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“Meat” Me In The Middle – KC’s 2009 BaconFest!

Around these parts, “BaconFest’ is always as enthusiastically talked and dreamed about as emotionally and excitedly as most people talk and dream about the Holidays or their upcoming vacation.

This year is no exception and everyone here at Bacon Freak knew that BaconFest 2009 was going to be a real humdinger, simply because it was going to be held in Kansa City, MO, home of some of the most outrageous barbecue grills and sauces in the entire country.

Clearly that perfection for pulled pork and pork ribs was going to translate quite nicely over to bacon, and we were absolutely certain that there would be a wide selection of brand new recipes being cooked up that combined the wonders of Kansas City BBQ and gourmet bacon.

We most certainly were NOT disappointed. But what makes this story so very unusual is the fact that the highly touted celebration of bacon, which has so often received a rather unfair rap and negative publicity campaign from the medical establishment, was now actually being promoted and utilized as the prominently featured “resident hero” and veritable “Belle Of The Ball” in order to raise much needed money and attention for a very prestigious Medical Institution.
That’s right, The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City used the promotion of this mega-event focused, exclusively on the world’s absolute adoration and enjoyment of consuming massive quantities bacon, as an effective way to make money for and draw attention to the needs of the RIKC and the thousands of people that it regularly helps annually.
The event was prominently featured in the cities largest newspaper, The Kansas City Star, both online and within the newspaper itself.
Guests were invited, at $30.00 a pop, to come enjoy live music a festival of fleshly fun, including musical performances by the band “Bacon Shoe,” as well as a large number of ‘Bacon Demonstrations,” including a real live construction and consumption of the ever so popular “Bacon Explosion!” http://newsblaze.com/story/20090304044255rocc.nb/topstory.html

The visitors were treated to a full, sizzling day of bacon-featured food items prepared by several of the local restaurants, including BLT sandwiches, bacon quiche, bacon burgers, pulled pork and of course, the famous collection of delightfully sweet and salty bacon cocktails, including the world famous “Bacon Martini!

Wow, absolutely all the bacon you could ever possibly want and even dream of eating, and all excitedly and proudly brought to you in the name of and for the purpose of better health!” The winner of the bacon eating contest not only enjoyed to official crowning as the biggest pig of pig, but even got a commemorative T-shirt to remember the even for decades to come.

According to a Bacon Today regular by the name of Cody, who personally trekked over to the event to experience it for himself, “At the fest we enjoyed
Home-made, bacon infused vodka, Bloody Mary’s, Maple Bacon Walnut Ice Cream, Molten chocolate Bacon Cake, Bacon Pizza, BLT’S, And to save the best for last, the Bacon Explosion…Brilliant!”

Cody ended his report by announcing that for his Birthday, he enjoyed some brown sugar coated bacon in a terrifically tempting tasty treat that he called “Billionaire’s Bacon.”

Now for those of you who were unable to attend, who missed out on that sensuously sweet and seductively salty maple bacon and would like to enjoy some “Billionaire’s Bacon” already prepared for you, ready to cook up and devour, please feel free to check out our very own bacon Freak Gourmet Maple and Brown Sugar Cured Bacon which is available for your pleasure, ease and convenience online at our Bacon Freak and CVWine.com Bacon Shop.

BaconFest, even when celebrated in the privacy of your own home or out at a public park or party, is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy bacon like it was always meant to be enjoyed, enthusiastically and exuberantly!

Signing Off and Pigging Out,
Rocco “Boss Hog” Loosbrock
Visit our Bacon Club by clicking here

Truth is, it’s mighty satisfying, if I do say so myself, to finally see something that we here at Bacon Freak www.BaconFreak.com have been telling people “day in and day out” for years, finally get acknowledged; and we actually get much of the credit for the success, which is a fine “howdy do” indeed!

Most long-time “Baconistas” remember back to when we first started telling people about the amazingly delicious culinary combination possible if they set themselves up with the right style of our gourmet bacon and the bottle of our premium quality, boutique style wine.

The idea was becoming so popular with our regular Bacon Freak “Monthly Bacon Club Members” and bacon customers who frequent our easy and convenient Online Bacon Freak Bacon Shop that we were getting bogged down by all of the emails, phone calls and letters asking for us to help them more perfectly combine the right wine with the right style of Bacon Freak bacon.

Hat lead to our rushing out and quickly establishing our Bacon Freak / Coastal Vineyards combination “Swine and Wine Club” for our loyal members and customers and “BOOM,” with the amazingly quick and strong popularity of that club rising faster than we ever could have predicted, the rest simply came down to a matter of time.

