From starters like bacon cheese straws and crispy polenta bites, to full meals like velvety chicken with rosemary bacon biscuit topping and fettuccine with bacon and kale, Peter Kaminsky and Marie Rama's Bacon Nation fairly brims with bacon-flavored goodness on every page. There are drool-worthy sections on soup, salads, sandwiches and desserts (French toast bread pudding with bacon and cinnamon, anyone?), making this a definitive guide for cooks looking to incorporate the joy of bacon into every meal.
Bacon Nation also serves up a strong introduction, covering bacon selection and cooking techniques, including the oft-rumored oven baking method and the much-maligned microwave approach. Kaminsky and Rama explain each recipe with care and loving attention, making sure the dishes can be easily produced by pretty much anyone. There's enough bacon fun here to make any home cook, experienced or newbie, into a full-fledged expert. --Rob LeFebvre, freelance writer and editor