Bacon Freak Blog

Have you ever stopped to wonder what exactly lead to this massive phenomenon of “Gourmet Food” rising up from it’s once ignored position of near total obscurity just 30 years, to climb up to the absolute pinnacle of popularity that “GOUR-MANIA” now engenders and enjoys?

One extremely HUGE culinary component to the cresting of this increasingly growing “WAVE” of societal acclaim, esteem … and dare I say … demand, is the incredible “Female Factor” that the Lady Chefs of the world have brought to the dining table.

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With the exponentially increasing popularity of Television Cooking and Chef shows that are simply taking the nation, if not planet by storm, the popularity of Gourmet Cooking, and therefore, the increased sales of gourmet foods and gifts, from the long time beloved and “in vogue” monthly fine wine clubs to the recently sought out and well received gourmet food clubs now online for your ease and convenience.

What started out originally and primarily as the proud and protected bastion of the Food Network was eventually recognized as a veritable “gold mine” and eventually spread to other networks / channels such as Bravo and TLC and now, as the trend begins to crest even higher than anyone could have ever expected, has not only gone totally “loco,” but totally “local” as more and more television channels “not affiliated with the networks” are profiting profusely from the mass appeal, crowd pleasing, trend setting wave of culinary celebration that I like to refer to as “GOUR-MANIA!”

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It seems that all the latest fashion is gourmet cupcakes. Every time I turn around I see a new boutique cupcake shop sprout up, with exotic and familiar flavors varying on a daily basis. With this new trend comes yet another delicious item that costs three dollars a craving, which in the end can run up a hefty bill. Also how many times can you visit any of those little shops, sit underneath the multi-colored umbrellas and not seek a different scene or a new adventure with the same delicious treats.

A few solutions have actually already been presented to the general cupcake loving public to these two problems. One is the surge in cupcake cookbooks with everything from Martha Stewart to simple designs to easy bake. I’ve read a few articles and recommendations on cookbooks, the easiest way to save money on my newest addictive habit is clearly baking them at home. The second answer, the part about a new twist to an old adventure I discovered when reading about a new little cupcake shop in Palm Springs. This new place has decided to pair their trendy gourmet cupcakes with wine, a great little nook for an afternoon getaway.

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With Super Bowl Sunday fast approaching (yes, the game is this Sunday), it’s time to take a close look at the top five things that make any Super Bowl party great.

1. A Big Screen TV: How can you watch the “Big Game: on a little TV? That makes no sense at all, so a Big Screen TV is an obvious “must” for any successful Super Bowl Party.

2.  Snacks: The #1, all-time favorite snack food at Super Bowl parties is “Chips and Salsa!” But this isn’t just “any other” game, so just “any other” chips and salsa combo isn’t gong to cut it.  If you’re looking for a salsa that will make a huge, memory making impression and pleasantly surprise your guests, check out this awesome “Mango Salsa Recipe.”

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