Bacon Bacon Bacon

      Everyone knows that bacon makes everything better. A cheeseburger is good, but make it a bacon cheeseburger and it's even better. A breakfast staple is bacon & eggs, because who has just eggs? I like a steak, but wrap it in bacon and it becomes a little piece of tender heaven. We even have the B.L.T. (the B does not stand for bread), and add bacon bits to salad (mmm...Caesar Salad). But what is bacon, and why all the hype about it suddenly?

      Bacon is a special product that comes from a "wonderful, magical animal" (Simpson, Homer) and I think there has always been hype about bacon. However, I have noticed there are more bacon novelty items on the market then there used to be. I love Bacon and chocolate, but I'm not sure how I feel about bacon beverages, like Maple Bacon Ale, or bacon bandages (probably not flavoured?). So, because of my love for bacon I decided to see how many items in one meal that I could add bacon to. The answer was 3, I could have added it to more items, but I then I got to thinking about my heart, and despite how much I love bacon, I didn't think my heart would appreciate the bacon as much as my taste buds.

Bacon, Bacon, and More Bacon

Here was my menu


Appetizer: Bacon Wrapped Avocado

Entree: Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumstick, with steamed garlic broccoli (I thought about doing bacon mashed potatoes, but decided that would be too heavy for the meal and went with something lighter).

Dessert: Candied Bacon



I cooked all the items together on a rack in the oven, and as they were finished, I took them out and kept them warm. You could do them each on a different pan and have them all ready at the same time.

So, here's how you do it

Bacon Wrapped Avocado

4-6 Strips of Bacon, cut in half
1 Avocado, peeled and cut into 8-12 wedges (it depends on how big your avocado is, and how much you want in each wrap)
1/4 to 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar (depending on how sweet you'd like it)
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder (or less depending on how spicy you'd like it)


1. Heat the oven to 425°F (I baked them at 400°F).

2. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and chili powder. Set aside

3. Line a baking pan with tinfoil and place a roasting rack on top.


4. Cut open the avocado and remove the pit. Slice lengthwise through the avocado, approximately 8-12 slices.

5. Wrap each piece of cut bacon around the avocado wedge. Roll in the brown sugar/chili mixture and place on the baking rack.

6. Bake for 10-20 minutes. Remove from the oven to a platter and stick a tooth pick in each for serving.


Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumstick

1/2 a lemon, juiced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
   chicken seasoning (I used thyme and oregano)
6 chicken drumsticks
6 pieces of bacon


1. Heat oven to 400°F.

2. Mix together the lemon juice and garlic with some seasoning. Set aside.

3. Prick the chicken several times with a sharp knife and drizzle with half the garlicky lemon juice.

4. Wrap each drumstick with one piece of bacon and put in a single layer on the rack on your baking pan.

5. Drizzle on the remaining garlic-lemon juice.

6. Cook for 45-50 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon is starting to crisp up. Flash under a hot grill if you like your bacon really crisp.


Candied Bacon

6 slices bacon
Finely ground black pepper
1/4 cup light brown sugar


1. Preheat the oven to 325 °F (I baked them at 400°F and they were fine, I just baked them for a shorter time)

2. Put bacon slices in a bowl, season them with pepper and toss with the brown sugar. Cover a baking sheet with parchment or foil with a roasting rack on top. Arrange the bacon in a single layer and sprinkle any sugar left in the bowl over the bacon. If you want, you can top with another layer of parchment or foil and top it, squarely, with another baking sheet that will flatten the bacon as it cooks, but I didn't have a problem.

3. Place the tray in the center of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Check the bacon, and if it is not golden brown and fairly crispy, cook it for 10 to 15 minutes longer. Check it again. Keep in mind that when you remove the tray and transfer the bacon to a serving platter or individual plates, the bacon will "crisp" up a little more.

4. Let cool before serving.



      Cooking bacon in the oven on a roasting rack elevates it from the grease that drips out, but careful, it dries out a little faster, but it isn't being fried in fat. We also greatly enjoy baking a bacon weave. It's perfect for B.L.T.s because every bite can have bacon. To do this, cut 6 pieces of bacon in half, and basket weave them into 2 squares.

"Is it Bacon Day?" (Simpson, Homer)


                                                                                                                                                       Enjoy!
                                                                                                                                                           Mel

 P.S. It's not yet Bacon Day, you'll have to wait until August 31, 2013 for that!

Thanks to The Royal Bacon Society for the quotes.

Go Get Your Cheese On!

         If you take a walk around Toronto you will notice that a specific comfort food, that you often make when there is nothing else to eat, is becoming the current rage. I'm not sure if other cities are jumping in on this novelty treat, but regardless, this comfort food is being made more extravagant and upscale. Certainly the most posh restaurants in the country will begin selling this simple sandwich for ridiculous prices, and oddly, people will pay for. But for now, the lowly Grilled Cheese sandwich is content being a delicious dish served on side streets in the most trendy and bohemian of neighbourhoods.

The Details
         A few weeks back, Miss McCormack and I visited one of these fine trendy establishments in Kensington Market, and wow, were we amazed. We were first amazed by the sheer number of options. Each flavour combination seemed more adventurous than the last, and we quickly realized that our decision would not be an easy one. Secondly, we were amazed that they do everything fresh. If you want bacon, they cook it right there, on the spot. There are no heat lamps, no frills, just 2 guys grilling some cheese. After much deliberation, we finally decided to try two different sandwiches, then we could swap halves. Best decision ever!

