to any recipe makes it better. I've made bacon chocolate chip cookies, bacon pancakes, all sorts of vegetables with bacon (green beans and Kale/Collards are my favorite). I've even cured my own pork bellies... I've already purchased "Bacon: A Love Story" and subscribe to 3 bacon blogs rss feeds. This would be a great addition to my obsession (although my wife will think I've sunk deeper into this infatuation if I get a copy)....
wookielnx at 2:48PM on 09/15/09
sweet, salty, smoky, meaty, fatty. The perfect pork!
dulcey11 at 2:51PM on 09/15/09
Bacon is just delicious.
It's a guilty pleasure.
Silvia at 2:51PM on 09/15/09
Bacon is the food of the Gods.
andysophiemom at 2:54PM on 09/15/09
There is nothing that isn't made just a little bit better with bacon.
iahawk89 at 2:57PM on 09/15/09
Yummm. It's nice and salty and smokey. And there really is not better breakfast.
iced_coffee at 2:59PM on 09/15/09
I like the way bacon tastes in my mouth.
mlbin55 at 3:05PM on 09/15/09
Because bacon can be an entree, bacon can be a side dish, bacon can be a condiment, bacon can be a dessert, bacon can be a topping. It is a true kitchen multi-tasker.
kuromu at 3:17PM on 09/15/09
Bacon goes with everything or can be by itself. Can be eaten with any meal of the day and as any dish. There are low fat and high fat options. You can wrap it around different foods or put it inside other foods.
rseligst at 3:26PM on 09/15/09
Bacon is what Bacon Does, and that's all I have to say about that!!
lamora at 3:33PM on 09/15/09
I am not a fan of fruit and meat but bacon, sweet, sweet bacon, is my only exception. What DOESN'T bacon go with!?
GretchinF at 3:33PM on 09/15/09
there is nothing is better to wake up smelling (especially when camping) than bacon
bisbee at 3:58PM on 09/15/09
bacon is crunchy, salty, super delicious, and tastes good with things both salty and sweet. What more could you want?
hayleythecaker at 4:15PM on 09/15/09
It's healthy.
alphazack at 4:23PM on 09/15/09
Cooking bacon emits thE most recognizable, comforting, inviting (if not tantalizing), wonderful aroma possible. And that's just it's smell. We haven't even gotten to what it does the moment it hits your tongue: plumes of goodness whiff up your nostrils, causing saliva to fill your mouth in order to move the glory along to your tummy without haste. It brings your mind to childhood memories on a farm you may or may not have ever known.. It makes your tummy simultaneously happy and dissatisfied, causes a toe or ten to curl and puts your arms in automatic mode to deliver more.
Deelishush at 4:45PM on 09/15/09
Though bacon may not be a very healthy food, I really enjoy its versatility. I've even seen chocolate-covered-bacon ice cream!
Shorty82524 at 4:56PM on 09/15/09
Why? Why?! Because it's bacon!
Tactful_Cactus at 4:59PM on 09/15/09
Bacon. How can you go wrong?
LWallace at 5:24PM on 09/15/09
bacon is comfort and warmth. bacon is childhood. bacon is weekdays and weekends. bacon is memories. bacon is grown-up. bacon is love.
hollienicole at 5:43PM on 09/15/09
Crispy, salty pork
Gentle wafting smells like home
Makes my stomach growl
gloevedun at 5:47PM on 09/15/09
The love of bacon is hardwired. Wild boar cooked over a fire must be one of the first social human experiences. It's still one of the best.
