Great show! I occasionally make bacon for my family, but I “bake” it in the oven (400 degrees for about 15 minutes). Line the pan with aluminum foil and just lay the bacon strips on top (no need to flip during cooking). EASY cleanup and perfect bacon every time.

I enjoy bacon for breakfast slapped between two pieces of toast, melted cheese and egg. I enjoy it for lunch on a club sandwich or for dinner wrapped around scallops or a filet mignon. I never thought of pairing bacon with a white wine, but will definitely give the Conundrum a try.

My QOTD for Gary V: What is the first winery you plan on taking your baby to?

Love the idea of pairing bacon with wine; but with my cholesterol I have to confine myself to cheese and wine. Had some Tuma Persa last night; nice cheese;

QOTD: Best bacon is when you make the bacon first; then have sunnyside up eggs done in the bacon grease; so good; and so bad for you. What wine woyuld you pair with that?

QOTD #2: I have been in your store 4 times since Decemaber; but you are always busy and I would love to meet you FTF; just to tell you personally how you have expanded my palate through this show. I now have over a hundred bottles of wine at home, and I can’t decide what to open at night; so many choices.

Bacon, fried eggs, cheese – all on a roll or toast. Perfect breakfast that unfortunately can’t be had every day.

Bacon, fried eggs, cheese – all on a roll or toast. Perfect breakfast that unfortunately can’t be had every day.

Found your show through a friend from Twitter. Your descriptions on the taste of each wine are amazing. I can “taste” it while you describe it – that’s so important! I find, when I eat turkey, I cannot drink any red wine with it. The same goes for bacon – if I have a BLT, red wine gives the bacon a gamey “pork” flavor that leaves my mouth with a bad aftertaste. This goes for any meats that are way too salty, such as certain fish, oysters/clams as well as marinated chicken – I find white wine, such as a buttery chardonnay or a very light pinot grigio goes best with foods like these. Red wine increases the “slimy” affect in your mouth. (Hope that makes sense!)

I loved, “She’s too good for you, she went to Harvard & Penn!” That was brilliant!

I’m hooked on your show.

Cheers!

Gary: this is comment #1 from a LURKER since episode 80 or so (2006). Talk about legit. I love your show, have read your book, and I bring the thunder everywhere I go.

QOTD #1: Great bacon show. For me, bacon fits best inside of a grilled cheese (grilled in the bacon fat, not butter). Also, I love Conundrum, but lately Sokol Blosser Evolution has become my Conundrum Jr., if you will. Lots of similarities.

QOTD #2: I know you love to cover the super-hyped vintages, so when are you gonna take on the ’07 Chateauneuf du Pape wines that Parker is freaking out about? Remember when you tried the ’04 Pegau on the Thunder Show? I know you do. Money wine. I look forward to you trying the CDP “vintage of [Parker’s] lifetime.”

-Wardo

GV – the slot machine bit was hysteria.

QOTD: I enjoy my bacon the most in the interim while it drains after cookin’ and more is in the ban sizzlin’ away. Pop a lil warm piece with some coffee, and finishin’ up the breakfast meal.

QOTD for GV: What’s your mood like regarding the impending baby? How has it evolved over the pregnancy? I definitely went thru changes over the haul, and at 4.5 months old now, our lil dude had his first solids last night. Sweet Potato. Gonna eat it for a week. Maybe I need to try some dif. wines with sweet potato while he eats.

CHEERS!

there is no bacon play I do not enjoy…. except raw. had that it Romania and it wasn’t quite my thing.

sausgage and bacon pizza is possibly the best…..

QOTD: like my bacon grilled and crispy with scrambled eggs, baked beans and prob some rosti potato/ hash.

Cape Mentelle’s wines have not really rocked my world, however, for Margaret River Chardonnays…Number 1 is Leeuwin’s Art Series, followed by Pierro’s Chardonnay (both are awesome Margaret River chardys!)

My question to you would be: Since you’ve always talked about expanding your palate, what happens when you’ve got a bottle that really isn’t rocking your world at dinner. The bottle’s open and you’ve got to drink it whether you like it or not…Kinda spoils the mood though, and what’s worse is if it was really pricey!

QOTD: Bacon’s the best with eggs fried in bacon grease. I cook it for the wife every morning.

I really like pinotage from South Africa, and I’ve shared this love with my friends. They call it “bacon wine”.

What wineries in CDP are must visits?

QOTD Fry it up, set it aside, leaving grease on the heat, drop a mound of thinly sliced white onions in the hot grease and soften, pat onions down with papertowl, place bacon and onions on the softest white bread (like the kiddie Wonderbread)you can find. Two in the a.m. on a Saturday, reminds you life is good (just like the webisodes – thanks). Peace. (How about a military action figure you can slam down on the table when you need to break out “Major Pass” – what can I say, I love the visuals?)