Yes, truth be told, anyone who has ever experienced a “Swine and Wine” party, event or meal knows that it’s not the fact that this delectably delicious dietary delight is being enthusiastically welcomed with open arms and engulfed with open mouths. What is rather unusual, however, is the overwhelming speed with which Swine and Wine” has ridden its meteoric rise into mass popularity.

What were once occasional, isolated events taking place down south, such as the “Swine and Wine Event To Benefit Jones Valley Urban Farm” reported by Bob Carlton in both the Birmingham News of Birmingham AL, as well as their online news portal are now becoming posh and well attended events in even the most sophisticated , high society circles.

Even cuisine critic and epicurean expert Don Rockwell has posted taken the time to post a review of the savory “Swine and Wine” meal seductively served up to it’s international patrons at the very posh and popular “Mendocino Grille and Wine Bar”

Even “Splash Magazine’s very elegant and sophisticated Valentine’s Day Food & Beverage Gift Guide” for the year 2009 included a wonderful “do it yourself” selection of “Swine and wine” with their optimum choice of gourmet bacon combined with a fine premium quality wine perfectly matched to create a taste sensation in your mouth that you are not likely to ever forget.

And guess whose bacon and wine was the only “Swine and Wine Club”featured in the magazines “Gift Guide!” That’s right; it was US, www.BaconFreak.com & www.CVWine.com

The real mind blower is just how quickly this raging tide and surging swell is catching on in popularity. A quick click over to Google.com, typing in the search term “Swine and Wine” we get a results page within .006 seconds listing 4,930,000 pages online dedicated to the topic.

And you’ll never guess WHO is The #1 top listed “swine and wine” featured on Google, for those looking to “experience the wonderment of “Swine and Wine” for themselves. That’s right, once again, it’ your good friends here at www.BaconFreak.com & www.CVWine.com

This is pretty awesome, as now the entire world can finally experience how our expert panel of connoisseur chefs combine the unique flavor profiles of each of our gourmet bacons with the perfectly matching Coastal Vineyards wines to create the ultimate “swine & wine” pairing experience for your own enjoyment or for a memory making gift.

Such is the story of this seductively sultry and sensuously savory, sweet and salty “swine and wine” sensation. Unusual, not because of the flavorful combination, which is actually out of this world, but because of how fast this tasty trend is catching on and gain steam in its mass popularity.

Signing Off and Pigging Out,
Rocco “Boss Hog” Loosbrock
Visit our Swine and Wine Club by < http://www.cvwine.com/swineandwineclub.html>clicking here

Hello Swine and Wine Fans, we recently received a very friendly write up at Gourmet Girl Magazine discussing our various bacony goodness bacon!

The following is from the website of www.gourmetgirlmagazine.com

September 17, 2009

Bacon Takes Center Stage - Bacon Freak

Back in January of this year I became acquainted with Rocco Loosbrock, founder of Bacon Freak, by chance on twitter (@baconcandy). Except for perhaps vegans, I don’t really know of anyone who doesn’t enjoy a crispy slice of bacon. As a child, sometimes my mom would take me to the ‘pork store’ in town and purchase a slab from the butcher. However, like most middle class families, the majority of our bacon purchases were made when we went grocery shopping. We’d stroll down the refrigerated aisle, stopping where all the pre-packaged bacon was, and begin opening that little trap door on the back to check em out. The goal of course, to find the package with bacon strips that were more meat than fat. Click here to read the full article…

Introducing #8 in our Bacon Freak Top 10 Bacon Recipes, Bacon Quiche Tarts! This is an extremely quick and easy bacony meal that is perfect for when you`re on the run or have surprise visitors show up hungry at the door and manage to successfully snout their way in without having to huff and puff and blow your house down!

This tart recipe was specifically created to be prepared with Boss Hog`s Hickory Smoked Brown Sugar Cured Bacon and then served to your self or collection of unexpected guests served with some slightly chilled glass of Chardonnay.

Try it, I guarantee you`ll like it!

(Serves Prep Time = 15 minutes. / Cooking Time = 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

6 ounces of softened cream cheese
5 teaspoons milk
2 eggs
2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
2 tablespoon finely chopped onion
An 8 oz. tube of pre-mixed, refrigerated crescent rolls
1 bottle Gourmet Olive Oil for lubricating your muffin pan.
6 strips of Boss Hog`s Hickory Smoked Brown Sugar Cured Bacon cooked crispy and crumbled into bits.

Directions:

Beat the cream cheese and milk together in a small bowl until it is smooth and creamy.

Now add the onion, green pepper, cheese and eggs to the bowl and mix well.

Separate the dough into eight triangles

Lubricate your muffin pan cups with a thick coating of gourmet olive oil.

