My Turn: What's shakin'? Bacon!

Readers share their feelings about bacon, subject of a recent Act 2 column. The writer's granddaughter, who was mentioned in the column, also felt strongly enough to write and defend her favorite food.

I am the 10-year-old Gracie from the bacon story that my grandfather Fred Bruning wrote. It's true, I do love bacon. It is very hard for me to think of the poor, defenseless pigs that are killed daily for their delicious meat. I have tried to stop. It did not last very long, though. I have a very large pig shrine in my bedroom. It's like a mural of pictures and stuffed animals all related to the idea of pigs.

What I mostly like about bacon is that the first bite is always amazing. The flavors collide into a juicy explosion! I love my bacon not too crisp and not too raw, just perfect! I hope that you understand, now, why I and everyone should love bacon!

--Grace O'Beirne, Northport

Mother knows best

For years, on Fridays, I drove my mother to the supermarket to purchase the week's groceries. I was assigned to select those items that were male-oriented; i.e., standard items requiring no evaluation or judgment: milk, coffee, bread, eggs, etc. My mother, on the other hand, selected items requiring decisions; i.e., fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, etc.

One day, I was pushing my cart past her as she was hefting and evaluating every pork loin in the bin. As I passed, I muttered, "They're all the same, lady!"

While shopping a few weeks later, I had been assigned to purchase a package of bacon. I was busily sorting through dozens of packets, examining each "window," trying to determine which showed more meat and less fat. Suddenly, I heard a little old lady's voice behind me saying, "They're all the same, mister!" Guess who!

--Charles F. Stieger,Wantagh

Don't throw in the towel

Here's the problem. I have anosmia due to head trauma. That means, in plain English, no sense of smell or taste other than sweet, sour, salt and bitter. Now comes the bacon fix . . . and why my anosmia turned me into a bacon addict.

First of all, it looks cool and feels great in the mouth with the greasy fat, salty taste and the crispness of the meat. Combine this with the memories of the past, and it's heaven on Earth.

Can't wait till I'm invited to the next breakfast buffet -- loading my plate with a bunch of fat bacon and a small piece of fruit to make it look healthy, and then going back for more bacon and another small piece of fruit.

Since I kept getting yelled at for making a mess cooking this stuff, I had to find another way to cook it or it would be banned from the kitchen and probably the whole house.

So here is a way to make bacon with no mess, no fuss and nothing to wash. Get a paper plate, the 10-inch babies. Lay the bacon on two pieces of paper towel on the plate. Place a single piece of paper towel on top. Next, microwave for two minutes, transfer the bacon to a heavily buttered piece of white toast, no phony fat-free or whole-grain garbage. Sit back and enjoy.

--Phil Enright,Medford

Oh, man, what a treat

I believe, and have told many people, that God has given man (not mankind) three things to enjoy in life:

1. Women (any way you like them)

2. Chocolate (as in Mallomars, blackout cake, etc.)

3. Bacon (also, any way you like it)

It's as simple as that!

--Rich Friedman, North Merrick

It's tops for breakfast

I am very passionate about bacon. Growing up in my Italian household, we didn't wake up to alarm clocks on weekend mornings -- we woke up to the smell of fresh-cooked bacon in Mom's kitchen.

Now, no morning is complete without my favorite meat.

The clerks at my local deli know exactly how I like my bacon. "Well done, extra crispy, please." It goes with my two or three egg whites on a roll.

I am aware of the negatives associated with this meat. But I am also quick to point out the positives, like being a source of niacin.

On work mornings, my co-workers laugh when I order my previously mentioned breakfast sandwich. I order the healthy egg whites, yet I order it with bacon on a roll.

Now what would be the fun of not having my favorite topping on that sandwich, I tell them. After all, it is why I go to the gym every day. It puts my mind at ease knowing I can enjoy it without feeling guilty.

--Joe Salvatore, Blue Point

Naughty but nice

Back in the days of "Leave It to Beaver" and "Ozzie and Harriet," bacon was a household staple. My father would prepare a full pound of bacon and eggs every Sunday morning for breakfast for himself, my brother and me. My mother had declared Sunday as a day of rest, thus a day off from kitchen duty.

I can still taste the salty sweetness of those bacon breakfasts with a bit of nostalgia. There is no facsimile for the rich, smoky taste that only bacon can deliver.

Nowadays, bacon eaters have been relegated to the persona non grata category of alcoholics, recreational drug users and other societal fringe groups. This is quite puzzling to me, since bacon is sold in every market, bodega and big box store across the country. One does not need a permit, two forms of I.D. or a note from one's parents to purchase it.

From my own experience, bacon is the ultimate siren song to the male species. Nothing will sweep a woman off her feet more than an entree prepared with bacon. For years, I have been dabbing French perfume behind my ears. I should have used bacon. Bacon is right up there with asparagus and oysters as an aphrodisiac.

I must admit to feeling very naughty when I occasionally eat bacon; dissecting it carefully by pulling away the fat from the lean, in a vague attempt at being health-conscious. Who am I kidding, really? There is a nostalgic quality in the bacon aroma, hearing the sizzle of it cooking, that wistfully transports me back to the breakfast table of my childhood.

As an aside, my dad is alive and reasonably well at 92 and continues to eat bacon and eggs every Sunday for breakfast. Go figure!

--Judy Bishko, New Hyde Park

No fat is where it's at

When I saw the headline of your article about bacon, I read it just to see if you would mention my favorite new convenience food, precooked bacon. Well, you didn't, so I thought I should write to inform you of it.

It is the greatest -- no messy splatters all over the stove and floor, no pan full of grease to dispose (hey, you paid for this!), and when you are still half asleep in the morning, what could be more convenient?

If you are truly a bacon lover, please try it. There are about 15 slices to a package. That may not seem like a lot, but no fat makes it go further.

--Alice Barefield,Flushing