Southern Comfort

As most know, when it comes to being picky about food, I'm not. My one exception: Southern cooking. With my entire family rooted in the deep south and the two year sabbatical I spent living in Mississippi, I have quite the affinity for southern food. This past weekend we headed down to Portland for a mini-vacation. In addition to the 80 degree weather and sunshine, I enjoyed a surprisingly scrumptious southern brunch at a lovely place called The Screen Door. This is saying a lot from a girl who grew up with the southern adages "if it ain't fried it ain't food" and "butter is a food group". I take pride in my ability to distinguish if chicken breast was soaked in buttermilk before it was fried and the fact that I would never choose sweet over savory when it comes to grits, so I'm thrilled to report that I've found a formidable provider of some of those southern staples I crave from time to time! WARNING: The Screen Door is not recommended for the health conscious… but if you know the value of a good southern breakfast, dive in! The fried chicken that came on a buttery brick of a homemade biscuit that would make my Granny jealous was delicious! Perfectly moist and tender breast meat, perfectly spiced, and generously portioned (of course). To top it all off, it was smothered in a rich gravy with yummy chunks of sausage, zero lumps, and an impressively bold, peppery flavor. We're talking thick enough to make the spoon stand up and that beautiful color that comes from using all the sausage drippings. After the unbuttoning of my jeans, I sampled wonderfully cheesy grits and Praline Bacon. And whether you pronounce it PRAH-line or PRAY-line, the bacon was fantastic. I am a huge fan of the southern treat, brown sugared bacon, and this took it one step further. I could taste a hint of possibly cayenne (which is what I use in my recipe) along with the sticky sweet and nutty goodness. If you've thrown cholesterol and calorie watching out the window, there is hardly a more worthy indulgence than bacon and sugar.

It was hard to stop there, everything on the menu from Chicken and Waffles (one of my favorite southern traditions) and Pimento Cheese and Fried Egg sandwich looked not only authentic but mouthwatering. I can't wait for another reason to go back down to Portland and increase my risk for heart disease (and The Screen Door is well worth the risk).

Here is my guilty pleasure bacon recipe:

Brown Sugared Bacon
Thick-cut bacon (I usually get it at the deli counter at the grocery store and allow for 2-3 pieces per person)
Brown Sugar (light or dark makes no difference)
Cayenne Pepper

Set oven to high broil. Liberally sprinkle each slice of bacon on each side with brown sugar and a tiny dash of cayenne pepper. Broil for about 5-8 minutes on each side (depending on desired crispiness). Let cool for about ten minutes, or set aside to serve later (excellent if you can wait an entire day and serve)