Bacon Schmacon

Bacon has become the universal ingredient to elevate any dish.  I'll admit that our household has added it to chocolate, brussel sprouts, brownies, and a bunch of other stuff.  What my wife looks for on Mother's Day is not bacon but rather Bread Fried in Bacon Grease.

It is the kind of dish that your grandmother would make.  It is a way of ensuring that nothing goes to waste but everything will go to the waist. After you are done cooking the bacon (Start with a cold pan.  Add cold bacon.  Turn on low and wait for the rendering of the fat and the crisping of the bacon.), take the nasty meat bits out and leave the liquid gold behind.  Take a good piece of bread and fry it.  That's it. Simple.

Wait there's more.

We have used bacon grease for so many other uses.  Remember, it is just a fat.  So we have used it in pie shells, vinaigrettes and dressings, and as a base fat for vegetarian stews.  Okay, I'm kidding about that last one, although we do use the fat for preparing a mirepoix or caramelizing onions.

So, you can prepare beautiful bacon roses and use the rendered fat for something better.