Ahh, bacon. Yes, one of my favorite topics and one of my favorite things in the world. For those who are not yet aware, in NYC up near Harlem there is a magical place called the Baconery (bacon + bakery, get it?). Literally everything on their menu involves bacon in some shape or form, from sandwiches to baked goods to any of their raw artisanal cuts. Even the hot chocolate is topped with bacon! Amy and I took a trip up to the shop a few months ago for a low key date night and nearly put ourselves into a dreamy bacon-induced coma.
Recently, it came to my attention that Baconery was seeking food bloggers to check out their holiday basket and write a review. Considering I’m already a bacon addict and a fan of Baconery, I figured I’d be perfect for this. To be fully transparent, they sent me this basket free of charge so that I can sample everything, but you can trust that my thoughts and opinions are still completely impartial.
Two days after I first reached out to Baconery, I arrived home from work and found this glorious package waiting on my doorstep. Immediately, I feel a rush of excitement anticipating what glorious bacon-filled goods they might have included in their holiday basket so I brought it inside to explore.
Let’s get to the unboxing! Before cutting the tape, I had no idea what would be inside. I open the cardboard box and find a smaller white bakery box with lots of packing padding, a Baconery menu, business card, and online ordering voucher. I still have no idea what’s inside!
As I open up the white bakery box, I still find myself wondering what they’ve given me since there are no labels on any of the included packages? That’s a little strange to give no indication of what’s provided, I wonder what’s in there.
Well, there is one thing I can definitely see what it is. There’s a nice sized glass jar of Baconery Salt. I quickly unscrew the top so that I can toss a pinch into my mouth to taste. This stuff is awesome. It’s smokey and salty and tastes exactly like I’d hope it would. I can’t wait to integrate this stuff into my home cooking.
Next, I reach for the smaller unlabeled package that is wrapped in white paper and tied up with striped twine. I wonder what’s in this package. Is that fudge? I cut into it, hmmm… maybe it’s bacon fudge?
I even cut into it with a knife to get a bite ready.
I nearly bite into but before I have my doubts. Maybe it’s not fudge. I better look at the Baconery menu that came included in the package. Good thing I thought to check into it before biting that stuff because there’s no fudge to be found anywhere on the menu. So what could it be? Amy asks “Is it soap?” Oh, well there is soap on the menu. Maybe that’s it. We bring the irregularly shaped, multi-toned block over to the sink and run it under the sink while rubbing it with our hands. Lather! Jeez, glad I didn’t take that bite. There’s a bold, smokey bacon scent and it lathers really well while leaving your hands feeling silky smooth. I bet it makes you feel so soft because it’s made using the bacon fat since animal fat is one of the basic building blocks of soap. The scent is boldly bacony, but doesn’t leave your hands stinking like bacon once you’ve finished. It gets the skeptical girlfriend’s seal of approval.
Next, I go after the smaller of the two unmarked glossy black packages. Jeez, this is kind of tough to open. I can’t pull it open like a potato chip bag and can’t tear it open any way I try. I guess they seriously want to air-seal whatever is in there. Well, I find a pair of scissors and finally make my way into the packing. Ahh! It’s a mini pecan pie, I’m assuming with bacon inside. I pick one of the candied pecans off the top of the pie and it’s actually really delicious. The pecan has fortunately remained firm and fresh in transit and delivers are satisifyingly crunchy bite with a slight sweetness. I cut off a quarter of the pecan pie and shove it directly into my mouth. It has all of the signature textures and flavors of a great pecan pie between the flaky crust, sticky-gooey fillings, and crisp candied pecans with one major exception… there’s chunks of bacon slices mixed right into the sticky filling adding a great crispy texture and meaty, smokey flavor.
Next, I attempt to open the other, larger black glossy bag that is also completely unlabeled and again head straight for the scissors. They’ve really got to get some sticker labels or something.
Once I’m in I see that there are four different types of cookies and three types of brownies inside. Again, it’s unlabeled, so I kind of have to guess what each item is. I think there is a bacon brownie, a bacon blondie, a bacon red velvet brownie, a bacon chocolate chip cookie, a white chocolate bacon macadamia cookie, a chocolate peanut butter bacon cookie, and an oatmeal cranberry bacon cookie. I make sure to sample a bite of every item, you know, for scientific purposes so I can properly judge and comment on each treat. While all of the items are quite delicious, I find the softer baked items like the bacon brownie, chocolate peanut butter bacon cookie, and oatmeal cranberry bacon cookie to edge out the rest of the items. Again, it’s hard to go wrong with salty, sweet, smokey pastries but the softer, fudgier ones get my preference.
In conclusion, with the holidays coming up, if you’ve got a bacon lover in your life and you can’t figure out what to get them, the Baconery’s holiday basket is sure to please. Whether it’s for Christmas or for Hanukkah for a sacrilegious pork-loving jew (see: me) Baconery has got you covered.
@Baconery
911 Columbus Ave. New York, NY 10025
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