The fun, bouncy melodies, catchy tunes, and lively humor help me keep up the pace of the play-by-play nature of recipes. My dealer to keep my Jonesin' for polka is found here at www.247polkaheaven.com.
My friends decided to throw a Super Bowl party and invited a troop of friends over to participate in the festivities. Each of us had to bring some sort of edible concoction or two liters of a favorite liquid refreshment.
I decided on this little honey of a recipe: BACON EXPLOSION!
I got up around 10 am thinking I would have enough time to both cook the two-and-a-half hour delight and still make it to church. *shhhh* I didn't make it on time for our first meeting. Man, was I off on my mental timing.
I sacrificed for the good of the group! The kitchen became a stir as I started the groundwork for this porkulent treat. In the background, the 2/4 goodness was sounding, and my feet were moving to the beat.
The first step is to take a pound of thick-sliced bacon and create a lattice for your outer "shell." My wife laughed playfully while photographing the progress as I both enjoyed my handy work and danced to the beat. The first "IJ" up was a gentleman from St. Louis, I believe. He and his wife had this down-home back-and-forth going on making their show all the more enjoyable. They shared songs about drinking, meeting the love of your life, drinking, good food, drinking and... drinking!
All the while, my lattice work was finished, with a layer of barbecue rub on top, and it was time to spread on two pounds of Italian sausage. By now, my wife was getting ready for church as my polka/cooking neurosis ensued.
A new show with a more "traditional" radio host came on showcasing the versatility and international flavor of the genre. Polka songs came mixed with Zydeco, Latin and Caribbean rhythms (I believe) keeping the traditional "Oom-Pah-Pah" line going. On the stove the last bit to add, a pound of cooked bacon, was being prepared for the finishing touch.
(One bad thing about cooking bacon in a small apartment: the smell lasts for DAYS!)
After I had smoothed the sausage out, and the bacon had finished, it was time to put the last layer on. Spicing up this final step before it was all rolled up were double-shots of polka songs: English versions alongside their foreign counterparts. Diverse variations ranging from French to Polish to Czech. There was one song, the IJ informed his listeners, which had a version coming from Zimbabwe that he did not play. SHUCKS!
The next-to-last layer of barbecue sauce (with a touch of Chipotle Tobasco(TM)) was finally on and it was time to wrap this bad boy up.
Into the oven it went to be cooked at 250 degrees for two-and-a-half hours. The smells wafting in from the kitchen were divine. (Only highlighted by POLKA! You think I'd forget about that?) I had to open the door several times to get a look; the anticipation was KILLING ME.
My lovely spouse reminded me that I probably shouldn't open the door so often.
But, but, but... it's BACON EXPLOSION!
Time was finally up and I took this beauty out of the oven. I wish I could have closed in the sides, like the innovators of this beast did, but you gotta go with what you have. I then added the final slathering of barbecue and VOILA!
The hit of the Super Bowl Party.
Too bad the Cardinals lost, but we all won with good food, good conversation, and good times. On a side note, my friend's husband decided to come just for this tasty delight.
Polka and cooking; what a great combination!
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