Place the dough triangles into the muffin pan, pressing the middle to the bottom and pushing the sides up the sides of the pan.

Sprinkle half of the crushed bacon pieces into cups.

Pour the egg mixture over bacon.

Top the cup off with your remaining bacon.

Bake the muffins in the oven, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until you can stick a butter knife in and it comes out clean!

Allow to cool for approximately 3 to 5 minutes to avoid burning your mouth.

Pig out!

Gourmet Olive Oil is now available online at: www.cvwine.com/oliveoil/home.html

Signing Off and Pigging Out,
Rocco “Boss Hog” Loosbrock
Visit our Bacon Store by clicking here

This September 5th was a huge day for bacon Freaks around the entire planet. It’s the one day of the year when all of the fighting and squabbling stop so that we humans can deeply focus on what’s really important: Bacon!

For all of you out there, we here at Bacon Freak with you the most delightfully delicious “International Bacon Day.” What makes this event so “pig gone” exciting this year is the fact that in the year 2009, this all important day of serious universal “Pignificance” will actually be international, as our obsession towards bacon expands all the way across the globe.

For those of who have been out back, behind the barn the past few years, “International Bacon Day” is always held on the Saturday before Labor Day in the United States, which, this year, falls on the 5th of September. Originally celebrated only in small barnyard and backyard gatherings, here and there across the United States, this year there are large events planned for the US, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Switzerland, Brazil, The Netherlands, The Czech Republic and the UK.

Plus, now instead of being tiny little groups scattered here and there, now several major cities are openly embracing and promoting the celebration in some of their largest media periodicals, such as the Chicago Tribune, The Detroit Free Press and The Toronto Life.

While the has been a lot of conspiratorial conjecture and heated disagreements between numerous dedicated “Bacaonistas” (a Bacon Freak: One who regularly partakes of bacon with exuberant enthusiasm) regarding who actually started International Bacon day and when, a popular blog, that is actually called International Bacon Day gives it’s official credit for beginning the event to a gentleman listed on the blog simply as Seth, along with the help of his friends Evan and Brandon and possibly Alexa.

As the story goes, according to Alexa of the International Bacon day blog, “Bacon Day is open to everyone. Vegetarians can have fake-con (soy bacon) and religious objectors non-pork bacon (I suggest turkey bacon). Bacon Day is a day of Bacon… throughout the day there are showings of Kevin Bacon movies and any other movies with leading roles given to pigs, e.g. Babe, Piglet’s Big Adventure.”

Alexa continues explaining that “It is more a tasting of all things bacon and everyone wants a taste. Due to the vast quantities of bacon cooked, the grill outside is the best bet. If you are invited to a Bacon Day celebration, it is traditional to bring something to eat (of course containing bacon).”

For those of you intending to put on their own “International Bacon Day” celebration, we have selected a wide variety of absolutely AWESOME and most definitely truly delectably delicious gourmet bacons for the event.

Everything that you’ll need for a memorable and happy “International Bacon Day” is now available for your ease and convenience and is are as close to you as your very own computer’s mouse and keyboard at out Bacon Freak Online Bacon Shop!

Please have a very safe and reasonably sane Bacon Day celebration. Remember that it’s the one day of the year that you’re actually obligated to “pig out” on as much bacon as you can possibly enjoy!

Signing Off and Pigging Out,
Rocco “Boss Hog” Loosbrock
Visit our Bacon Club by clicking here

Hey there Bacon Freaks,

I’ve got to let you in on some news that might take you just a little by surprised, though probably a lot of you out there already have personally experienced this happening with some of your friends, family members or associates.

It’s a fact. Heck it’s more than a fact, it’s a verifiable TREND! More and more Jews are eating bacon these days and absolutely LOVING it. Some have been eating it for years in secret, but many Jewish Believers are now officially and openly coming out of the “pig pen” and admitting to the world that they love to eat our meat!

Yep, quite clearly, from my observations over the past couple of years in particular, the whole Jewish Kosher Law is under recent review, at least in the minds of many “Modern Jews,” also known as “Reformed Jews,’ and we are seeing more and more loyal regular Jewish members and customers than we would have ever imagine possible back just a few years ago.

Not just for secretly eating alone, hidden out in the garage mind you. No, these are well known Captains of Industry, Popular Celebrities, renowned, World Class Chefs and Posh Restaurateurs, ordering more and more of our Bacon Freak Gourmet Bacon As Bob (Robert Zimmerman) Dylan once proudly proclaimed all the way back in the mid 1960s, “The Times They Are A Changin’.”

