Bacon is like Kanye West -- either you love it full-heartedly and support everything it does (even if it seems a little off), or you wish other, more talented meats would get their due. There's no need to question what camp I'm in. I would begin every morning lathering up with bacon soap if a fear of being trampled by men didn't deter me.
So when a strip of bacon falls into my beer, my day just feels complete. Where does that happen? Bacon Fest, that's where.
The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City loves bacon as
much as I do, and its second annual bacon event -- Bacon Fest: The Other Fundraiser
-- brought hundreds of pork lovers to the Waldo CVS parking lot Saturday
afternoon with promises of bacony goodness, beer and live music.
The entrance fee of $30 ($40 at the door) seemed like a mere pittance when you consider what attendees got: unlimited access to local restaurants bacon dishes, free beer and a lovely Bacon Fest T-shirt. It also went to a good cause, helping the Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City raise $35,500.
click to enlarge
Ameristar classed up the joint with this dish.
During the two hours I was at the festival, I flitted from one vendor to the next, deliriously happy to munch on their wares. A woman at Planet Sub said they had to replenish their offerings every four minutes to keep up with the high demand; she estimated they'd served more than 100 sandwiches in 30 minutes. Julian offered savory sweet options with chocolate-chip-bacon cookies and bacon dipped in caramel. The gooey caramel beautifully complemented the salty chewiness of the bacon underneath. Ameristar Casino had a formal dining option with a jalapeno-candied strip of bacon on top of a flaky piece of baklava, raspberries and a maple-cream sauce.
Along with vendors, Bacon Fest challenged bacon lovers to show how much they love the striped meat with a series of contests: Best Bacon/Pork-Themed T-Shirt, Best Bacon Recipe and a Bacon Eating Contest. For only $10.50, you could attempt to shovel a pound of bacon into your mouth. The winner -- whom I had the pleasure and misfortune of standing next to -- ultimately ate half a pound of bacon in 5 minutes.
If you can stomach it, there's video of the-contest below.
Slideshow
"That'll Do Pig": Bacon Fest 2010
Hundreds of bacon lovers came to the Waldo CVS on Saturday to celebrate the striped meat and raise money for The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City. You can read more about the event on Fat City and see photos here.
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