Bonding Over Bacon

He is pretty handsome. I have been seeing him for a long time, because he knows just what to do, and he is quite a bit younger. When we actually talk though, it is usually pretty mundane and I get bored: “Did you see Hunger Games?” (no, not yet), “Do you like this color?” (yes, it is awesome!), “When do you want to see me again?” (Ohhh, how about next month) Yet I have been seeing him for over 3 years. He is kinda, ummm, boring. But yesterday, I brought up the word “bacon”, and he totally came alive! You need to try it…

I am talking about Jeremy, my Hair Guy. He went crazy: told me where to find the best bacon in town (the Albertson’s over near the foothills), which store in another town down the highway has even better bacon, and his ultimate dream –bacon of the month club! http://www.thepignextdoor.com/ I actually considered signing up for a few minutes. He told me he decides where to buy groceries based on bacon selection.

Then we spoke about the horrible way that bacon prices are climbing, what is the deal?!? “OMG. It is awful!” And the packaging is getting smaller, just like cereal boxes. Now it comes in 12 ounce packages instead of a full pound. “Yes! Yes! Oh, yes!” He agreed. And I had to ask, what is up with smoked bacon? Why is the bacon in stores mostly smoked now, or has “added applewood smoke flavoring”, What in the Sam Hill is that? Isn’t that just code for more chemicals further debauching this decadent, totally unhealthy, irresponsible food?

As you can see, Jeremy came alive after I brought up bacon. Our relationship took on new life- we lamented together, breaking in, interrupting each other, we were so fired up and excited about bacon, and the fact that bacon prices have gone up so much over the past year. I have to actually ration the bacon consumption in our household.

It is hard to like bacon after you hear about the slaughterhouses, the way the pigs die so painfully, and the way it is really not good for us… But somehow, greasy bacon pulls through and we have a soft spot for it. (And I have a soft spot on my belly from it, no doubt).

Terra says “Bacon is the gateway food for vegetarians“, the food most likely to make them crumble down that slippery slope of vegetarianism. It happened for my daughter- first bacon, then pepperoni on her pizzas, then hot dogs, moving on down the slippery slope towards carnivorism. She was only in 6th grade, so her convictions were somewhat loose. But, the other day, she told me that she brought up bacon in the school cafeteria, and a boy fell out of his chair (which I am sure never happens in a middles school) talking about his own bacon-love.

Bacon, the bonding/relationship building food. When you bring it up, it automatically jumpstarts conversations. Try it at your next cocktail party (or, if you are like me and don’t get to cocktail parties nearly as much as you get to the beat-up tavern downtown, try it there). Their eyes will light up “Bacon! I love bacon! How can anyone not like bacon?”.