We’re not normally the type to pick on another blogger, but someone hasn’t done their research.

A blog post written today by Laura Shunk at Westword, Denver’s free arts weekly, points to five things that are supposedly going to spell the end of bacon-mania, and the item at the top of the list is Baconnaise, the authentic bacon-flavored sandwich spread by the guys who first made their mark with Bacon Salt.

Bacon aioli, fine. Bacon fat vinaigrette? Sounds great. But the second Baconnaise hit the mass market, it was a sign that bacon-laced dressings have been stripped down to their most vulgar common denominator. This gnarly stuff doesn’t even need to be refrigerated until after opening, but it’s full of meat. Botulism? Trichinosis? What?

There are a LOT of things wrong with this statement, some of which we touched on in a comment below that blog post:

If you’d done your research, you’d know that Baconnaise, like its sister product Bacon Salt, has no meat in it…for the very reasons you’re harping about.

Also…if the union of bacon and mayonnaise is so “vulgar” and “gnarly”, then why are they always found together on one of America’s most common sandwiches, the BLT?

We, on behalf of bacon lovers everywhere, graciously accept your backpedaling and apologies.

Baconists, we invite you to visit the article now and chime in for yourself!  (We’re especially fond of the first comment, penned by “Anonymous”.  Pure gold, it is.)

UPDATE: Laura Shunk responded to our comment about her blog post, and our buddy from the The Bacon Nation also chimed in.  Read the developments and add your two cents!

It’s no secret that bacon is one of the most gorgeous foods on the planet. Certainly, it tastes as good as it looks…but when something is so beautiful, shouldn’t it also be displayed so that it can be marveled at?

As it turns out, we’re not the only ones who think this way.  Now through November 17th, the Mew Gallery in Philadelphia is featuring an exhibition by local artist Mike Geno called “The Bacon Show”, featuring crispy and savory works by Ellen Cagnassola, Cho, Jacob Crose, Ken B. Miller, SappyMoose Tree, John Wolfer, and Mike Geno himself.  (If you recognize the name Ellen Cagnassola, it might be because she’s been gaining notoriety lately as the owner of SweetSoaps, maker of a very delicious-sounding “bacon soap”.  We’ve got some of it on hand, and we’ll be posting a review of it soon.)

If you can’t make it to Philly within the next several days to see this exhibit, head over to Meat Artists to see more of what’s on display.

Have you ever wanted to develop your very own custom flavor of bacon, made from heritage-breed pork or lamb belly, using only the most sustainable sources available?  Of course you have.

Now, what if you could do that, and have the resulting flavor of bacon named after you?

GOOD reports that there’s a new project on Kickstarter devised by The Ethical Butcher that allows you to do all of that, if you’re willing to donate to its cause.  According to the site, those who are willing to pitch in $50 “will be able to choose between over twenty flavors OR request their own unique flavor, even add their own special ingredients. A short consultation is included in every custom-cure order.”  Furthermore, since you get to name the resulting creation, “customers will know your name and maybe you’ll create the future best-selling flavor!”

Until The Ethical Butcher can figure its way through the USDA regulations maze, your custom bacon will only be available at farmer’s markets in Portand, Oregon, but if you have friends in that area, they will theoretically be able to ask for it by name…your name.

We’re proud to announce that this blog, Ministry of Bacon, has been nominated as one of Maryland’s most outstanding foodie blogs in the Baltimore Sun’s Mobbies!

Now, the Ministry calls its loyal baconists and baconistas to action.

Stop what you’re doing—even if you’re cooking up another batch of thick-sliced maple bacon—and take just a moment to vote for the Ministry of Bacon.  You can and should vote once per day (now through Friday, October 9th). Once you place your vote for us as the best foodie blog, you’ll get a chance to also vote for us as the best overall blog.  Please do both!

There is no cause more noble than the pursuit and appreciation of bacon—and you know we would vote for your blog if it were up for an award—so please help make the world a better place by voting for us as the most delicious blog in the Mid-Atlantic!

To vote, click on the image above, or click here.

From the panhandle of Florida comes a news story about a man who needed his bacon so badly he hid it where his family jewels are stored away.

A 22-year-old man from Fort Walton Beach was spotted walking around his local grocery store “looking suspicious”, according to employees on duty. Then he was spotted stuffing a three-pound package of bacon into his pants. When confronted about it, he panicked and ran to the back of the store to dump his, er, “contrabacon”. (He got arrested anyway.)

