Peameal Bacon in California: A Quest for the Cornmeal-Crusted Gold
So, you’ve had a taste of Canadian cuisine and now you’re craving that glorious, cornmeal-crusted delight known as peameal bacon. But hold on there, buckaroo! You’re in California, not Toronto. Fear not, intrepid bacon lover, for I shall guide you on your quest for this porky treasure.
The Great Peameal Bacon Drought
Let’s face it, California is more renowned for its avocados and kale than its cured pork products. Finding peameal bacon here is like searching for a needle in a haystack, but with more pork and less hay. It's a culinary desert, a bacon wasteland. But don’t despair, there might be a few oases of hope out there.
Your Best Bets
Specialty Butchers and Meat Markets: If you’re willing to put in some legwork (or should I say, porkwork?), your best bet is to hit up those independent butchers and meat markets. These guys often have a wider selection of specialty meats and might just surprise you with a pack of peameal bacon. Think of them as the Indiana Jones of the meat world.
Online Ordering: If you’re not afraid to pay a premium for convenience, there’s always the option of online ordering. Several Canadian specialty food stores ship nationwide, but be prepared to shell out some serious dough for shipping costs. It’s like paying for a personal bacon butler.
DIY Peameal Bacon: If you’re feeling adventurous (and have a decent kitchen), you can always make your own peameal bacon. It’s not as hard as it sounds, and the satisfaction of biting into your homemade creation will be worth the effort. Just remember, patience is a virtue when it comes to curing meat.
Where Not to Look
- Your Local Grocery Store: Unless you live in a truly magical part of California, don’t bother checking the meat counter at Ralphs or Vons. You’re more likely to find unicorn meat than peameal bacon there.
- Fast Food Joints: In-N-Out and McDonald's are great for their own specialties, but don’t expect to find a peameal bacon cheeseburger anytime soon.
How to...
- How to cook peameal bacon? Fry it in a skillet over medium heat until crispy.
- How to store peameal bacon? Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- How to make peameal bacon sandwiches? Serve it on a toasted English muffin with a fried egg and maple syrup.
- How to substitute peameal bacon? Canadian bacon is a decent substitute, but it won’t have the same cornmeal crust.
- How to appreciate peameal bacon? Savor every bite and be grateful you live in a world where such deliciousness exists.