has refined drunk food to a science. The science of bacon, that is. I started with a light hors d’oeuvre, the fried bacon-wrapped pickle spear. Never before has the calorie-full been so close to the calorie-less, and with your daily amount of sodium to boot. Once I put aside nutritional concerns, however, and dipped it in the spicy aioli, it made for a perfect Atkins-inspired snack. Next came the Foldover, a grilled tortilla stuffed quesadilla-style with a fried egg, zesty guacamole, cheese, and, you guessed it, bacon. The sausage mac and cheese, with bowties and sausage bits swimming in a sea of creamy cheese, was also quite good, though a little bland. If you’re looking for something on the healthier side, try the Union Jack, a surprisingly simple sandwich made with crusty grilled sourdough, fresh romaine and butter lettuce, juicy tomato slices, dried basil bites, a drizzle of olive oil, and thick slices of peppery bacon. Now, a word about the bacon. This is not your sad, shriveled Dad-popped-it-in-the-microwave-two-hours-ago stuff. These generous cuts are fried to perfection, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, the fat marbled against meat like in a Michelango sculpture and seasoned with coarsely ground black pepper. The only place it didn’t work was in the unfortunate Bacon Shake. Made with vanilla ice cream, milk, and real bacon bits, it tasted creamy on first sip and then crunchy as you chewed the meat pieces. Sure, the ice cream became infused with bacony goodness, but the treat reeked of novelty. And when it boils down to it, I’m a dessert purist: no savory in my sweet, thank you. I did appreciate, though, the sweet music video stylings of Zack de la Rocha playing on Pig Vicious’s built-into-the-trailer TV. We listened as we ate in the adjacent bus, decked out with tables, chairs, paper garlands, and candles. Mood lighting at a trailer: Who knew? It seems they’ve refined the science of bacon to an art. Posted by Megan Giller
Eat My Words