While we don’t advocate theft, we do want to point out two things we agree with:

• It’s a shame that we have to pay for bacon. We think it should be free for all citizens (and we don’t care if you think that’s socialist).
• He didn’t just grab your run-of-the-mill one-pound package of bacon; he went for the value-packed, family-size offering.

Regardless, it’s comforting to know that law enforcement is vigorously defending our bacon from those who wish to keep it all for themselves, for we all know that if we can’t keep our bacon safe, the terrorists win.

Busted! Your Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dog is Illegal

Talk about laws that need to be changed!  Anyone in Los Angeles have a connection to city lawmakers?  (Click through for the full story.)

Here’s a post from Spam, our Bacon Bishop, with a very touching ending.  It’s worth the read.

Today, J&D’s Foods, the makers of Bacon Salt and Baconnaise, posted a customer service survey to get some opinions and feedback from their customers in order to gauge what they’ve done and where they should go from here, dangling a $100 gift card as a carrot for one lucky entrant.

Whether or not you’ve tried any of their products, you should take a moment to share your opinions.  Here’s the survey.

Naturally, I was all over this like bacon on a cheeseburger.  Predictably, I gave them glowing reviews on what they’d done, but there were two very exciting parts of the survey.

One one question, they asked my opinion about a number of potention bacon-flavored products (and one non-bacon item: Chorizo Salt).  Additionally, they ask for additional ideas…so here’s what I gave them, off the top of my head:

• Bacon Pasta or Pasta Sauce
• Bacon Salad Dressing
• Maple Bacon Oatmeal
• Bacon Bubble/Chewing Gum
• Bacon Air Fresheners
• Maple Bacon Frosting or Glaze
• Bacon Cheese Slices
• Bacon Bread/Buns/Bagels
• Bacon Toothpaste
• Bacon Tortillas
• Bacon Rice

Yes, I was serious.  I’d try all of those items.

Now, for the even more exciting part.  At the end of the survey, J&D’s says, “Please share any additional thoughts, comments, promotional ideas, product improvements, or experiences with Bacon Salt or Baconnaise.”

This is where I took a few minutes to share a story with them that I had been holding onto for a long time.  Here’s what I gave them:

This is a true story.

As the tale begins, I was already a huge fan of Bacon Salt.  The moment Baconnaise was finally available, I immediately placed my order and awaited the goods.  When it arrived, I immediately left my office and picked up my best friend Anna, who I had a long-standing crush on—and who was also as big of a fan of mayonnaise as I was of bacon.  We went to the nearest Subway shop, ordered a footlong chicken breast sub with only veggies on it, and proceeded to slather it with Baconnaise.  Needless to say, we were both in condiment heaven as we found that Baconnaise was even better than either of us was hoping, and we finished off that jar in only a few days.

A few days after this experience, Anna and I fell deeply in love, and shortly thereafter, decided that we would spend the rest of our lives together.  Without hesitation, I credit Baconnaise for sparking the love between this bacon lover and the mayo lover, and since our love blossomed out of a jar of Baconnaise, I can assure you that it will be a core part of our wedding banquet.

Thank you, Justin and Dave, for inventing Baconnaise and sparking the love of a lifetime.

Sincerely,
Spam, your official Bacon Bishop of Baltimore and founder of the Ministry Of Bacon

And that’s my fairy tale.

Coupon for a free Arby’s BBQ Bacon Cheddar Roast Burger

From baconbaconbacon:

… with any soft drink purchase.  Expires 7/12. Go now!

via  oofoofoofoofoofoofbaha

GrubGrade’s review of Taco Bell’s new Bacon Cheesy Potato Burrito

Here’s GrubGrade’s review of the promotional menu item that everyone’s been raving about lately.  Although the reviewer thought there was too much going on in this burrito, he did love each of the flavors he was being assaulted with.  But here’s the best news:  The taste of bacon didn’t get overwhelmed by everything else, as we here at the Ministry have been fearing!

We’ll post our own review once we finally get a chance to savor this bacony behemoth.

Our Bishop Spam and High Priestess Anna spotted this new item during a late-night Taco Bell visit this weekend. Although neither of them has tried it personally yet, hopes for full baconosity aren’t too high, since Taco Bell historically uses bacon more as a condiment than as a featured ingredient. (It’s also a pricey menu item, especially for Taco Bell.)

Originally posted by baconbaconbacon:

Introducing the Bacon Cheesy Potato Burrito from Taco Bell.  We’ll have to see if it’s as tasty as the Bacon Cheddar Gordita Crunch which came out last December; we liked it, but Taco Bell didn’t keep it around very long, sadly.

via gru3some