The Zen Of Bacon

As part of this spaces continuous, ongoing, relentless praise of bacon I am compelled to say a few a words regarding the Zen of bacon. Obviously there are a lot of aspects to bacon that are by definition "zen". This morning however I was cooking bacon for Laura, Pat and I (because only three of us I deemed 1 lb to be the correct amount. I was using a large, deep, rounf teflon skillet. Teflon is the simplest way to cook, though obviously iron has more Zen like characteristics. On the other hand iron sticks (even if well seasoned" and should never (ever) go in a conventional dish washer.

Thus I immediately sacrificed Zen.

I like to cook on a medium heat. Which is the second way that I sacrifice Zen because as we all know, the only true way to cook anything, especially bacon, is over a pure natural gas flame.

Secondary sacrifice of Zen.

I lay out about 7 strips across and then on across the top. As the skillet heats and you begin to get that Zen like sizzle then i begin to assess the heat distribution across the skllet because depending on quality of pan and quality of burner and of course positioning of said skillet... heat distribution can vary. As the bacon cooks you move the pieces from one side to another. This is orderly... and feels...Zen-Like.

But what is Zen you might ask.
One way to think of zen is this: a total state of focus that incorporates a total togetherness of body and mind. Zen is a way of being. It also is a state of mind. Zen involves dropping illusion and seeing things without distortion created by your own thoughts.

I enter this fugue state as the pieces being to get fully cooked. Many prefer their bacon limp which is...so un-Zen. Unforgivably so. So as the bacon crisps up i am always disappointed with the few first strips. There is never quite enough grease in the skillet. This leads to burning of the first few pieces where after you get them going you have a nice even layer of frying bacon fat. This is where I truly become at one with the skillet.

At this point.... the bacon basically cooks itself. Then we are left with a fully cooked pound of bacon...minus two or three slices which is the Zen cooking fee. Look it up.

Related Post: The Bacon Pigs http://stldinerreview.blogspot.com/2009/05/truth-about-bacon.html