Closeline Candied Bacon

[tuolumne couple]

On 5/7/2019 at 8:25 AM, jhannah said:

Have you had a chance to try this in the Pinnacle Grille? It is certainly unique among starters! I thought it was fantastic! I know it isn't on any diet plan, but ya' gotta' step out every now and then! 😁

 

i'd try that. my friend always says 'try everything once, and the fun things twice'. glad you are enjoying yourselves. presentation is fun with the rosemary...

 

[rkacruiser]

20 minutes ago, tuolumne couple said:

i'd try that. my friend always says 'try everything once, and the fun things twice'. glad you are enjoying yourselves. presentation is fun with the rosemary...

 

 

After following all of these posts, and having observed this item personally, and liking bacon, I am becoming convinced I ought to try this.  Just, please, please, don't tell my cardiologist!

[tuolumne couple]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

After following all of these posts, and having observed this item personally, and liking bacon, I am becoming convinced I ought to try this.  Just, please, please, don't tell my cardiologist!

totally funny. i wont tell if you wont tell...  maybe we can try one, one day, and see if we will really like it or not. I envy the couple on board. 190 days until my next sailing, but who is counting? thanks for the post Jhanna!

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by tuolumne couple

[slidergirl]

On 5/7/2019 at 10:38 PM, kazu said:

 

Not really.  If it’s GOOD bacon, there’s no need to over cook it.

 

And before you flame me, keep in mind that Canadian bacon is very different from American bacon.  Much more taste ( I know taste is subjective) and no need to cook it to death.  Nor a high quality steak, for that matter.

 

Back in-between visits to the beach...  

 

Canadian bacon - definitely NOT need to get it crisp.  I LOVE most things Canadian - bacon, beer, oysters, mussels...    American bacon is about 90% pork fat - you have to cook the crap out of it to get the fat to taste decent 😉

 

I don't eat red meat (Pork is the "Other White Meat") - but when there is nothing else offered to eat, I will oblige, but I want that slab of cow still mooing!!! (bleu or very rare).  

[airboss1998]

On 5/8/2019 at 12:26 AM, rkacruiser said:

Nieuw Statendam:  the couple next to my table ordered this item.  The presentation surely is unique and they seemed to enjoy it.  Would what I observed encourage me to order it?  Absolutely not.  It's pretentious.  Healthy?  Certainly not!  Why would I choose to begin to fill my stomach with a breakfast related item prior to enjoying a Pinnacle Grill dinner?

I’ve read everything now (disclaimer: I don’t do a tuxedo for gala nights) - bacon, PRETENTIOUS!?!?

[Judyrem]

On 5/7/2019 at 5:03 PM, cccole said:

At first I thought this was going to be a comical thread on how to make bacon jerky on your veranda.  

 

It appears that this bacon is served with lemon, dill pickle, and mustard.  Do you eat it with fingers or cut into pieces with knife and fork?  I've had candied bacon from the oven but not from a "clothesline."  Maybe you can request it extra crispy.  Cherie

I love the concept, but that is way to much salt for me and I LOVE salt (but have to watch my intake).

[rwams]

My Granddaughter tied this on the Westerdam she told me "it's okay but would not order it again".  I love bacon but it didn't look to appetizing to me with the bacon very limp.

[frankc98376]

13 minutes ago, rwams said:

My Granddaughter tied this on the Westerdam she told me "it's okay but would not order it again".  I love bacon but it didn't look to appetizing to me with the bacon very limp.

It is more like Pork Belly than "Bacon".  We love it- the smoky flavor with maple is wonderful.

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, airboss1998 said:

I’ve read everything now (disclaimer: I don’t do a tuxedo for gala nights) - bacon, PRETENTIOUS!?!?

 

My opinion:  one does not have to dress in a tux for this creation to be thought as being pretentious.  

 

Since when has a bacon appetizer been thought of as suitable start to "fine dining"?

[RocketMan275]

11 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

My opinion:  one does not have to dress in a tux for this creation to be thought as being pretentious.  

 

Since when has a bacon appetizer been thought of as suitable start to "fine dining"?

We had an order of this on our last cruise on NAM.  Wife, son, daughter in law, all found it enjoyable.  I probably would order it again.

[rkacruiser]

11 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

We had an order of this on our last cruise on NAM.  Wife, son, daughter in law, all found it enjoyable.  I probably would order it again.

 

What was then ordered?  How could such an appetizer be a "teaser" for the dinner to come?

[colbe]

Personally have no desire to ever order this - but for those of you who fancy it, here is the recipe.

https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/topics/food-beverage/baconloversday-culinary-council-recipe-david-burkes-clothesline-candied-bacon/

Edited November 6, 2019 by colbe
Spelling

[RuthC]

Jim, I missed this thread when you started it, so was pleased to see it pop to the surface. 
When it did start I was on a cruise, and had the candied bacon for the first time---not the last, though! Good gosh but it is delicious. 
I always did like when some of the maple syrup from my pancakes got on my bacon, so I knew I would love that part of it. Hope this dish is kept on the menu for a good, long time. 

