Hot Topic: Bacon and Chocolate

Seems America is obsessed with an interesting food pairing – bacon and chocolate. Yes, bacon and chocolate TOGETHER. Here in Phoenix, one restaurant serves a chocolate/bacon bread pudding. Another serves chocolate dipped bacon (which I make at home) with a special s’more dessert. So, last week, after one of our local food blogs, Chow Bella, posted a video about trying to fry a Cadbury Crème Egg (without success) I decided to try to find a workable solution. Well, I tried (successfully, I might add), and let the fine folks at Chow Bella, (part of the Phoenix New Times newspaper) know. I then posted photos of the results on our FeedingFrenzy Facebook page.

Well, Chow Bella took notice and gave us a great shout out on their blog. (http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bella/2011/04/now_thats_how_you_fry_a_cadbur.php ) We posted it to our Walls. Friends reposted, and tweeted, and retweeted.  Seems everyone is enamored with -- or at least curious about -- the thought of deep fried bacon and chocolate…

Want to try it for yourself? 

Here's my recipe: 

2 Cadbury Crème Eggs

2 slices cooked bacon (just shy of crisp)

Enough of your favorite pancake batter (from scratch, Bisquick, etc.) to make 5 or 6 pancakes

2 c. vegetable oil

Put oil in small saucepan and heat on medium high until oil reaches 370 degrees (use thermometer). Unwrap eggs. Set aside.  Crumble bacon into bowl of pancake batter. Using two soup spoons, dip the eggBarbs in the batter and thoroughly coat. Carefully lower the “glob” into the hot oil. Stand back! Using a slotted spoon, turn the egg after 30 or so seconds. remove to a paper towel after another 30 to 40 seconds…or until the fritter is a golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before cutting open. Warning – contents will be HOT! We recommend eating no more than ½ of an egg fritter…incredibly rich!

 Barb

Eating Gluten-Free

Most of the folks we know who are striving to eat gluten-free are hungry for ideas about how to eat well while eliminating offending foods.  A great article by Karen Fernau with some good advice and great recipes in the sidebar showed up in today's "Arizona Republic." (If you happen to live in the Phoenix area, or plan to visit, there also is a list of the top 16 restaurants with gluten free menus.) Check it out!

http://www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/food/articles/2011/03/30/20110330gluten-free-food-can-be-delicious.html

Proof America is Still Cooking

Award-winning food writer Andrea Weigl interviews author Molly O'Neill on her latest book "One Big Table:  Portrait of American Cooking," a project that partnered her with America's Second Harvest (Now Feeding America).  Check it out!

http://www.azcentral.com/php-bin/clicktrack/email.php/9685214

Lidia Rocks!

I’m a PBS cooking show junkie.  Given we don’t have cable, I don’t have access to all those Food Network shows, but I think I would prefer all the true culinarians found on PBS anyway.  If I had an Italian mom, I’d want her to be Lidia Bastianich.  She’s smart, candid and makes amazing food that may require a bit of effort, but nothing that can’t be conquered in a Saturday afternoon.  Her cookbooks are full of beautiful photos, recipes and a bit of Italian history.  We were lucky enough to eat at Becco in NYC a few years back and the pasta was just outstanding. 

As Lidia says at the end of each show,

“Tutti a Tavola a Mangiare!”

(everyone to the table to eat!”