a club worth joining

For Christmas, the man purchased a subscription to Zingerman's Bacon of the Month Club for me. Funny thing, same thing happened as did with the Valentines' Day/Kitchenaid meat grinder debochle of 2009. A few days before the holiday, I forwarded him an article that I found to be exciting. A bacon of the month club! What a great idea.

Husband immediately gets kicked puppy face.

Oh no. Here it comes.

"Christmas is ruined. I discover the perfect gift, and you find it on your own. The surprise is gone."

Well, the surprise was gone. But the bacon... that was not so easily spoiled.

Stay tuned for my praise of the best of the bacons.

zingerman's + bacon, or, another reason to miss michigan in the fall.

Came across this post on Serious Eats this morning and was immediately nostalgic. When I was growing up, my dad worked in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His job involved lots of driving, so he happened upon all sorts of amazing spots before they were discovered by most... Antique stores, ethnic restaurants, music shops. And whatever creative tangent I found myself on, he would scavenge up supplies for me. He constructed photography darkrooms, bargained for vintage guitars, rebuildt garbage-picked lamps.. I can't imagine the possibilities had I began my meat pursuits while still living near him in Michigan!

That said, Zingerman's was, of course, a staple (splurge!) restaurant of my childhood. I remember their giant cookies, tasting aged balsamic with plastic straws, and splitting chicken salad sandwiches on dried fruit bread with my mom. They have since become quite an empire and have released several foodie books, including Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating and Zingerman's Guide to Giving Great Service. Their newest release really grabbed my attention.

Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon

I don't have any bacon-specific memories of Zingerman's, but I think some will have to be made during my next visit to the homeland.