Show me the Bacon!

I love bacon. At home I was eating it almost everyday. We had an 11 lb box of bacon in the freezer that I would just keep taking from and then suddenly one day it was gone. Of course my love of bacon did not end just because I came to France and so I have been on the hunt for bacon.

On day two we were lured into a butcher shop by the wonderful smell of meat. This butcher shop as it turned out specialized in pork. Ahhh I have found my bacon supplier for the month I thought. I quickly rehearse out load how I am going to order the bacon in French and get in line. I successfully order the "poitrine sel". I knew something was amiss when the woman wanted to cut me a chunk of the bacon and seemed confused as to why I would want it sliced.

Get up the next morning cooking a big batch of bacon and eggs, so excited ... Can't wait to taste the bacon so I cut off a small piece while it is still cooking ... Blaaa it tasted like pure salt.

It took a couple of weeks for me to get over my bacon mishap but then I couldn't resist the lure of bacon any longer. We go to our favourite butcher shop (not the pork one) for the lamb chops. There was a big line up so I was going in alone while J and R waited outside. I was assured by J that they did have bacon.

So focused on how I was going to order the lamb I wasn't paying attention to the bacon. Get my lamb no problem and then order "bacon". Ah yes no problem the butcher tell me to my relief. He turns around and grabs something that looks more like back bacon. Defeated I order 4 slices.


But then while waiting for it to be sliced I see the "poitrine fumee". There is my bacon!! I order at the same time as the man beside me. His helper gets it first and shows him a nice thick piece of bacon, which he thinks is great. Somehow in the confusion of this crazy busy French butcher shop, my bacon is sliced at the same time with the same crazy thickness. Ok if that is how the French eat their bacon then that is how we will eat ours.

Next morning I get up all excited for my bacon and eggs. Get the fry pans out and cook up the crazy thick bacon ... Well lets just say this time it was more edible but still extremely salty.

I have decided to leave the bacon eating until we return to Canada. I think one of the first things on my to do list will be to get another 11 pound box.