It's Bacon!

The Chicago Sun-Times reports on a delicious new reason to visit the Windy City (via Slog):

First there was Wendy's "Baconator," two quarter-pound burgers topped off with six strips of bacon. Hot 'n' juicy indeed.

Then J&D's smoky Bacon Salt, billed as delivering the flavor without the fat, the frying or the filthy kitchen, hit the shelves of Meijer, Jewel and other area grocery stores in September.

And this month, we saw the unveiling of breaded, deep-fried bacon -- dressed in country gravy -- at Risque Cafe in Lake View.

For more exciting bacon-related news, check out the Daily Iowan's recent coverage of a new product known as Baconnaise:

Bacon.

We eat it in strips, in bits. But now, the popular pork taste can be scooped, spread, even sucked up through a straw.

With the emergence of Baconnaise, two sandwich toppings become one.

And who do we have to thank for this earth-shattering invention? UI alumnus Dave Lefkow and friend Justin Esch.

"We have grossly underestimated Americans' love for bacon," Lefkow said. "It's a gateway meat - one taste, and vegetarians will convert into carnivores."

Though it wasn't bacon that did it, I can personally attest to the power of meat generally as I have recently once again fallen off the vegetarian wagon. Mmm. Meat.