[Crusinsusan2]

I make candied spicy bacon for every holiday party and it's always the first to go. Definitely robbing the presentation this year from HAL for our annual Christmas Eve, just need to find a fun buffet apparatus to accommodate more pieces. We really enjoyed the presentation in the PG and the pickle to balance the sweet. Even better-save a piece or two for the perfect bite with that steak or lamb chop's. Deeeelious and even better when I am not cooking it! 🙂      

[CruisingAndDiving]

Bacon is used in all segments of food these days, from main courses, to hors d'oervres, to appetizers and the list goes on.  While some may consider it "pretentious", many consider it delicious!!  I for one am in the delicious category, and choose to eat bacon whenever and wherever it's offered.  So will I order it on our first HAL cruise next year...you betcha!

 

 

[seachef318]

10 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Since when has a bacon appetizer been thought of as suitable start to "fine dining"?

I would like to know your definition of “fine dining”?  There are Michelin Star restaurants who have bacon dishes on their menus.  Candied bacon has been on menus of high priced, linen table cloth restaurants for years.  I personally am not a fan of it as I do not like sweet/salty combos however many of my chef friends who have been honored by the James Beard foundation have it on their menus.  As it has been said many a times on this board - food is very subjective.  As I say to people all the time - If you don’t like a menu item don’t order it, there are a whole lot of other options on the menu and if you don’t like the menu go somewhere else.   Let people order and eat what they like - does it really have a negative impact on your life if the table next to you is eating something you would never order? 

[frankc98376]

3 hours ago, seachef318 said:

I would like to know your definition of “fine dining”?  There are Michelin Star restaurants who have bacon dishes on their menus.  Candied bacon has been on menus of high priced, linen table cloth restaurants for years.  I personally am not a fan of it as I do not like sweet/salty combos however many of my chef friends who have been honored by the James Beard foundation have it on their menus.  As it has been said many a times on this board - food is very subjective.  As I say to people all the time - If you don’t like a menu item don’t order it, there are a whole lot of other options on the menu and if you don’t like the menu go somewhere else.   Let people order and eat what they like - does it really have a negative impact on your life if the table next to you is eating something you would never order? 

Deserves more than just a like- Thank You!

[AncientWanderer]

15 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

How could such an appetizer be a "teaser" for the dinner to come?

 

Maybe to enjoy with a cocktail, as would be spiced sweet/salty nuts?  That's about all I can think of.

The whole presentation seems gimmicky to me, but what the heck -- who doesn't like bacon?  😋

[avian777]

7 hours ago, seachef318 said:

I would like to know your definition of “fine dining”?  There are Michelin Star restaurants who have bacon dishes on their menus.  Candied bacon has been on menus of high priced, linen table cloth restaurants for years.  I personally am not a fan of it as I do not like sweet/salty combos however many of my chef friends who have been honored by the James Beard foundation have it on their menus.  As it has been said many a times on this board - food is very subjective.  As I say to people all the time - If you don’t like a menu item don’t order it, there are a whole lot of other options on the menu and if you don’t like the menu go somewhere else.   Let people order and eat what they like - does it really have a negative impact on your life if the table next to you is eating something you would never order? 

Spot on, seachef318!  Thanks for putting this "debate" in perspective.

[cruisemom42]

There's a restaurant near where I work that has offered a close-to-identical dish (including exactly the same presentation) for about 2 years now. I tried it there with some friends after work and thought it was an interesting idea -- it tasted fine but was nothing I'd obsess over. It doesn't seem like a particularly good fit with the Pinnacle Grill menu, but it's just one option. To me, there is a lot of potential for individual variation in execution -- it could be delicious or it could be very chewy and not really candied. However, I don't see it as any richer or more filling than other appetizers on the menu, including the lump crab cakes or steak tartare.

 

Too often in good restaurants now I feel that "complexity" is mistaken for over-the-top preparation or descriptions. A  complex dish doesn't necessarily need 50 ingredients (like some salads I've recently been served -- or even some craft cocktails that take 8 menu lines to fully describe!). Complex can also refer to the depth of flavor in the sauce, the technique with which the food was cooked, etc. In other words, more ingredients or a novel presentation does not equal more complexity, it's just throwing more things at you.

 

As I said, though, it's just one dish. If candied bacon is your thing, enjoy. Some cruise HAL much more often (and dine in the PG much more often) than I do and likely welcome a few new items once in a while....

 

 

 

[RocketMan275]

18 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

What was then ordered?  How could such an appetizer be a "teaser" for the dinner to come?

Personally, I ordered the short rib.  Worked well with the bacon.

[scubacruiserx2]

It was cooked right when we had it .

 

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I think I ate mine like I always eat bacon - with my fingers! It was GOOOD!!,

 

DD

[opa&oma]

We LOVED it!!  It was crispy and delicious!  Highly recommend giving it a try!  I don't see why people need to comment on something they have never had.

[HokiePoq]

Had this in the Pinnacle last night.   As another poster said, it was okay but not something I'd ever order again.   To each their own on this topic...and I am a bacon lover.