Salt, fat. Sweet and savory.
chascates at 5:50PM on 09/15/09
really enjoy
allelect at 5:52PM on 09/15/09
Bacon just _is_. It's an element of childhood that has grown up into something that can be manipulated a variety of culinary ways, but at its core will always simply be delicious.
bastling at 6:00PM on 09/15/09
Because it's delicious. Plain and simple.
suburbanamnesia at 6:06PM on 09/15/09
It's what's for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
TeriinTokyo at 6:11PM on 09/15/09
bacon makes things taste better, with or just by itself.
maomau at 6:16PM on 09/15/09
bacon tastes incredible. I ALWAYS have some in my fridge. breakfast for dinner, thrown into a pasta, crumbled onto a salad, added to a sandwich. It is a necessity!
momtimestwo at 6:43PM on 09/15/09
Just don't cook bacon while you're nekkid !!!
onepercent99 at 7:01PM on 09/15/09
Because, quoting Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction, "Bacon tastes gooood".
bookwormchef at 7:20PM on 09/15/09
Bacon helped me get a second date with my fiancee! He had joked with me during our first meal together about loving bacon, so for our next date I cooked for him - and put bacon in EVERY dish. Sealed it around a pork loin, wrapped some ears of corn, even did some crumbles over ice cream (surprisingly good!). Apparently the meal was a winner :)
Gipsygrrl at 7:23PM on 09/15/09
Because a dab of fat behind each ear drives all the men wild!!!!
itsworthalook at 7:48PM on 09/15/09
It's simple. Bacon is the food of the gods. While as a stand-alone, its damn difficult to beat, as a complement for other flavors, it truly shines.
Consider:
Filet Mignon - wrapped in bacon. *sigh*
Pork and Beans? Be honest - its *BACON* and beans.
Deep Fried, bacon wrapped hotdogs? To die for.
And when you can't use the actual bacon, the rendered fat is there to give flavor, lubricate, etc.. (Eggs over easy in baconfat.. Who cares if i die young?)
Chocolate covered bacon - Salt and sweet in one bite - two great addictions in one serving!
ffr2822 at 8:00PM on 09/15/09
Perfect for salt and substance.
marieinla at 8:29PM on 09/15/09
I pride myself in eating from the 5 Basic Food Groups daily. I especially make sure I get 4 daily servings from the Bacon Group.
Wait. What? There's no Bacon Group in the Food Pyramid?
Oh well. Then I'll just eat it because I freaking LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!
kayrob at 8:40PM on 09/15/09
Crispy, salty, meaty deliciousness.
thehostess at 9:51PM on 09/15/09
I like Bacon therefore I am
accidentalepicurean at 10:03PM on 09/15/09
According to my friends, I'm engaged to bacon.....
merganp at 10:28PM on 09/15/09
Bacon is probably the number one food that brings up childhood memories for me. Ahh, I love you, bacon.
Nate Johnson at 10:49PM on 09/15/09
I'm a bad Jew. I like bacon (as do most of us, actually) becaue it's just salty, crunchy goodness that adds to any meal!
ssdf23 at 10:50PM on 09/15/09
The smell alone is enough. But beyond that, it's versatile, it adds amazing flavor and texture, and it is equally good on it's own or in something. It can make a boring dish, palatable, and a great dish, divine. When you know a dish needs something, and you can't for the life of you figure out what, it's bacon.
kimberlymac at 10:58PM on 09/15/09
A little goes a long way. Yeah, it's fatty and salty and everything that's supposed to be bad for you, but a rasher of bacon packs a bigger flavor wallop in a dish than a half-pound of beef.
dbcurrie at 12:39AM on 09/16/09
Salty, greasy perfection. Mmm.
piepie at 12:39AM on 09/16/09
Because I like to honor the pigs that gave all for my meal.
Helldog at 1:25AM on 09/16/09
Seriously, why wouldn't you like it?! BLT!
yummybreakfast at 2:47AM on 09/16/09
I like bacon on a bacon-tomato sandwich! It's the best!
muprofeng at 6:29AM on 09/16/09
I love bacon-the hot fat, the salty smoky goodness-win win! Thanks!
dglitter at 6:36AM on 09/16/09
You know those lines that separate the different categories on the food pyramid? They're slices of bacon. And the bold lines that surround the entire triangle? You guessed it, thick cut bacon. Everything goes well with bacon.
bumpducks at 9:05AM on 09/16/09
I love bacon because it cures hang-overs (scientifically proven) and smells wonderful to cook at any time of the day. It makes a great breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
azhura at 10:31AM on 09/16/09
Because it's yummy! Any other reason is not needed!
