Coconut What?

Hey, wanna see something super freakin' cool? See that there vegan brunch plate from Memphis Taproom? That "bacon" is made from coconut chips — yes, coconut chips! — and it's got all the right smokey flavors and all-important crisp. I tell ya, it's akin to culinary voodoo.

I first heard about the technique of using coconut chips to make vegan bacon over on Vegan Brew. It sort of blew my mind, and I'm not sure how I didn't know about this all these years.

Then I was watching Food Network's series Diner, Drive-ins and Dives specifically to catch the segment on Memphis Taproom, a vegetarian and vegan friendly gastopub in Kensington. It was on this episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives that I peeped Memphis Taproom's chef smoking coconut (home cooks without a smoker can just use liquid smoke) for their vegan smoked coconut club sandwich. Oh, joy, I can have coconut bacon without lifting a finger in the kitchen.

On their own, coconut bacon chips are a bit hard to eat with a fork because of their small size, but I could certainly go for coconut bacon bits crumbled over a bowl of grits, or between bread like Memphis Taproom's club sandwich. Gotta get back there! Or just make my own.

Vosges Mo's Bacon Bar

I was on vacation for most of this week, so I haven't done a review in a while. Last night, I remembered that I still had this Mo's Bacon Bar from the last time I went to Whole Foods several months ago. I was worried that it would be bloomed (because these things are not cheap), but the airtight packaging saved the day and the bar was still in great shape!

I'm not a huge fan of bacon. I like it by itself or on a BLT, but I don't like it on pizza...or in chocolate. So I'm not really sure why I bought this. It was hard to pass up such a weird flavor combination, though, and my husband was interested in it, too.


When I opened this, it was hard not to notice the strong, overpowering smell of bacon. I could hardly smell chocolate at all. The chocolate has a great texture, as expected from Vosges. The taste was milk chocolate all the way, and for how much it smelled like bacon, I could hardly taste anything but chocolate. The bacon mainly added a weird texture and lots of saltiness.

It was good, but it smelled more like bacon than it tasted like it. That's probably a good thing. The aftertaste was very salty. My husband remarked that this must be what dog treats taste like for dogs. The bacon really didn't add much here, and I prefer the other Vosges bars I've tried.

C+

Vosges Haut-Chocolate

Glico Bacon and Cheese Pretz

Although I really loved the Melonpan Pretz from the Bakery Flat Style Pretz line, I gotta say, the Bacon and Cheese flavor didn't do it for me.

They smell like dog treats. Like weaker Beggin' Strips. The smell was definitely bacony, but it was preservative-laden as well. I didn't let that stop me of course, because I knew they had to taste better than they smelled.


They did taste better than they smelled, but it really wasn't enough to save them for me. That Pretz preserative taste was there and the aftertaste was one of those that you knew was going to hang around for a while. I'm not a huge fan of bacon-flavoring, so that was probably why I didn't like these.

I suppose it was supposed to be a savory taste, but the smell was so overpowering that the taste really didn't stand out at all. These weren't for me at all. I only had one stick and would not be likely to try this kind again.

C

Glico Website (Japanese)

Mo's Bacon Bar

This post makes the third post in a row about food that some may find disgusting. (I promise the next post will not make you gag.) Even though I have not tried Mo’s Bacon Bar - yes, bacon and chocolate! – introduced earlier this month from Vosge Chocolat, I've got to tell you, I'm über excited about the bar.

Firstly, Vosge Chocolate makes great and interesting chocolate. The Naga Bar, made with milk chocolate, curry powder and coconut, is my absolute favorite, but other interesting ingredients used in their Exotic Candy Bars include olives, chilies, ginger, green tea, cardamom, and other not so traditional and traditional flavors.

Secondly, Bacon and chocolate! These have got to be “two great tastes that taste great together.” Coming from Vosge, you know it's good. They wouldn't put out something repulsive. That's just not good business. And, ya know, it's not just bacon and chocolate; it's applewood smoked bacon, Alder smoked salt, and deep milk chocolate. Yeah, Vosge is not the first to think of this. Others have experimented at home, and chocolatiers have done it, too.

“But wait,” you might say, “you don’t’ eat meat.” No, I don’t, but I must confess that curiosity would get the better of me if this bar were in front of me. I would take a nibble. (Mind your comments; not only am I curious, I’m also a member of the Uruguayan soccer team.) That’s why I haven’t ordered the bar for myself. I’m giving the bacon bar to my Dad for Father’s Day, and he’s going to tell me all about it. He’s a chocolate connoisseur and a pork connoisseur, so Mo’s Bacon Bar could not have come out at a better time. I can’t wait to call him Sunday. I’ll update with his opinion when I get it.

Update - The package arrived early, and my Dad emailed me his opinion...

The chocolate was truly special. You can tell with the eating that it is very high end stuff. Even sweet M. couldn't resist having a piece of each one. She was the first to try the bacon and was stunned at how "chocolate" and "baconny" it was. I thought it was very good, lots of bacon taste and the two tastes mixed very well. I was surprised. But, like you, I liked the curry and Hawaiian one better. She wants to take the rest of the bacon one to little H. who says bacon is his favorite food.