Everybody Loves Bacon

I was going to wait a little while to write my first post about bacon. But I've recently learned something that I just have to share.

People LOVE bacon. It's not just me. Even vegetarians seem to have a thing for bacon.
The story goes like this: A few weeks ago I posted a simple comment on my Facebook page about bacon. A one-liner. It generated a surprising number of responses from my friends. A week later, I came across an article about a suspected bomb that was removed from an office building. It turned out to be a package of bacon. I thought this was pretty funny, and posted a link to the news story. Again, a ton of responses. Now, not only do I have bacon on the brain, but I keep finding these bacon items to share. And every time I do, I get tons of comments from other people who seem to love bacon as much as I do.

So what's the deal? The reasons to love bacon are many and obvious: it's salty and greasy and crispy and smoky. It's an indulgence. I'm sure much of the allure is that we know it's bad for us. Us bacon lovers take a little pride in our risk taking, knowing that enough bacon could clog our arteries and expand our waists. Yeah, I eat bacon. I live on the edge, man!

It's also one of those foods that fits so nicely in its niche. If bacon was something you had for dinner once a week -- a slab of bacon with a few sides -- it would lose some of it's charm. But when you think of it, nestled warmly next to a pile of eggs and homefries, it brings a smile to your face. The perfect tableau.

But bacon is no one-trick cured meat! Oh no -- bacon goes with so many things. What else can you serve with breakfast, on a salad, on a hamburger, and put on the top of an apple pie? The only other food that I can think of is cheddar cheese, which I'd be happy to write about in another post.

Finally, let's talk about the smell. The Smell! My idea of a perfect day would begin with waking up in a warm bed on a cold morning, the smell of cooking bacon in the air. Nobody ever smells bacon and wonders "What is that delightful aroma?" It's an unmistakable smell. And now, sitting here just writing about it, I can practically smell it.

I'm about to eat an almond butter sandwich and I'm thinking how nice it would be if there were a few slices of bacon in the there. Because as I always say, Everything is better with bacon!