Recently, my saint of a cousin presented me with my very own jar of bacon-infused vodka, and I knew immediately what needed to happen. I had to uncover the perfect way to honor and enjoy this liquid gold, then share this critical knowledge with everyone I could.
So, here are my findings in order from worst to hands-down best:
Mixed with Red Bull: Ewwww. Straight: You should probably really like bacon if you are going to try this. In a Bloody Mary: It does add an overall richness but couldn’t fight through all the spice of a good Bloody. Mixed with tonic: Nice for cocktailing, the pale gold vodka looked good on the rocks and the bacon was subdued and fizzy. Using bacon as a swizzle stick, though, resulted in a chunky, floating mess.
Mixed with O.J.: We have a winner! Fresh-squeezed is probably best, but Minute Maid Kids Plus is more than sufficient in a pinch. The bacon is powerful, but the sweetness and citric acid held their own against the richness and salt. This is brunch in a glass.
– Dennis Lowery
Photo by Carmen Troesser
This article appears in Jan 1-31, 2009.