Got sent a jar of Baconnaise from the Bacon Salt guys (after Seattlest kept complaining about their crappy products) and, in same mail, a box of madeleines from Donsuemor that are now being sold at Nordy's and Albertson's. Went to Starbucks to get one of their new $3.95 pairings (latte & pastry or brewed coffee & sandwich). Alas. Took home half a dry, inedible Black Forest ham & egg English muffin, picked up mail (see above). Reheated Starbucks muffin in toaster oven, slathered it with baconnaise. Synergy? Must be. Now semi-delicious. Dipped madeleine into the cup of Pike Place coffee, brought back memories of better coffee, better madeleines. What? Just because the economy's in the toilet doesn't mean we have to drop our standards, does it? more ›

Bacon is a $2 billion industry in America. Jimmy Dean lives in half of all home refrigerators; rashers of Swift are consumed in astounding quantities, and never more than in these tough times. Bacon consumption is up, over the past ten years, by a pound per person (to 17.9 pounds for every man, woman and child in the country). And how are restaurants responding? Duh, pass the bacon! Bacon on burgers, steaks, pancakes, in sandwiches, even woven into a tapestry upon which more bacon-laden foods can be served. more ›