The Baconfest Chicago 2012 BACON POETRY CONTEST

Ok Bacon Nation,

Some brief updates:

1. As you all know by now, Baconfest Chicago on April 14th at the UIC Forum is SOLD OUT. Yes, we almost doubled the scope of the event. Yes, it still sold out in no time at all. Yes, we are STOKED to give you ticket holders out there the GREATEST culinary experience of your lives. Those of you without tickets, we’ve got a few more contests coming up – including the one below. Stay tuned.

2. Be sure to check out the amazing Contestants and Finalists for the Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats Amateur Bacon Cookoff. Some really great recipes.

Meanwhile…

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The Bacon Poetry Contest is currently under way. Only a few more days to submit a poem to be considered for the 2012 BEST POEM ABOUT BACON award.

What does this mean exactly? What ever you want it to mean. We want to read some poems about bacon, why you love it, why you just can’t get enough, why it haunts your dreams… you get the idea.

There are a million odes about love, but so few about Bacon. Let’s fix that. Channel your inner Chaucer friends, and let Bacon be your muse.

Email submissions to andre@baconfestchicago.com (one submission per e-mail address allowed). Deadline: Wednesday March 14th at 1pm.

The winner of this contest will get 2 tickets to Baconfest Chicago compliments of the Baconfest Chicago Literary Board. And as if that’s not enough incentive, there will no doubt be some Bacon prizes involved.

We’re ready to have our poetic minds blown. Send us your poems!!

NOTE: Your poems must be made available for on-line publication at www.baconfestchicago.com – and you must grant us permission to use your poem in our forth coming publications ODES TO BACON volumes 1 and 2 (Baconfest Chicago Poetry Contests 2009-2012) to be published by … well… us. (maybe).

Need some inspiration? Below is a look at the winning entries from Baconfest Chicago 2011 and 2010 written by Joel Chmara and Bridget Fallon.

Bacon Nation, SEND US YOUR POEMS!!

JOHNNY BACONSEED: A POEM FOR THE HOPELESS ROMANTICS
by Joel Chmara

When strips of pork Godliness dance-crackle-curl on the pan,
I will be there,
puffing my chest
accepting pops of grease on my shirt
like a Deputy Ditka badge.

Garments perfumed with slight bacon splatter is no call for stain-lifter.
Nay, it simply ensures that one will carry the greatest foodstuff essence
for the rest of the day.
Take heed dear readers,
to love bacon is to carry the smokey scent with you
as an am-bad-ass-ador of the fine piggy belly brine.

I am that breed of bacon lover
spreading its virtues
as Johnny Baconseed.
Baconology mentored to friends
of how to incorporate it into every dish.
Caramelized, Hickory Smoked, Peppered, Mapeled
Sweet or Savory
Lardon or in Bits
I can baconate any menu
for the better of humankind.

When the final bite of a bacon treat
crunches in my mouth
leaving the perfect salty smoke sensation
I whisper to no one in particular,
“That’ll do pig. That’ll do.”

Hot Streaks by Bridget Fallon

It aint made out of turkey, that aint natural

Keep the poultry in the pasture lookin pastoral

It aint pounded out of tofu or dried, dyed soy

Those processed freezer strips strip away all joy

It aint Canadian-just gonna call that out

As one more thing to feel sorry for them about

Bacon is pork belly, crisp and cured

The best part of breakfast, rest assured

Not limited, however, to those uses

It’s nearly impossible to find abuses

Go with the gut-it never leads you astray

In cupcakes, in ice cream, in peanut satay

If your food’s in a rut, there’s always one sure way

To juice up your weary S-A-L-I-V-A

So we gather to glut our appetites today

With bacon, real bacon, in so many a way!