bacon

When I was in the States just after Christmas, I visited Wendy's for a treat. Because of my love of bacon, I always get the Big Bacon Classic when I go to Wendy's, but this time they didn't list it on the combo menus. In its place they listed, and I quote, "The Baconator".

Here's the description, taken from the Wendy's website: "Six strips of hickory smoked bacon piled high atop two 1/4 lb.* patties of fresh, never frozen, beef. Complete with two slices of American cheese, mayo and ketchup for a mountain of mouth-watering taste. Go on, obsess a little."



Seriously: SIX strips of bacon??!!!

I passed, once I found, printed in small letters elsewhere in the menu listings, my usual Big Bacon Classic (with "just" two strips of bacon). Yes, it's true: the Baconator crossed a line for me. I know that's hard to believe, but it's true.

Some time ago I joined a group on Facebook called "Bacon: The New Condiment." The description for the group says:

"This is for bacon lovers who think that it deserves a spot on the condiment list. Just like ketchup, bacon is good with everything, but where bacon truly excels and most other condiments fail, is that bacon can be a condiment for it's self, bacon on bacon, yum. Ketchup on ketchup, now that's gross.

"Now if we succeed in getting bacon recognized as a condiment it will pave the way for much greater things. For instance, at any fastfood place do you pay for mustard, ketchup.. etc? No. Why? Because it's a condiment. No more extra cash to make it bacon!!!"

The email contact for the group is fryingpan@grease.com.
The snail mail address is 180 BLT Way, Porkville, Ontario. Yes, leave it up to the Canadians to think up something like this! (I love you, Heather).

I just visited the group page and found some interesting things.

At the top of the Wall, there is this entry from Shannah Brimmell of Toronto: "I just wanted to say that this group, this silly bacon group, connected me to an old old childhood friend and we have been dating for almost 7 months and are madly in love....

"the things pork fat can do... thanks bacon, we owe you one :)"

And this from Elizabeth Holst (Chicago): "If you live in the Chicago area-you should head to Sushi-X. The have a roll there called the five-o.

"The description: bacon, hamachi, avocado, cilantro, scallions, pineapple mustard mayo, rolled in bacon bits and wrapped in prosciutto.

"Seriously, Bacon Maki? How fantastic."

And this from Justin Esch: "We love bacon so much we invented Bacon flavored Salt.

"Bacon Salt is a fat free, zero calorie, vegetarian, Kosher approved, gourmet, bacon flavored seasoning salt that really tastes just like bacon.

"Bacon Salt goes into stores and is available for sale online on 7/22/07.

"Join the Bacon Salt group on Facebook or visit http://www.baconsalt.com for recipes, ordering and more.

"Everything should taste like Bacon!"

Here's what precipitated this post: April just sent me a link to a video, which she saw featured on Dooce. I just couldn't resist posting it here, given my adage: "Bacon makes everything extra special." Enjoy.