It used to just be something you might occasionally notice here and there in the larger cities around the country, such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, or perhaps Philadelphia. However, now it becoming a wide spread trend that is showing up in the food industry and media markets all throughout the nation, regardless of how large or small the population or ethnic diversity is.

According to many of my Jewish friends whom I’ve spoken to about this phenomenon late, this has nothing to do with some sort of mass revolution or exodus of Jews walking away from their roots. This is being viewed by many Jews today as an opportunity for “re-assessment” of what is written in Torah, (Jewish Law) and its cultural traditions.

Jonah Schulz of Brooklyn NY, who runs Jews4Bacon.com www.jews4bacon.com says “Deuteronomy may have been right about a few things… But bacon is delicious and pigs are a lot cleaner than you think… Show your support for bacon and its deliciousness.”

Johan even goes so far as to help rally the “pro-bacon” Jews and help them to recognize their fellow kindred spirits by making a bunch of very attractive apparel items from hats to shirts and from buttons to aprons, available with the organizations logo over at their “Jew4Bacon” Online Store Page. ” http://www.cafepress.com/jews4bacon

“We’re merely holding our traditions up to the very same light and logic that all other ancient beliefs must be re-inspected by, with so much new information available to us through modern science,” explains Sarah Steinberg of Los Angeles, CA. “It’s not at all a matter of Jewish believers loosing faith in their religion, but more of a movement seeking truth amidst tradition.”

Jessica Miller from Jewcy.com know as “a cultural icon at the forefront of a new wave of Jewish culture and pride” According to The Guardian and “the accoutrement of choice for a new breed of Jewish hipsters” by “The Washington Post” admits “I am about to let you in on a little secret that is shocking, but true. Jewcy people love bacon. So, so much, I’d estimate that a whopping 10% of my own posts have had something to do with bacon.”

Marc Schapiro of “BaconJew.com” was quoted online as explaining that he views his site as “a lighthearted but earnest homage to his favorite meat.”

Marc also has a popular online store http://www.cafepress.com/BaconJew (store) where a wide variety of “Bacon Jew” items of apparel can be purchased.

According to Debbie LaCroix in her recent post Why Do Jews Love Bacon? “My friends’ moms soon caught on about my love for bacon and would always buy extra, just for me. I don’t like ham, and sausage is OK, but there is something about bacon that I have a hard time believing that it breaks all Kosherat laws.”

All I know is that as more and more Investors / Boards Of Directors of popular, posh gourmet eateries are excitedly adding more bacon meals to their menus and more Jewish members and customers are finding it to be “kosher” to pig out on everybody’s favorite pork delicacy, we here at Bacon wish all of our new “Baconistas” a hearty “L’Chaim!”

Enjoy Bacon!

What is wine anyway? It’s just some grape juice saved in a bucket for some time until it becomes, well wine. People across the globe drink the stuff, and there are some who devote their entire lives to understanding the science of it. Call me ill-educated, but I am not one of those people. I don’t swirl and sniff. I don’t swirl and sniff and eyeball either. I drink. I drink wine because I like it, not because I like chemistry.

I hear that each wine has a specific occasion that it should be invited to. Chardonnay for light summer dinners, viognier is meant to impress company, zinfandel is for your spicy curried concoction. Merlot, well merlot has become the odd duck in the wine world. It’s gotten a bad rap since Sideways, that oh so famous film totally obsessed with the juice. Ever since we think we’ll be sneered at or judged when we pull it out of the cabinet; we usually steer clear of it just to keep up with the Joneses. Do not be so easily peer pressured.

Merlot is an oldie but a goodie. It goes well with cheeses, meats (reds, poultry and fowl), and even your summer picnic lunch. You can go into the hairy details of what most wine connoisseurs enjoy: taste, body, smell, background, sight, the list could go on. But let’s face it: when you like it, you like it. And when you feel like you want a nice glass of merlot to go with your steak for dinner, than by all means do it! Don’t let the snooty wine person in the back of your head rule your life. You are your own person, with your own tastes. Embrace the cravings! Dig into that steak and drink in that lovely rosy friend of his.

If you’re looking for something that’s a particularly good match with red meats, Coastal Vineyards offers a fine example in their merlot from Vista Verde Vineyards (www.megawine.com). Bottled and vinted on site, the wine is smooth, earthy, and full of body. Just what the doctor ordered when it comes to the red, red wine. It would be perfect with your steak or even your cheese and crackers under the old peach tree. So don’t be self-conscious when you’re choosing your wines. Confidence is key. And what brews confidence in food more than your own cravings?

As I said, I’m not into wine for the chemistry. I drink wine because I like it, and who I am to question my own thirst?

I’m in it for the cravings,
Brigette Stevenson
www.cvwine.com