amytug77 at 10:39AM on 09/16/09
Bacon is the ultimate guilty pleasure, and yet the cost will not hurt your wallet!
zina1017 at 11:20AM on 09/16/09
Because it's so hot right now... off the skillet.
crafty at 11:38AM on 09/16/09
Because it makes everything better
Jacquie at 1:01PM on 09/16/09
On account of its deliciousness... that is all.
velcerick at 1:16PM on 09/16/09
Bacon may very well be the best comfort food ever!
superzombie at 1:26PM on 09/16/09
Bacon makes almost anything tastes better!
etirv at 1:32PM on 09/16/09
Because there's no reason not to!
Carly705 at 1:54PM on 09/16/09
Bacon is heavenly! Any dish is made better with bacon in it.
Anniebannanie at 1:55PM on 09/16/09
Because it is delicious, and comes with the added bonus of offending superstitious people.
malecki at 2:36PM on 09/16/09
My parents are thai, they hate all other foods. Except for bacon. My mom makes one mean BLT and even with all of the kids out of the house now, they still make them as their only American dish. Something about the way it makes the house smell, the crunch of the first bite, and the salty smoky flavor.....
snackpig at 3:12PM on 09/16/09
Can't go wrong with fat and salt...
kh503 at 3:16PM on 09/16/09
crispy, fatty, smokey, salty, ummmm....
aungeinphx at 4:26PM on 09/16/09
Bacon reminds me of a girl I went to high school with. My first love; still haunts me...
czken at 4:48PM on 09/16/09
I love bacon because it pretty much makes everything better, and because of it's crispy, salty, deliciousness.
Samwar at 4:54PM on 09/16/09
Because I love breakfast and bacon makes breakfast awesome. But seriously, it's bacon...that's the reason in itself.
wunami at 5:34PM on 09/16/09
fatty, salty, crispy deliciousness!
foodchemistry at 5:43PM on 09/16/09
Nothing says summer like a big ol BLT made with your own grden grown tomatoes and more than 4 slices of quality smoked bacon squeezes between some toasted sour dough with a bunch of real mayonaise and fresh lettuce, ahhhh. Like Michael Jackson used to say, it's BAD!
elegant wino at 6:25PM on 09/16/09
bacon is like oxygen. you don't really know why you like it. you just know that you need it.
ghinson at 7:07PM on 09/16/09
mmm... bacon.
Friday at 7:30PM on 09/16/09
For me just the smell of it makes me happy, but oh, the taste! Thank you!
Tina12312 at 9:06PM on 09/16/09
Mmmm..good with all foods from sweet to savory.
e11ebasi at 9:32PM on 09/16/09
i love everything about bacon...the taste, the smell, the sound of it frying...
PoignantTuna at 9:50PM on 09/16/09
bacon = the king of all meat products
arttochokehearts at 11:37PM on 09/16/09
Ah, bacon, how I love thee- Cooking with bacon is how I brought my lovely once-vegetarian wife back into the world of meat. It is my culinary savior!
doctorcop at 9:43AM on 09/17/09
the smell and being extra crispy is the best!
KCapogrossi at 10:18AM on 09/17/09
Bacon is perfection
a89hernandez at 12:54PM on 09/17/09
because it's magic!
chinese5spice at 1:05PM on 09/17/09
Because it's just SO good!
butterflyamy19 at 1:11PM on 09/17/09
The aroma smells like home wherever you are!
suladuck at 1:13PM on 09/17/09
Vosges Chocolate Bars: Applewood Smoked Bacon, Alder wood smoked salt, and deep milk chocolate.
hmgreen616 at 1:15PM on 09/17/09
The smell, the taste, the smokiness and, of course, the salt.
Shelby at 1:19PM on 09/17/09
It brings people together. Everyone goes out of their way when bacon is involved.
