Maple-Bacon Log — Donut King
I don’t often do doughnuts, but when I do, Donut King‘s maple-bacon is one of my top go-tos. Went to procure one for this piece — you know, for research — and there in the case sat this mad scientist monstrosity: the maple-bacon LOG. There is no difference between this DK delight and the original save shape and size. And since bacon lovers are often a more-is-better kinda crowd, I figured I’d showcase it on the familiar box for scale. At $2.59 this is a tremendous bang of bacon for the buck. On National Bacon Lovers Day (Aug. 20), share it with your best bacon buddy. That’ll leave more room for the rest of the picks on this calorie-laden catalog…
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If you go: 287 S. Hwy. 27 in Minneola, 352-243-4046; 3716 Howell Branch Road in Winter Park, 321-316-4817; thedonutking.com/
XO Sauce — Orlando Meats
Orlando Meats‘ Medium-Rare Burger has won accolades, including a couple of honors from my Orlando Sentinel predecessor. And chef/owner Eliot Hillis believes the XO Sauce (it’s 85 percent bacon, he says) has as much to do with its success as anything. “It tastes like if bacon was ketchup,” he says. And people have been begging for it since they opened. They’ve sold the sauce a few times, in small batches and by special request, but they’re breaking it out for Bacon Lover’s Day — pint jars will go for $12 until they’re gone. What should you put it on? “Eggs. Toast. Literally anything you’d put bacon on, you can put this on.”
If you go: 728 Virginia Drive in Orlando; 407-598-0700; orlandomeats.com
Chocolate-Covered Bacon — Peterbrooke Chocolatier of Winter Park
“Crispy, creamy, salty and sweet. Nothing better than chocolate-covered bacon!” says Kevin Wray, co-owner of Peterbrooke Chocolatier of Winter Park. Sure, the statement benefits — but it has the advantage of being true. Not to mention a supremely elegant way to gift the bacon lover in your life with something holiday-delightful. Chocolate-dipped bacon is $3 a slice, but you’ll get 20 percent off your prettily packaged porcine presents on Bacon Lover’s Day.
If you go: 300 S. Park Ave. in Winter Park; 407-644-3200; peterbrookewp.com/.
BLT & Bourbon Kit — The New Standard
It’s a salad. It’s a sandwich. It’s simple, smoky, cool, crunchy and cravable.
“The BLT showcases how bacon can balance with other ingredients for the perfect flavor combination,” says Ryan McLaughlin, executive chef at The New Standard in Winter Park. “The thick-cut bacon’s fat and salt marry seamlessly with crunchy toasted sourdough, fresh, crisp lettuce and juicy tomato. It’s a sandwich for real sandwich lovers.” And for Bacon Lover’s Day, they’re bringing back the popular BLT & Bourbon Kit ($40, makes 3-4 sandwiches and two of the restaurant’s signature Pistachio Old Fashioneds). Those more interested in supping than sipping can go BLT Kit only for $30. Order online or by calling the restaurant; special available Aug. 20 only.
If you go: 1035 N. Orlando Ave. in Winter Park; 407-316-2278; newstandardwp.com/
Vanilla Bean Bourbon Bacon MoonPie — Se7enbites
Moon pies were one of Chef Trina Gregory-Propst’s favorite childhood treats. For Se7enbites, she wanted to transform the confection into something … more adult. “Hence the bourbon!” she says of the from-scratch goodies. Graham crackers are scratch-made, as well as the marshmallows, which are infused with bourbon and a load of vanilla bean paste before they fold in a ton of crispy bacon. “I love the juxtaposition of sweet and salty … and the bacon is just salty enough to balance the sweetness of a fresh-made marshmallow.” The Moon Pie goes for $5.75, but look for other specials on Bacon Lover’s Day, too, including their “almost famous” Chocolate Peanut Butter Bacon cupcakes ($3.75) and Bacon Gravy & Biscuits ($9.75). Possibly more! “Bacon is always on my mind,” says Gregory-Propst, “and finding new, thoughtful ways to incorporate it is a challenge I will always accept.”
If you go: 617 Primrose Drive in Orlando; 407-203-0727; se7enbites.com/
House-Cured Bacon — Hinckley’s Fancy Meats
It’s old school at this “fancy” East End Market shop, where chef Matt Hinckley cures and smokes the bacon in-house using Florida cane sugar, Celtic raw natural sea salt and local wildflower honey from Bottom Stung Beekeepers. “We keep slabs of it at the shop so people can get it cut thin, thick, or our favorite: big chunks and end cuts,” he says. “There’s no better way to flavor a crock of beans or collards.” $15/pound.
If you go: Located inside East End Market at 3201 Corrine Drive in Orlando; 786-671-1023; hinckleymeats.com
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Vegan Jalapeno Poppers with Rice Paper “Bacun” — Leguminati
Leguminati chef/owner Bex Larsen says it’s pretty typical for plant-based eaters to miss certain dishes or flavors from their pre-vegan lives. Bacon is nostalgic for many. “Rice paper ‘bacun’ is one of many vegan bacon substitutes,” she says. It’s made by soaking strips of rice paper — the same used for things like spring rolls — in water, then bathing it in a liquid marinade before crisping it up in the oven.” Ingredients might include things like soy sauce, maple syrup and liquid smoke. “There are a lot of different ways to make fake bacon — coconut, seitan, eggplant, carrot, tempeh…” says Larsen, and proper dishes for each. “For a vegan cheeseburger, I’d crave a meatier one, like seitan or tempeh. For a nice salad, I’d whip up the coconut version.” For these poppers, she went with rice paper for its smokiness and crunch. Leguminati fans will likely find this new dish on a bar bites menu in the future, but they’ll be on special for Bacon Lover’s Day for folks to try. “For some reason, this has become our go-to quarantine guilty pleasure, and the perfect cure for a bad day.”
If you go: Located inside the Hourglass Social house at 2401 Curry Ford Road in Orlando; 407-930-7308; bean-team.com/.
Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: [email protected].