Just call me Julia Child

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Jason had a genius idea for a party, Baconfest. Of course I had to attend. How can you not attend Baconfest? That's like turning down an invite to a party called Chocolate-o-rama. Just not done.

All invitees to the party had to bring a bacon dish. At the end of the night, the judges would vote on whose were the best, and there would be prizes. This brought out my competitive spirit.

I started thinking about what to bring. My first though, of course, was bacon chocolate cupcakes. I had heard about these delicacies through an odd food blog I read every once in a while. I even went and looked up the recipe. BUT, as the date drew near, I started hearing from others that there might be other bacon chocolate recipes attending the party. I was not going to be a conformist. I had to think of something new.

To days before the party, in a funk, I told my boss about my predicament. He is a pretty good cook. I thought he might know something. He mentioned that whenever he has a big party, one caterer he likes brings these things called "zingers", bacon wrapped apricots. He said I should try something like that.

So, I did.

The afternoon of the party I bought a package of bacon and a package of dried apricots, and I went to work. I wrapped the bacon around the apricots until the edges met and places them on a baking sheet. I then mixed soy sauce, brown sugar, and a little kung po sauce, and basted them. I put them in the over for 25 minutes, waited for them to cool a bit, put them in a serving dish and poured on more of the sauce. That was it.

I thought they tasted a bit too bacony, but I went with it.

Hours later, I showed up at the party. I was kind of late and people had already been eating bacon for hours. I was going to leave my dish in the car, but Cherry told me bring it in. I started passing out the apricots, and people LOVED them. I didn't expect that reaction.

As the night went on, I received more compliments. It was really an ego boost.

AND THEN, when they annouced the winners, guess who came in second. ME! Over the bacon egg-rolls, chocolate covered bacon, and cherry's bacon dip. YAY!!

Ok, fast forward a week or two. I'm walking down Lamar back to my car after the Morrissey show, and this guy comes walking towards me out of Bill's records. He is giving me this funny look. I'm with friends so I'm safe and ok, but I don't get his look. This guy walks right up to me and says "did you make the bacon wrapped apricots at Baconfest?" I just started laughing and said "yes." He put out his hand and said "let me shake your hand. Those were really good. You should have won."

Me being me, I gave him a big hug. People don't compliment my cooking that often.

Maybe I can cook, just a little.