confession

This weekend, while making with the chit-chat with my local butcher . . . I realized that I was confessing something deeply personal . . . and a tad shameful. It was one of those situations in which I found myself realizing mid-story that perhaps I ought not confess this publicly. His reaction didn't help . . . and he's a butcher for goodness sake!

I save the drippings from frying bacon, freeze them, and then use it in cooking. I use the bacon fat when making my own refried beans . . . or when frying up chickpeas for salads. I've even been known to toss some bacon fat into dirty rice or other dishes that need a little extra smoke flavor.

I don't eat meat at every meal. I eat lots of fruits and veggies . . . so why would I feel such shame at admitting that I use bacon fat in my cooking? Bacon and bacon fat rocks! It's not like I'm topping ice cream with it . . .