As has been discussed previously and unanimously agreed upon, Bacon, in all its myriad forms and shapes and ways to be prepared, is much akin to manna from the Gods themselves.

Bacon is good, realllll good.

In an effort to supply myself and those close to me with the highest quality of this porcine ambrosiac I have spent many hours, made many trips, tested many brands and given my dogs many failures.

However, I did, just a few years ago, find a market that not only sold my piggy delight but sold fresh cut thick sliced wonders of fat, grease and, above all else, flavor.

There were times that the ONLY reason I went to this particular market, as their prices are higher for much of what I normally purchase than other nearby procurement centers, was because THEY sold the BACON I liked.

The bastards have been sold and the new owners will no longer be offering this premium to its loyal and long suffering customers.

The thin sliced flaccid gobs of snot that now passes for bacon does not cook the same, does not taste the same, does not even look the same and I am NOT alone in my sadness for the passing of yet another longterm friend.

The fruit of my loins has also expressed discontent at the state of this New Bacon Regime, going so far as to leave perfectly cooked pieces of rendered pork sitting on the plate that was once expected to be empty mere seconds after touching tabletop.

How sad is this?

Now, IF I'm lucky, I'll find somewhere in this wide wide world, another market or butcher shop who can and will supply my piggy fix but, and this scares me, how long will THEY last?

A world without bacon is just not worth living in.

Sigh. Deep sad sigh.....