Baconopolis: The Squeakquel!
I made like a little piggy of myself at the latest installment of Baconopolis, a celebration of swine produced by Tom Douglas and his uber-talented crew. This version featured dishes from Ari Weinzweig's Guide to Better Bacon, which isn't so much a cookbook as a collection of stories of pork bellies, hush puppies, rock 'n' roll music and bacon fat mayonnaise. (The book's subtitle.)
Ari's the co-founding partner of Zingerman's, a deli-turned-delicious-empire in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He's in Seattle for the American Cheese Society's annual conference, so his buddy Tom threw a bacon-y shindig and invited anybody who's into the hottest ingredient around. (It's the third Baconopolis in two years.)
The Palace Ballroom was slightly smoky as bacon sizzled at various stations around the room. Bacon fans snarfed up pimento cheese on bacon, potato salad with bacon, "mac-and-greeze" and biscuits topped with whipped lardo. While people munched on grilled bacon-wrapped bananas and devils on horseback (bacon-wrapped oysters), Ari got the crowd fired up, talking about the history of pork in this country. (Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto brought pigs with him in the 1500s as he explored the Mississippi River.) He also touched on chocolate gravy made with pan drippings and the different cuts of bacon throughout the world.
Then, there was a raffle for baconcentric prizes including a bacon lunch box, a bacon board game and a bacon wallet. Hot dog!
I got a big kick out of watching a cook working a wood-fired grill, tending the banana-bacon skewers. It inspired me to make my neighbors jealous the next time I fire up the grill by throwing some bacon over the charcoal. Wonder how I can do that without having it flame out? Get it real hot and keep it high above the coals?
All those bacon-y bites made me mighty thirsty. I sipped an Amstel Light. You know, to balance out all those calories I was savoring.
-- Leslie Kelly
Melissa Trainer on August 25, 2010 at 09:55 PM
Hey Leslie,
My bacon-loving husband is sitting here with me and wants to know more about the bacon wallet...do tell!!
Regards,
Missy Trainer
Leslie Kelly on August 26, 2010 at 09:10 AM
Great news Missy! You can score a bacon wallet on Amazon!!
http://www.amazon.com/Accoutrements-11653-Bacon-Wallet/dp/B0014J7NDI/ref=sr_1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1282838960&sr=1-1-catcorr
Mr. Bingley on August 26, 2010 at 09:18 AM
For a yummy app make some moinks this weekend!
http://coalitionoftheswilling.net/?p=9348
Bacon-wrapped little meatloaves :)
Melissa Trainer on August 26, 2010 at 09:38 AM
Leslie, Shhh. Don't tell but I now have the perfect birthday gift for my husband! Thanks for that link!
Missy
mpw280 on August 26, 2010 at 04:15 PM
Bacon on the grill is easy, just keep it off the most direct heat, at the edge of the coals and up high off the flames. I do bacon and then burgers and make grilled bacon cheese burgers. It is also good for bacon and eggs on a weekend morning. mpw
JFB on August 26, 2010 at 05:34 PM
Oooh Leslie! You've confused Angels on Horseback (oysters wrapped in bacon) with Devils on Horseback (prunes wrapped in bacon).
stevenloi on August 26, 2010 at 09:32 PM
It's Herschell (www.allthingschill.com/wordpress) in the picture!