KSmith at 1:23PM on 09/17/09
bacon could bring about world peace!
cdeegs at 1:24PM on 09/17/09
I canoe down the river in my bacon boat with the wind not flowing though my hair because the bacon grease is holding it down smoothly. It is tranquil even as the beaver chews on the delicious bacon hull. Since my bacon boat is now taking on water I decide to pitch my bacon tent and curl up in my bacon sleeping bag which is glorious even when a hungry bear is attempting to rip my impetuous bacon tent apart. In the morning after my bacon bath I set forth and discover how Noah got all the animals on the arc. He took a bacon bath my friend. The animals from all over love you and want to be your friend. Be free and enjoy its greasy goodness.
brads at 1:25PM on 09/17/09
Bacon reminds me of home.
AdriBarr at 1:27PM on 09/17/09
I love bacon because it is forbidden since I'm supposed to keep kosher. Every one wants what they can't have!
mj_sklar at 1:59PM on 09/17/09
Perfect meal is grilled cheese WITH bacon and creamy tomato soup at my local spot, Surly Girl. Although, bacon always seems to make everything taste better. Even cupcakes, blue cheese, and alcohol!
CheeseRks at 2:09PM on 09/17/09
I love bacon because bacon loves me.
beano at 2:13PM on 09/17/09
I love bacon so much that when invited to other people's houses for brunch I bring bacon just in case they weren't thinking of making any. I love bacon so much I have actually made and eaten bacon maple ice cream.
latenac at 2:36PM on 09/17/09
because it's mainly pork fat.
bca102 at 2:55PM on 09/17/09
Bacon just enhances everything!
dag888888 at 3:38PM on 09/17/09
Bacon is the bomb!
gb944 at 4:24PM on 09/17/09
Bacon.
America's Umami.
ajeys at 4:40PM on 09/17/09
Because bacon is so good, most food judges consider it cheating to add bacon to a recipe because it will almost always win.
mkivgli at 4:47PM on 09/17/09
because my lettuce and tomato are getting lonely
antonioyon at 4:47PM on 09/17/09
Bacon makes everything better!
lisasav5 at 5:29PM on 09/17/09
I don't like bacon. I don't know about bacon.... If someone would teach me... I guess I will love bacon =D
qnbella at 6:58PM on 09/17/09
the right piece will melt in your mouth and there is no waste material left over.
fattycrab at 8:40PM on 09/17/09
Spaghetti and bacon, family recipe.
Anna212 at 8:45PM on 09/17/09
I love bacon because it goes well with just about anything.
tmf315 at 9:57PM on 09/17/09
Bacon was the first thing I ate after quitting vegetarianism. My favorite thing about it is that it's the crunchy delicious salty part of carbonara (and pretty much anything delicious).
candk at 10:33PM on 09/17/09
Bacon enhances other flavors, and you can wrap things with it. When I was a kid, I was enamored of bacon-wrapped water chestnuts - an easy appetizer if there ever was one.
asheblogs at 11:03PM on 09/17/09
bacon is the equivalent to a warm hug from a loving parent when times are getting tough.
tlinjang at 11:26PM on 09/17/09
And bacon was the last thing I gave up when going vegetarian! I love when an otherwise very plain, humble recipe — one that would probably be dull — has a few strips of crumbled bacon in it and all of a sudden people are saying how FABULOUS it is. Bacon improves nearly everything!
Shiny Cooking at 11:47PM on 09/17/09
salty smoky fatty goodness
maomau at 8:58AM on 09/18/09
It's the perfect food. Salty. Sweet. Smokey. Fatty. Crunchy. Complex flavors. Add it to almost any dish and it takes that dish to a new level.
Balisong at 10:28AM on 09/18/09
The first time I knew I loved bacon was in the late 1950s, when I was six or seven years old. I distinctly remember sitting in my Arkansas grandparents' kitchen and playing a mental food game with myself: "what are my favorite three foods?"
The winners were burned bacon, chocolate ice cream sodas, and buttered popcorn.
Still nothing wrong with those choices!
But to answer the question, I like it because it's good hot or cold, plays well with other foods, satisfies the fat-salt need, and is so versatile in punching up flavor. It's byproduct -- bacon fat -- is also a staple of the cooking of my mother's people (from Hungary).
