Had me at "Bourbon & Bacon"

 “Bourbon & Bacon”

The title is enough. The publisher, Southern Living, gives it a respectable boost. The book, small, hard cover and thick, just feels good in your hand, like a chunk of salt pork with just the right amount of fat, feels heft on your fork on a morning with the nip of fall in the air.

Morgan Murphy fills us in on “The Ultimate guide to the South’s Favorite Food Groups,” the subtitle of the missive “Bourbon & Bacon.”

My mother saw the book before I’d perused it and immediately marked pages with amazing photos for her to try. Sure hope I’m invited that day.

I’m already a fan of Morgan Murphy’s writing. We think the same way about good food and the adventure of finding it. Readers, look forward to instruction on the likes of:

Cornbread Dressing with Smoked Bacon and Pecans; Bourbon Candied Bacon; Tennessee Bacon-Cheddar-Ale Soup; and Loaded Baked Potato Dip.

Here’s something unexpected:

Butterscotch-Bourbon Sauce

Author’s note:  Now this may look a tad fattening, and ok, it is. But think on it; It’s an all-natural, easy-to-make dessert sauce that would be killer over some homemade vanilla ice cream ( if you want to go whole hog).

1 and one half cups firmly-packed light brown sugar

one half cup butter

three fourths cup whipping cream

three tablespoons bourbon

Cook brown sugar and butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, three to four minutes or until butter melts and mixture is smooth

Gradually stir in whipping cream. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly three minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in bourbon. Cool 20 minutes.

Chocolate Tea

Numi Organic Tea’s Indulgent Tea line features four kinds of chocolate that is your chance to enjoy in a warm or cool serving of liquid that will transport your mind while saving you calories and cash. Well, you can add honey or milk if you like, but I find little room for improvement with fair trade blends such as chocolate mint. Opening a box full of tea bags smelled like a chocolate pie was in the oven.

With temperatures about to drop – please, fall, come on – these are the kinds of flavors that you sip, inhale for aroma, and feel the warm mug in your hands. Numi is working all my senses. Chocolate Earl Grey includes organic orange peel, vanilla bean and bergamot oil, all organic. Rooibos has honeybush. Chocolate Spice offers a depth that merits exploration.

Look for these in stores this fall or visit http://numitea.com/indulgent-tea. While tea often goes with sweets, these flavors are the treat in itself.

Fall smells like apple pie

Studies show it’s as American as apple pie to eat pie for breakfast, according to those who promote Thomas’ Limited Edition products. Guilty. So now that we’re looking for a touch of fall in the air, consider Thomas’ Apple Pie English Muffins and Bagels. I paired gourmet peanut butter one day and a spiced butter the next, while my husband fashioned them into pepperoni sandwiches after late meetings. We’re big into playing with our food here. He noted a good texture on both makes. I like my toasted crisp and enjoyed the flavor of real apples. Get yours through October.

Thomas’ is offering some apple pie trivia to go with your meal:

·         36 Million Americans identify apple as their favorite pie flavor

·         Pie was not always only America’s favorite dessert – in the 19^th Century, fruit pies were actually a common breakfast food eaten before the start of a long day

      ·         35% of Americans say they’ve eaten pie for breakfast

ddoiron@panews