Bacon

What you might ask, is the most powerful of all foodstuffs anywhere? It's the mighty meat with irresistible appeal that cuts across geographic, cultural and lifestyle boundaries. It's the early morning holy grail and the addictive equivalent of breakfast heroin.

I'm referring, of course, to bacon.

Bacon is, simply put, the most dangerously compelling -- and by extension, wonderful -- of all foods. Fried up to the firm texture of pork jerky or cooked until shatteringly crisp, the boldly-flavored pork product is usually relegated to "side dish" status in vain attempts to control overall portion size. Most of us, given even half a chance, could eat a pound every ten minutes – clogged arteries be damned.

From the first crispy bite, this deep smoked specialty caters to two of the most elemental nutritional urges -- heavy salt and comforting grease -- and comes in handy dandy "finger food" form. No need for serving utensils or complicated preparation techniques -- the only requirements are a frying pan, some kind of metal "pokin' stick," and a simple paper-lined draining plate.

Anyone who's ever cooked a full-blown "farmer's breakfast" already knows the power of bacon." Throw a pound in a hot skillet and within minutes, the most militant late risers magically stumble into the kitchen in search of coffee and a handful of post-hangover aspirin. Left unguarded, the paper-lined plate gets picked clean within seconds of being filled. (Every kitchen mastro knows the constant vigilance required to protect the bacon plate from quick-fingered pork snatchers.

When faced with the smell of pepper-cured slices sizzling in flavorful grease, who has the power to resist?

Some might try, especially if they've been meat-free for years. But even they can cave in. Once they smell the fumes rising from the black iron skillet, the confessions begin: "You know, that's the one thing I really miss..."

They then launch into Grandma stories and how she'd use the rendered grease as cooking fat for her heavenly cornbread or green beans. They wax poetic about the breakfasts that changed their lives before the Cosmo girls invented fat grams. And then -- just when they're sure I'm not looking -- they give into their deep longing and sneak a crispy morsel, escaping into a little world of pure bacon pleasure. We're all only human. "Behold. The power of bacon."

It does wonders to the human body. Protein for muscle growth and fat for the winter. And it just makes you a better lover, who would of thought it. A meal with bacon makes you happy, and a happy person is a loving person. Delicious and good for you. But as in all things delicious, moderation is the rule to follow.

Happy Sizzling……………Ric