Our Decisions





         The first sandwich we decided upon was the Blackjack. This sandwich was composed of jalapeño Havarti cheese perfectly melted with black olive pesto, spinach, and tomatoes between two pieces of fresh whole wheat bread. The olives gave the sandwich a nice tang and the jalapeño Havarti cheese gave it a nice kick. The sandwich was served with ruffled chips and a gigantic homemade pickle, all for $6.

         The second sandwich we tried was Apple Crisp. This sandwich was the perfect combination of savoury and sweet, and you even have the option for adding bacon (freshly cooked of course). Between two pieces of whole wheat bread we found gooey cheddar cheese, crispy-caramelized apples, red onion, and avocado (we decided to go meatless). Apples and cheese have always been a popular combination, and the guys at Grilled Cheese have certainly jumped on that. Just like all their sandwiches, it was served with ruffled chips and a gigantic pickle, all for $8.





Overall Thoughts
         Despite the long wait for our food (and we arrived before the lunch rush), the sandwiches were delicious and full of flavour. Although the wait for our meal was long, I really can't complain because I know that the cook uses fresh ingredients that are cooked to order. The only real disappointment was the chips that were served with the grilled cheese sandwiches. I feel that the store-bought potato chips really took away from the wholesomeness and experience of the food. The homemade pickle was a really nice touch though. Overall, I would highly recommend visiting this fine and trendy establishment.


Address & Hours
The Grilled Cheese
66 1/2 Nassau Street, Toronto, ON.


Monday - Thursday: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Friday - Saturday: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
        Sunday:     11:00 am - 6:00 pm

If you're a TTC rider, take the Spadina streetcar (bus) and get off at Nassau. Walk west and cross Augusta Ave. You can't miss it. Just look for the long line!

Go get your cheese on!

                                                                                                                                                                                  Enjoy!
                                                                                                                                                                                       Mel

UPDATE: The Grilled Cheese has since shut down. I guess it doesn't matter how delicious your food is, you can still be a twit. For more information you can read this BlogTO post. 

"I'm not making art, I'm making sushi."

       These are the words spoken by Masaharu Morimoto, America's best Iron Chef. However, sushi really is an art, and it takes a lot of skill to do it well. Despite the fact that I am a woman, and I lack the many years necessary to become a sushi master, I enjoy making sushi (not to mention eating it too). Maybe it's due to my lack of experience (and maybe because the fish market can be so overwhelming), but I avoid making my sushi with raw fish. Instead, I make my sushi with a simple combination of cucumber, mango, and avocado.

Here's how I do it.
       First, gather your ingredients.  Some are not what you would normally have in your cupboard, so you might need to hit up the local grocery store. You will need:

The Ingredients

1. Rice vinegar - I used about a tablespoon
2. Sushi rice (I prefer Kokuho Rose) - I used 2 cups
3. Avocado - I used 1/4
4. Ripe mango - I used 1/4
5. Cucumber - I used 1 mini one
6. Water - I used 2 and 1/3 cups in the rice cooker
7. Nori paper (seaweed)

          Next, rinse your rice VERY well. I use a strainer so that I can swish it around with my hands under running water. When the water runs clear out of the rice, you're ready to get cooking.

         Cook the rice according to the package or rice cooker instructions. Make sure you add a bit of extra water because you don't want to have those delicious toasted pieces on the bottom.When the rice is finished cooking add a few splashes of rice vinegar and mix it well. Remove the rice from the rice cooker and spread on a cookie sheet to cool.

Delicious Filling

      While the rice is cooling, prepare your filling. You'll want to cut everything as close to a julienne as possible (like a matchstick). The cucumber will need to be de-seeded, as the seeds can make the sushi too watery, and, if you want, you can peel your cucumber too. I like the texture, so I leave the skin on. Once you have everything cut up and your rice is cooled, you're ready to start rolling.

Rolling in the deep

          When I was in Japan, I purchased a couple of sushi rolling mats. These are super handy, but, if you don't have one, don't fret, you can still do it by hand. Line the mat with plastic wrap (the pros use this too as it stops the filling from getting into the bamboo slats), and place a piece of nori paper on top. Wet your fingers a little, not so they are dripping, but so that they are coated. This will help the rice to not adhere to you. Wet them whenever the rice starts to stick to your fingers. Pick up some rice and spread it evenly over the nori paper, leaving about a 3/4 to 1 inch at the top (you can press it down tight if you'd like). Lay your filling over one end of the rice, and rinse and dry your hands.

Rocking and a Rolling 

         Starting at the filling end pick up the plastic wrap (and your mat if you have one), and curl it over the filling (this part takes some practice). Carefully, roll the nori paper, rice and filling into a cylinder. Using some water, (or use the fleshy portion of the mango peel) dampen the little strip of rice-less paper and finish rolling. Place the cylinder seam side down on a plate. Finish rolling all your others (you're last one will look the best, I promise).

Rolling on a river

         Cutting the sushi rolls you have worked so hard to prepare is the final challenge you must face. Make sure that you have a very sharp knife and a damp cloth or paper towel. Every time you make a slice through your roll, wipe off the knife to remove the sticky 'gunk' left by the rice. It works best if the knife is wet, so don't dry it off. You might find that using a firm sawing motion works best (I do) as it's very easy to squish the sushi rolls you've just painstakingly prepared.



         Serve with some wasabi and soy sauce.

                                                                                          Enjoy!
                                                                                              Mel