Surviving L.A. - Takes Bacon

Those who purport that L.A. has perfect weather in the 70s year round are big fat liars. We are currently living under heat advisories of up to 106-degrees. So what? they say. Enjoy the heat and have some crispy bacon.

Bacon. The heavenly mix of savory maple meat has been for more than breakfast for many years now, it’s true, when it first migrated off the breakfast plate onto burgers, pizzas and baked potatoes. Long ago did foodies proclaim the glory that is bacon-wrapped food: filets, shrimp, scallops, figs, melon. (Melon…who was the first one to think of that?)

This is L.A., my friends, and if you have not learned by now, you never will – L.A. is hell bent on doing things differently under the guise of trend-setting. Sure, NY has street vendors with tasty hot dogs, our street vendors wrap theirs in bacon. Try passing up THAT smell without drooling. There is a public food fight going on right now with the city of Carson, where they are trying to ban these purveyors of bacony goodness and the public is not standing for it.

We even wrap bacon around saddle of rabbit. Okay, I don’t know what saddle of rabbit is, but you can apparently get it wrapped in bacon on Bastille Day at Comma Ca in Hollywood. Take that, you puny melon-ball makers!

Others will find meat-wrapped-meat too pedestrian. So an inventive foodie enjoying chocolate chip pancakes and a side of bacon one day decided to merge the two into a chocolate bar with bacon bits. (We tried this – to mixed reviews. Other than a gag Christmas Stocking Stuffer, I can’t say I’d buy it again. Though it did seem a better option than the chocolate bar with dried mushrooms that was on the counter next to it.)

If bacon as dessert appeals to you, then visit a Bakersfield-area ice cream shop that has bacon ice cream on the menu. (Would you like maple syrup to make that a sundae?) How else would you end your meal of bacon fried rice in Fresno?

Some purists are unhappy with the defamation of the beloved meat. Chefs at the upscale BLT Steak on Sunset Strip think the bacon stands alone, and offers 6 slabs of it (slices does NOT do the dish justice) as an appetizer, wrapped around nothing but a large price tag.

You may not believe the hype. Isn’t Los Angeles health-conscious? Sure, which is why the April 2009 L.A. Times edition showed us how to get that bacon satisfaction without the calories and fat. J&Ds Bacon Lip Balm. Brings a whole new definition to the term “kissable lips,” doesn’t it?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2009/04/bacon-lip-gloss.html

Los Angelians even have precautions should the next earthquake break us off and set up adrift toward South America…..canned bacon. No earthquake preparedness kit is finished without it. Get yours here:
http://www.canned-bacon.com/

And bookmark the L.A Times article, 1,001 things to do with bacon so you, too, can enjoy the meaty goodness every day. (you must check out the picture…. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2008/12/bacon.html...tempting!!!)

We continue to survive L.A, especially the Vega dog, who has found one west coast trend she is happy to sink her teeth into.