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Here's something you chocolate covered bacon affectionados might enjoy.

Candied Bacon Martini



Servings: 4

Note: The candied bacon recipe is adapted from "The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations From Two Great American Cooks" by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock.

Candied bacon

8 slices smoked bacon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, shiny side up. Dredge the bacon on both sides in the brown sugar and arrange the slices so they do not touch on the sheet. Bake until the bacon is richly caramelized, 15 to 25 minutes. Use a pair of tongs to transfer the bacon strips to a cooling rack and allow the excess fat to drain. Serve warm as candy or cool until hardened for the martinis.

Candied bacon martinis

6 ounces premium vodka

4 ounces Applejack brandy

2 ounces amaretto liqueur

2 ounces maple syrup, preferably grade "B"

4 thin slices tart apple, such as Granny Smith

2 slices candied bacon, halved crosswise

Chill 4 martini glasses. In a large cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, brandy, amaretto and maple syrup with ice. Shake until combined and chilled. Strain the cocktail into the 4 chilled glasses and garnish each with an apple slice and half a slice of candied bacon. Serve immediately.

Each of 4 servings: 284 calories; 1 gram protein; 21 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 1 gram fat; 0 saturated fat; 3 mg. cholesterol; 78 mg. sodium.

Bacon and booze....a perfect food!!!


hehehehehehe

Here's the next in a series of bacon drinks.

The Mexican Bacontini



* 1/4 tsp Original Bacon Salt
* 4 oz aged tequila
* 4 oz orange juice, fresh squeezed if possible
* 1 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
* 1 oz sweet and sour or Limeade


Put all in a shaker with ice, shake and strain into a Bacon Salt rimmed martini glass. Serves two.

And another.

Chocolate Bacon Martini



* 2 oz vodka infused with candied bacon
* 2 oz Godiva Chocolate Liquor
* Splash of cream

Mix all in ice filled shaker, pour in martini glass. Garnish with candied bacon.

To make candied bacon,

Ingredients:
1/2 lb bacon slices (10 slices)
1/2 cup Demerara sugar
*Special equipment: brown paper such as a grocery bag or butcher paper

Preparation:
Cook bacon in 2 batches in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning over once, until bacon is lightly browned on edges but still flexible, 5 to 6 minutes total per batch. Transfer bacon as cooked to paper towels to drain.

Pour off fat from skillet and arrange bacon in skillet in 1 layer. Sprinkle Demerara sugar over bacon and cook over low heat, turning occasionally with tongs, until sugar is dissolved, caramelized (sugar melts very slowly and burns easily; reduce heat if necessary after sugar begins to caramelize), and coats bacon, 8 to 10 minutes. (Bacon will be dark and look lacquered.) Transfer bacon with tongs to brown paper to cool.

Cooks' notes:
• Don't be tempted to transfer bacon to paper towels to drain — the sugar will make the bacon stick to them.
• Bacon can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature, but it will become less crisp.
• Before cleaning skillet, add a few inches of water to it, then add tongs and boil to dissolve hardened sugar from pan and tongs.
*Be sure to use Demerara sugar for this addictive little garnish; we tried turbinado but didn't get the same results.
Servings: Makes 10 slices.