How and why has bacon become so delicious and popular now? Like, I mean, right now? I have always thought that bacon was delicious and popular but smite me for EVER considering that it was just something to eat with eggs. This breakfast staple has somehow found its way away from traditional norms, jumping onto menus and into the hearts of people everywhere.
GIF by dailydot.com
What baffles me the most is why it has taken this long to become such a popular food trend. Bacon has been around for years. Bet you didn’t know that it dates back to around 1500 BC (read more fun facts about bacon here!). I didn’t. Bet you didn’t know that bacon produces an addictive neurochemical response. I didn’t. But it makes me feel better about my lack of self-control. Bet you didn’t know that there are about a million fan pages out there devoted to the dissemination of bacon-related fun facts. But regardless of all of the aforementioned information, bacon is something that has become the figurehead of the foodie year. Or maybe it has just replaced sweet potato fries as the food that seems ridiculously novel and versatile when really it just took us way too long to put two-and-two together and start being creative with it. And the best part about bacon is that EVERYONE can enjoy it. You. Your dog. Vegans. If they choose to eat meat. Even your grandpa knows what it is.
Photo by Emily Ashwell
Omg don’t let that little piece of bacon on the left escape up there. This traditional favorite is being reinvented in new ways that might blow your mind. You can candy it and crumble it into vanilla ice cream and atop warm, fried doughnuts at Urban Grub. You can use it as a chaser for whiskey along with orange juice to make the trifecta of a breakfast shot at Sportsman’s Grille. You can bake it with brown sugar or coat it in chocolate and eat it by yourself in your room. Or with friends, that’s cool too. Or maybe you can buy some thick-cut uncooked bacon from the Munchie Mart (sketchy?) and fill up your room with smoke every time you try to fry it because the ventilation in the dorms is ancient. Let’s face it: bacon is man’s best friend. But what will be the next biggest thing in the ever-evolving foodie world? I am really hoping that it has something to do with English muffins. Check out these recipes:
- Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese and Rosemary
- Bacon, Apple and Brie Sandwich
- Bacon Breakfast Pancakes