Yes, I know the contest is over, but I just wanted to comment.
CheesePlease at 10:54AM on 09/18/09
Salty...and delicious when crispy and slightly overcooked.
amaLosAngeles at 1:56PM on 09/18/09
A BLT isn't the same without a heap of B.
deluxo at 2:06PM on 09/18/09
Just started making my own bacon, and it is SO much better than anything I have bought before... Next, time to make my own bacon vodka!
nardobolo at 2:12PM on 09/18/09
There is no other food so perfectly umami and of pleasing texture than a well prepared piece of crispy bacon. Hooray for the pursuit of better bacon!
wethern at 2:20PM on 09/18/09
The way the scent stays in my hair until the next time I wash it. It's like food and perfume, all in one!
semarr at 2:37PM on 09/18/09
There is almost nothing that can't be made better without the addition of cheese, bacon, and/or chocolate. When I was a toddler I was a finicky eater (though that's hard for me to believe now) but my parents could always get me to eat bacon!
mackeyda at 2:40PM on 09/18/09
Bacon to me is the passion of the pig, the savoriest moment of swine, the most tantalizing, perplexing marbled muscle of the porker. Bacon is also the leading role in one of the world's greatest sandwiches - The fabled B.L.T.. Which in all honesty is nothing but a thinly veiled vehicle for bacon delivery. As a young sprout (skittish of all things culinary) I will never forget gripping two well toasted pieces of white, pre-sliced perfection occupied with all of the familiar accoutrement. There they were, at attention on my mother's formica: Iceberg in its crisp staple green, tomato proudly firm and fresh, and a generous slathering of Hellmann's finest product. Then there she was, yes, those sublime ribbons of bourbon, rose, and ivory dotting my eye, and yes bacon is so sexy it deserves engendering as a female. A bite provides, for a moment, a breaking of one's earthly toil. Inciting an experience that would have made The Earl himself put down his cards to enjoy the crisp and salivary nature of the properly treated pork belly. Looking at bacon one can see god staring back at them through the heaven of salt, fat, crunch, and sweet.
Timothyrows at 2:49PM on 09/18/09
I love bacon because it smells just like it tastes...amazing. I am a self-confessed bacotarian; gave up red meat 25 years ago but still eat bacon.
kdjmom3 at 3:04PM on 09/18/09
Several times a week I have to tray up and cook 120 pounds of bacon in my job as a graveyard cook. The fact that I still love bacon anyway should tell you something.
Importance at 3:33PM on 09/18/09
Bacon makes almost everything taste better...nuff said.
pickled at 3:55PM on 09/18/09
In college, my 5 roommates and I were vegetarians or vegans, most for years. After some collective wavering on the future, we decided to make a deal. All 6 of us would hold a Meat Fantasy Draft, and each choose a single meat to eat. We figured that made us collectively eat like 1 normal carnivore, so 1/6th the animal impact.
We drew names from the hat, and with the #1 pick in the draft, Bacon was selected to the anger of all others participating.
jay t at 4:13PM on 09/18/09
I love bacon - the saltiness, the smokiness (sometimes), the porkiness, the balance of lean to fat. The crunch to fatty ratio. I just love it!!!
cieldalley at 4:16PM on 09/18/09
I love bacon 'cause it rhymes with 'Macon": a place I've never bean but always wanted to go to.
beano at 5:39PM on 09/18/09
MMMMM. Delicious bacony goodness!
stascav at 5:54PM on 09/18/09
Bacon is delicious as the focus of a dish, on it's own, or as a component in a dish. So versatile and so fantastic!
shale at 7:14PM on 09/18/09
because it aint tofu!
turkey at 7:17PM on 09/18/09
I love it all. it goes as well with ice cream or chocolate as it does with eggs for breakfast, and, all in all, is the ultimate comfort food. not to mention, its a gateway meat.
granita at 7:48PM on 09/18/09
Throughout my childhood, bacon was Oscar Meyer which my dad sometimes cooked on Sunday mornings until it was so overdone it shattered. My first taste of real bacon was one of the three great revelatory food experiences of my life-- wood smoked, thick sliced, cured with honey and pepper-- and cooked to a turn. Like my first taste of a fresh, sweet, fraise du bois revealed to me what a strawberry was supposed to taste like (as opposed the the plastic and tasteless giants in the grocery store), my first taste of real bacon was a major step in the evolution of my understanding of taste.
