mmm... BACON.

photo courtesy of mgbales on Flickr

It's Iowa State Fair week back in my home town of Des Moines, IA. This means it's hot as hell outside, and there will be about 100,000 people walking around with bellyaches from all the crazy food concoctions at the fair. Anything you ever wanted (and didn't know you wanted) can be found there to consume with fervor. Most of the food items on sticks. The Fair is full of people watching, beer, and gluttony. 

This got me to thinking that I never got to try the chocolate covered bacon at the fair last year. This is a travesty that must be corrected.

Now that I live in Fl, I realize that bacon love is not just a localized Iowa thing. Bacon worship can take many forms: Paintings, scarves, jewelry, housewares... the list goes on. Here are a few goodies to tempt your bacon loving tastebuds. The color combo of brown, pinks, reds and white are very pleasing, and a great way to saunter into fall. No napkin needed. 

Bacon Board Pinterest

Bacon bowtie $40.00 by Toybreaker

Guilty Pleasures no1. print $15.00 by twoofhearts

Bacon Magnets $4.99 by The Design Dudes

hand painted scarf $57.00 by crrysstall

better than bacon notecard by scarletbloom $14

     

Felt Bacon Wristlet by purpleandlime $17.00

Bacon Coaster Set by diffractionfiber $18.00

  

Hand Carved Bacon Stamp by sugarskull7 $10.00

hand crochet bacon scarf by bernicesutherland $80.00

Lastly I thought I'd share my favorite bacon recipe of all time. It's called meat candy. Please to enjoy:

3 packs of little smokies

3 packs of really good bacon, none of that low fat stuff

1 lb. of brown sugar

toothpicks

cookie sheet

aluminum foil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Cut the bacon into thirds, roll a little smokie inside one of the thirds, spear with toothpick. 

Repeat until all the bacon and smokies are wrapped and lined up neatly in foil covered cookie sheet.

Then cover entire bacon/smokie line-up with brown sugar

Place in oven for about 1.5 hours. The brown sugar will caramelize the fats in the bacon creating a hard candy shell. 

After bacon looks cooked and crispy around the smokies, remove and transfer to another plate. If you let them sit too long, they will stick to pan.

Then scarf down your meat candy! Don't forget to share. If you bring this to a party, be prepared to be asked to make it over and over again. It is always a favorite.