Bacon Shortage? OMG!

Possibly the most disturbing headline ever hit us this week: a worldwide bacon shortage is upon us. According to Britain's National Pig Association, droughts both here and abroad have pushed up feed prices, causing farmers to limit herd numbers to cut down on costs. So, stores may be stocked full now, but the NPA says the "bacon supply is contracting fast."

Some people, like Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, are taking the news in stride. "The deal about a shortage of bacon is a bunch of baloney," he told USNews.com. But not everyone has such faith.

Count me among those fearing the impending 'porkapolypse.' And like any other bacon-obsessed binger, I want to make sure I eat as much of the heavenly hog meat as possible. So, this morning, post-workout, I took myself directly to the local Burger King to order their desert sensation: the Bacon Sundae.

"Oh my God," is the first thing I hear when I collect my order. The whispered words come from the young woman behind me. She leans closer to her companion, "Is that really a bacon sundae?!" Her eyes are wide and bug-like. I smile right at her, "Yes, it is."

I grab a seat at the restaurant and take in the preposterousness of a.) eating an ice cream sundae directly following one of the most intense workouts of my life, and b.) a bacon-freaking-sundae!

Honestly, I'm salivating, so I dive right in. And let me tell you, it was good. Well, the bacon was good. Crispy, juicy, and flavorful. All the things you love about bacon done just right. This bacon seemed even better than the strips they top off the burgers with. It was like it was specially cooked for me, for my sundae.
The sundae, on the other hand, didn't knock my socks off. Vanilla soft serve was never my favorite thing. But damn, that bacon!

I stuff my face in about three minutes flat. It's only after I'm staring at the bottom of the empty styrofoam cup that I realize I'm in public. Did anyone witness my gluttonous gorge? I look around, only to see the lady from before is walking toward me.

"How was it?" she asks, politely looking past the chocolate remnants on my lip. "Great," I reply.

"Imma get me one of those, too!" And before I can reply, she's at the counter. 

My Plate: Beer Marinated Pork Chops

When it comes to evening boozing, "eating is cheating," is what I always say. Unless, that is, you can incorporate your beverage of choice into your meal. And, with the surprising health benefits of beer being touted lately, I decided to do just that with the exceptionally drinkable Brooklyn Brewery's Oktoberfest for dinner.

A slew of recent research finds beer can be good for everything from boosting heart, bone and brain strength, to reducing your risk of stroke and cancer. Beer can even help you live a longer, happier life, according to one study that concludes, "If European beer drinkers stopped imbibing, there would be a decrease in life expectancy of two years - and much unhappiness."

No need to sell me! I'm ecstatic about the news, and ready to baste my local butcher's pork chops in brew.

My marinade is simple, and luckily not measurement specific (which is handy once you've had a few). I just threw a few of the following ingredients in a large bowl:

Good glug of Olive Oil
Splash Soy Sauce
Splash Worcestershire Sauce
1 Clove Garlic
Juice of half Lemon
Tsp Brown Sugar
Good glug Oktoberfest
Sprinkle Salt and Pepper

Voila! Taste to make sure it's sweet or savory enough (I had to add a few more splashes of Soy and Worcestershire for my liking), then lay the chops to wait for about an hour - or until you're sufficiently boozed to cook.

I broiled mine, and saved some of the marinade to add to my leafy veg side. Absolutely delicious result. Enjoy!