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The secret to tasty, crispy bacon is something you already have in your pantry
It’s pretty universally agreed that bacon is delicious. There are very few dishes (if any?) that can’t be improved by a few crispy, savory, meaty slices of this porky treat. Slip a few pieces into a sandwich, crumble them up and sprinkle over the salad for a noticeable improvement. Dip the stuff in chocolate, for crying out loud. We’ll take it any way we can get it. Even the grease it leaves behind is something of a magical ingredient in and of itself. There’s no denying that bacon is wonderful. A true gift. But what if we told you that there’s a secret to even tastier, crispier bacon? Impossible, you may say. And yet, it’s true. And the secret weapon is something we guarantee you have in your cupboard at this very moment. Plain ol’ fashioned all-purpose flour.
By cooking bacon that has been dredged in flour first, you’re doing a few things to help improve both its flavor and texture. Firstly, the coating of flour will help dry the bacon and absorb excess moisture, which is one of the keys to properly browned meats. Flour also provides a protective coating, helping to keep the bacon from overcooking. Another added perk of flouring first is that the flour will weigh the bacon down so that it fries flat and won’t curl up on you, which can be very annoying when you’re trying to get that perfect breakfast-in-bed shot for Instagram.
In the end, with this simple step, you’ll have evenly cooked, crispy, picture-perfect bacon with a hint of deep-fried indulgence.
Crispy bacon tips and tricks
- Even if you’re gluten-intolerant, you can enjoy perfectly crispy bacon as well. Different flours will provide different results, which is something you’re probably familiar with if you’re used to cooking with gluten-free ingredients. Cornstarch will work very well here; just be sure to shake off the excess before cooking, as it tends to stick pretty aggressively. Rice flour also works very well.
- This method works both when pan-frying bacon and baking it in the oven!
- For even crispier bacon, coat it in flour the night before and leave it to rest in the refrigerator overnight.
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Lakers fan Annika Hutsler chugs beer out of her prosthetic leg in viral video
US Marine Corps veterans Annika Hutsler took off her prosthetic leg and chugged a beer out of it at the Lakers-Pacers game on Monday – and the crowd went wild.
The now-viral stunt was captured on the Jumbotron at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where Hutsler was named “Fan of the Game.” She also received a $100 gift card.
“I won the fan of the game for drinking out of my leg,” Hutsler wrote on his Instagram Story, including a photo of an envelope containing the award.
In video footage, which was shared by ESPN Los Angeles, Hutsler can be seen holding her prosthetic leg in the air while resting her leg on a railing. At one point, she pulls a cup of beer out of the prosthetic and chugs it while fans cheer her on.
It was perhaps the only thing Lakers fans had to cheer about, as the team blew a 17-point lead on the way to a loss to the Pacers, 116-115.
Hutsler, who was enlisted in the USMC in 2017, had her right leg amputated in April 2019 after multiple procedures due to a tumor in her foot. She medically retired from the USMC in Jan. 2020.
Now, Hutsler works various jobs in modeling, acting, and sports, including coaching and training. The veteran — who goes by the name “Annika The Amputee” on social media — also models for women’s fitness apparel brand, Athleta.
Hutsler won silver medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter wheelchair races at the US Department of Defense Warrior Games.
Last year, TikTok user Shannon Frandreis went viral after she caught a ball with her prosthetic leg at a Chicago White Sox game.
New restaurants opening in Fresno CA: Saizon, KFC, barbecue
KFC is opening its first “next-gen” location in Fresno with a smaller than average dining area, a different exterior and a walk-up window for mobile orders located near Herndon and Spruce avenues. Photographed Dec. 1, 2022 in Fresno.
The holidays can’t slow down restaurants.
While we’re all focused on shopping, the owners of new restaurants are still pushing ahead with plans to open their doors for the first time.
Several long-awaited restaurants are gearing up to open this month. They include big chains and locally-owned mom-and-pops in the Tower District and north Fresno.
One eagerly awaited independent restaurant already has a big following on social media. Another is a fast food chain opening a first-of-its-kind location in town.
Since their openings might get lost in the busy holiday season, we thought we’d round up the details here. Keep in mind that opening dates are fluid. Restaurants often don’t give exact dates until they’re sure they have all the proper approvals to open.
Here are the soon-to-open restaurants in the Fresno-Clovis area and the types of food you can look forward to during the month of December.
Saizon
Saizon is a new restaurant and bar planning a quiet opening starting Friday, Dec. 2. It’s at the new shopping center, The Row at Heritage Grove, at Willow and Shepherd avenues in northeast Fresno.
Behind it is the same group of restaurateurs who run Heirloom, Butterfish and Mayd Modern Mediterranean.
Saizon is billed as Napa Valley meets Mexico City.
“Contemporary American cuisine with Mexican influences & a distinct Californian point of view,” and food that blends “deep-rooted traditional techniques with new flavor combinations,” according to its website.
That philosophy applies to its craft cocktails too.
The restaurant is taking reservations via its Instagram page.
Next-gen KFC
KFC is tentatively planning to open a restaurant Dec. 19 that will be the first of its design on the West Coast
The “next-gen” KFC is in the middle of the shopping center at the corner of Herndon and Spruce avenues in northwest Fresno. It’s on a lot that was too small for a standard KFC location.
So the owner (JEM Restaurant Management, a Fresno-based company that is the franchisee for about 15 KFC locations in the area) is opening a version of the restaurant that’s a little different.
It has a smaller-than-average dining room that seats 30 people, along with a different exterior, with a couple of red and white stripes, JEM’s facilities officer told The Bee in March.
It will have a drive-thru, but also a walk-up window. That is designed for people picking up mobile orders, for themselves or for Uber Eats drivers or other food delivery drivers.
It will have designated parking spaces for curbside pickup.
The inside of the restaurant will have kiosks so people can order from a screen. Cashiers will still be available for people who want to order from a person.
BenSmokin BBQ
BenSmokin BBQ is a catering company that’s taking over the former Happy Star restaurant on Palm Avenue, just south of Olive Avenue in the Tower District.
The Bee told you about the owner last month, who some may know as former radio personality Paul Latino. Bernard Paul Mendoza III and his wife Rebecca run the business together.
They had originally hoped to open by Dec. 15. It doesn’t look like that will happen, but they are still hoping to open sometime in the month of December.
The restaurant will serve the giant burritos it’s known for, along with other barbecue food. Mendoza also plans to serve vegetarian options too, such as Asian dishes.
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop
Capriotti’s, the chain sandwich shop with a local franchise owner, is opening several new restaurants in the Fresno-Clovis area.
Its latest just opened last week on north Blackstone Avenue, near Red Robin.
Its next one is in the same shopping center as Saizon at Willow and Shepherd avenues. Owner Javier Gomez says they are shooting for a