QOTD: Best way for bacon has to be loaded (nice and crispy) in a BLT sandwich or if we are talking ham then some aged Iberian from Spain, cut into very thin slices and left on a plate to sweat at room temp until it melts like butter in the mouth!
Q for Gary: Have you ever compared Nebbiolo (say Barbaresco) with Pinot Noir (say 1er cru Burgundy) and Aglianico (say Taurasi) in the same tasting before? I have and it’s amazing how the fresh acidity and minerality found in each of these varietals can shine through on all 3 wines, giving balance and ultimately drinkability, especially with food such as Bacon!
I would also add a Nero d’Avola from Sicily to this trio (such as Feudo Montoni) – great value play, and a BIG tip from me. Look forward to your weekly wine shows…keep up the good work and wherever possible more food and wine play! Ciao

Thanks so much for the birthday shout out! Loved today’s show. I like bacon thick cut and by itself and also like to add it to pasta or chili recipes. Question for you–which aglianicos would you recommend?

Hello Gary
I have been watching your show daily for about a year now! I’m a big fan!
I discuss wine a fair bit with friends and some of your “Vaner-isms” bleet out when I speak about the wines I enjoy!Thanks for that!!!

My question to you is;
Can you explain your defenition of “mid Pallet”

We talk about balanced wine, front end and finish but besides the obvious, how do you really detect good mid pallet and why is it an important play?

Cheers
Craig Austin
Vancouver Canada

Awww, thanks for the on-air love.

I just started the episode, but this needs to be put out there ASAP:

THE BROOKLYN BACON TAKEDOWN
This Saturday, in Williamsburg, foodfestfeast, everything made with bacon.

http://chili-takedown.com/?p=300

I, unfortunately, will be vacationing with my lovely wife and unable to attend. But all NYC-based bacon lovers need to check it out.

Get there early, only 300 people get in.

QOTD: Breakfast Sandwich at the Peach Pit. Toasted bagel with egg, cheese and bacon

Why didn’t the Jets go after Cutler? I would have guaranteed a playoff spot!

QOTD – Bacon for breakfast. There’s no better way to start your morning.
My question for Gary – When are you going to do a tasting of Michigan wines? I think you may be surprised…

Gary, your white wine selections surprised me. Even with the better Margaret River Chardonnays I’ve had, I’m not sure bacon would be the best pairing. I would think you might have gone with some riesling and maybe a white from Italy or Spain. I do enjoy that you try things I wouldn’t think to try, though. Lately I’ve been experimenting with some pretty nontraditional food and wine pairings just to see what happens. (hmmm … I wonder how this oloroso sherry will go with this salad and veggie burger?) I usually find that the “rules” I’ve learned are true. It’s too bad the Burgundy wasn’t better; I thought that pairing had some potential.

qotd: I don’t eat bacon

qotd4u: did you really think the Conundrum would be good with bacon or did you just want to try it?

Gary

Listener since the beginning and have always wanted to know….Did you ever expect this videocast to take off as big as it did? It amazes me everyday watching your following grow, having been a viewer since the beginning. Hell, I still have the original black wristband….

Peace

Kyle Davis

Anyone else noticed that the episodes are taking a long time to come up in iTunes lately? Used to very quick, but now it seems to take 20+ hours?!

As Emeril always said: “pork fat rules” and how can you not agree. Although duck fat is right up there as well.

Gary, I would have liked to see you try all the wines without the bacon, then back again with the bacon because the fat is so heavy it’s hard to clean your palate for the initial taste of the next wine.

QOTD: I love bacon on pizza, i think it’s the single best pizza topping and will often have a pizza with just bacon. It’s also not as greasy as pepperioni.

QOTD2: Have you and Lizzie decided on any baby names yet? And what wine/champange are you going open with her to celebrate?

WOW great topic with the bacon.

QOTD1: I love bacon on burgers and on pizza, and sometimes on a scramble eggs
with onions and green pepper you know.

QOTD2: Have a Vino ever had a 100 pts rating or close to it ?

And have you tried a Long Island wine like MACARI? and if so what do you think?

i like my bacon best in a wild mushroom boar bacon demi glace like the one at vienna bistro in downtown salt lake city. i know what your saying (salt lake city?) but really it is the perfect humidity and temperature to hang your hog outside and air dry old world style.

gary what is your favorite wine book? that you didn’t write

Ha ha, you rule! with the slot machine ref. I will always think about that with Burg PN’s. I will yell “JACKPOT!” when I hit (Poop/Poop/Poop).

QOTD: alone, with a side bowl of butter. 🙂
QOTD for you: Do you ever pick up any hints of NYC subway in wine? If so, what components?

I guess I like bacon in any form. You didn’t by the way mention what type of bacon that was as the type may influence your taste. For me, I like Alsatian wines of all types with Pork fat but Northern Rhone also is a good play as well. There is a bacon smell in some Pinot Noir’s but I have never thought of them as a good play with bacon for me. The only Chardonnay that I think would cut through bacon well would be Chablis. GV I haven’t seen much about Alsatian wines in a while. How about a review of the different types and values?