Bacon… See, I typed the word and you read it, and now we both feel better. I don’t really know why, but we do. At the risk of sounding sappy this early in the blog, bacon brings back memories and it tastes amazing. Dare I say it? Bacon is a force to be reckoned with! Let me list some of the things that have the “bacon” brand attached to them. Bacon soap, bacon chapstick, bacon salt, bacon brownies, bacon wrapped hamburgers, bacon wrapped anything, and bacon cologne. The last one was actually created by John Farginnay in 1920.
* Side note to the above paragraph – The bacon soap was a gift from great friends and the bacon chapstick was swag from a tech conference. My wife would not let me use either one…
I feel like I’ve already made my case and I’m just getting started. You see, dear reader, bacon Really Does Matter.
According to www.icanhasinternets.com (sounds credible) 70% of all bacon in the United States is eaten at breakfast. But are there health benefits? I’m glad you asked! According to bacontoday.com – “Bacon is chock full of a very important nutrient called “choline,” which helps increase our intelligence and memory” and benefits fetal brain development. “Bacon provides us with substantial amounts of the important, necessary vitamins and minerals.” And “several university and medical center studies have shown that including bacon as a regular, moderate part of one’s diet naturally works to lower the body’s blood pressure and blood sugar levels.” 105 year-old Pearl Cantrell is living proof of the power of bacon. She eats bacon every day and attributes her longevity to the beloved meat. “I don’t feel as old as I am, that’s all I can say.”
But I digress… The reason bacon really matters to me may surprise you… Bacon means memories. I remember waking to the smell of bacon growing up and thinking, “life is good.” I remember the Super Bowl party where dear friends brought chocolate-covered bacon to the event. I ate five pieces before I even realized what was happening. And then there’s “Doc.” We have a men’s group at my church and I would do anything for those guys. We share bacon most Wednesdays and we “do life” together. About a year ago, we lost a member of the “bacon brothers.” “Doc” – Kevin Hertel – went home to be with the Lord and left an empty seat at our table. His quick wit and servant heart was an example to us all. Great memories!
Help me celebrate August 30th, 2014 this year. It is International Bacon Day. (Yes, it’s really a thing.) It’s a social holiday and that makes sense to me. Bacon may not solve the world’s problems, but it does make us feel happier. And we all know we could use a whole lot of happiness these days.
What are your favorite bacon recipes? Join the conversation by replying at the top of this post.
I must clarify. My wife (for whom I’m guest blogging) prefers turkey bacon and would probably have chosen a different topic to blog about, but you get what you get when you invite me to guest blog. Before you leave the site, you should follow my wife’s blog (top, right of this post). It’s quick and easy and (with the possible exception of this post) relevant for parents and educators.
For more from Marea, check out Me and Thee Studios’ faith based leveled readers for 1st-2nd graders at http://www.meandtheestudios.com/early-reader-collection.html. You won’t want to miss it!