We can't seem to get enough bacon or chocolate. They show up everywhere and in everything. Chocolate is creamy and sweet and bacon is salty and crisp. So do they belong together? On this question, I have found most people to be strongly divided. Some people love the interplay of textures and flavors, others feel they don't complement each other at all.
There are lots of ways to explore this combination, from the most basic chocolate covered bacon to the myriad of bacon chocolate bars. Vosges has a whole section of their catalog devoted to bacon and chocolate so I decided to give their products a spin. Mo's Bacon Bars ($7.50) come in milk and dark chocolate. The smoky flavor of bacon is strong in these bars! The bacon works better with the dark chocolate. Bacon just makes the milk chocolate seem sweeter than it already is.
Bacon Caramel Toffee ($12) is sold individually or as part of a chocolate and bacon gift basket of goodies. Perhaps the idea is that the bacon stands in for the more common toasted nuts. It adds crunch but also flavor. Unfortunately this is toffee that sticks in your teeth, and the bacon flavor isn't very apparent, especially compared with the chocolate bars where it sometimes overwhelms.
Of all the Vosges bacon and chocolate items, I have to admit I was most interested in Mo's Bacon Chocolate Pancake Mix ($12). Vosges founder Katrina Markoff was inspired by her childhood love for chocolate chip pancakes served with bacon and smothered in maple syrup. So how were they when combined in one? Surprisingly tasty. The buttermilk pancakes are fluffy and flavorful and the chocolate and crunchy bits of bacon are particularly good when all in one, and served up warm. It's not something I'd eat everyday, but for a special occasion it's a fun option. The package says it makes 5 servings, but I'd say it makes more like 7 to 8 servings.
Chocolate and bacon, love the combination or hate it?
By Amy Sherman
MORE FROM EPICURIOUS.COM
Traditional and Unconventional Uses for Chocolate
Epicurious's Favorite Winter Breakfasts
5 Meatless Main Dishes for Thanksgiving
Get Ready for the Big Day with Helpful Thanksgiving Reminders
