The Whole Hog

I’m not going to lie—I could eat breakfast for every meal, every day. I love it so. While most normal people think about normal things when they wake up in the morning, my first waking thought automatically flies down to my kitchen and what will I eat. I can’t get out of bed fast enough and to the kitchen. It’s becoming a problem.

Since I write a food blog, a lot of people that I don’t know and have never met see what I eat for breakfast every single morning. Unfortunately it’s usually pretty boring and standard. Most mornings I try to be healthy and stick with basics—you know, oatmeal with all natural nut butter, skim milk, egg whites and high protein cereals. This is all fine and dandy but I’m going to tell you a secret right now….my heart lies with bacon.

Oh yes, you heard me right. I love the pig and I’m not afraid to say it. When I go out to breakfast (a rare but celebratory occurrence, to be sure), I always order bacon. Right when it arrives to me, I sit back and stare at it for a minute. Breathing in the deep meaty, almost alive, scent of it. If its prepared the way I like it, it’s perfectly crisp, hot fat still sizzling and the edges thick and slightly curled up. When I take a bite, it almost dissolves magically on my tongue, leaving behind a rich taste and feeling that brings a smile to my face. People, it’s magic….magic, I tell you!

When I was growing up, you see, I never had real bacon. I’m pausing for you to shut your mouth right now. I know. It’s true. My mother, bless her heart, was and is an amazing chef but chose to raise her children on the merits of health food. We had turkey bacon on special occasions but it wasn’t until my Sophomore year of college at none other than the University of Alabama did I try the real stuff. Served right next to some creamy grits, scrambled eggs and biscuits, my first 100% pork strip of bacon was served.

I’ve never turned back.

(Except for one minor experiment with Vegetarianism but we won’t go there right now).

There’s just something so special about real, preferably applewood smoked, bacon that cuts straight to my heart. And the possibilities are endless, too. I’m telling you right now, there’s nothing like the power you will feel when you have two pounds of fatback in your freezer wrapped in tin foil. Soups, stews, explosions…I’m getting all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.

And you thought I was a healthy living blogger.