Rinsewind at 8:55PM on 09/18/09
When the cupboard is bare, bacon is there.
zephyrluna at 10:01PM on 09/18/09
Salty, crunchy and savory-the best of everything.
tcjanes at 12:54AM on 09/19/09
Everything's better with bacon!
darander at 1:52AM on 09/19/09
Bacon makes everything it touches smoky and salty and porky and perfect.
jessie at 10:47AM on 09/19/09
I love bacon because it is so juicy, crispy, salty and rich!
Hurdler4eva at 1:09PM on 09/19/09
I love bacon because it always satisfies the craving for salt and fat together. It makes everything with it taste better, even sweet dishes.
talithaborealis at 3:32PM on 09/19/09
I love bacon because it's got such a concentrated salty, satisfying flavor!
squidlette at 6:25PM on 09/19/09
I love bacon because it's so versatile. It's delicious either by itself as a meal or as a side dish!
rhuzzar at 7:37PM on 09/19/09
I love bacon because it smells so good when cooking. Then you get to eat it!
drala625 at 9:57PM on 09/19/09
Because I reminds me of summer vacation mornings when I was a kid at my grandfather's lodge in Vermont. With pancakes and real vermont maple syurp.
msecondo at 11:14PM on 09/19/09
tastes good
kimbodian at 1:02AM on 09/20/09
It's porky decadance and adds great flavor to just about ANYTHING!
Curlz at 10:30AM on 09/20/09
Unctuous potential. . .
dikaryon at 10:55AM on 09/20/09
I love this site and I love bacon.
dizzyeats at 3:43PM on 09/20/09
Bacon needs no explanation. It's salty, greasy, fatty, yummy... bacon-y!
mannasweeps at 5:32PM on 09/20/09
bacon reminds me of my mom's cooking, everything tastes better with bacon
chromiumman at 8:48PM on 09/20/09
It's unapologetically sexy when it beckons you from the dimly lit kitchen in the evening... and just as sexy the next morning. I never regret waking up to bacon.
unpocojmoney at 9:03PM on 09/20/09
I love everything about bacon. The smell is the best!
tamintx at 10:19PM on 09/20/09
let's be serious .... it's the fat content. Any food that is virtually 100% fat is going to test awesome and it does
AICORP at 11:53PM on 09/20/09
Because nothing else comes close to tasting as good as bacon.
gidgie at 12:00AM on 09/21/09
I love bacon because there is nothing else like it, but it has to be very crispy.
atreau at 12:58AM on 09/21/09
I love bacon because it is the most tasty food on the planet. I can put it in almost anything and enjoy :) The last time I found it for an unbeatable price I bought 50lbs worth LOL.
gkran at 1:30AM on 09/21/09
I love bacon because it's so yummy!
lilyk at 7:01AM on 09/21/09
I love bacon because the taste is out of this world!
Ardy22 at 7:28AM on 09/21/09
I do so Love Bacon...a guilty pleasure which makes it even more lusted after. I also LOVE Zingermans!
suemc at 8:58AM on 09/21/09
I love bacon because I can have it the first thing in the morning, at lunch on a BLT and at dinner in a salad or in one of my wife's delicious creations.
garrettsambo at 9:36AM on 09/21/09
I love almost burned bacon because of the crispiness and saltiness. It also goes soooo well with over-easy eggs and buttered toast. It's so perfect!
cowleyh at 10:32AM on 09/21/09
It's comfort food
madeas at 11:18AM on 09/21/09
Thank you for participating, and congratulations to our winners:
jolene278
AddiE
jennts
cobaltab
llama
Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page.
Caroline Russock at 12:03PM on 09/21/09