Kitchen mishaps are one of the things I love most about cooking. I enjoy the moments that would normally frustrate people – something breaking, something dropping, accidentally dyed utensils and spoons that have been flung to the floor.
Know where this is going? The ultimate bacon fat failure.
These cookies contained a pound of bacon, and, as you can surely guess, this much meat cooks off quite a bit of fat. Being the person I am, I wanted to find the best way to keep this fat for as long as possible, thereby to extend its cooking potential. Holding it in an old chick pea can would not do, and so I set my eye on one of the cute little Mason jars sitting beside the sink. That way I could put a lid on the bacon fat and store it in my closet should my mom get too “you’re SO unhealthy for keeping all that crap around my kitchen.” Well, as these things sometimes are, this idea was good in theory and not in application.
I started pouring the freshly warmed bacon fat into the Mason jar and, about three seconds in, heard a quiet “pop.” It sounded like the tiny man who had been inhibiting the inside of the jar decided he wanted to have a firing practice. Imagination aside, I looked down at the base of the Mason jar where, sure enough, all that lovely fat had started spreading over the kitchen counter, like a zamboni flooding an ice rink.
It dripped down the drawers and pooled in a small puddle at my feet. I was shocked, confused and incredibly amused. I rushed upstairs to get my camera, all while my mother set idly by in the family room watching Law and Order.
Bacon fat incidents aside, let’s talk about these cookies. For those who don’t know, I consider bacon and chocolate the ultimate combination – a rich marriage of salty and sweet.
I first fell in love with the pairing when I tried these Movember-inspired chocolates at the end of last year. They were unbelievable, first because Jen at koko chocolates in Ottawa is amazing at her job, and second because they included b&c. I’ve been trying to find an excuse to make something like this ever since.
Thank god for those newsroom bake sales (as previously mentioned here).
Also: It must be mentioned that my friend and one of my baking idols, Yoshi, made bacon cookies at the same time as me! I know I’ve mentioned this many times before, but Yoshi is the owner of café petit gâteau in Sudbury and a constant source of inspiration and lunchtime chitter chatter for me. We were talking about bacon baking a few weeks back and inadvertently co-ordinated our attempts. You know what they say about great minds… Anyways, Yoshi and I did a cookie trade – her bacon oatmeal raisin cookie for my bacon chocolate chip one. Thanks, Yoshi!
Hilary Makes 