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The secret to tasty, crispy bacon is something you already have in your pantry

Posted on02/01/202508/08/2023Author

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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Douglas County announced ARPA funds for restaurant assistance

Posted on28/05/202408/08/2023Author

Douglas County is putting aside $700,000 to help local restaurants impacted by the pandemic. The assistance program comes from commissioner James Cavanaugh’s allocation of the federal American Rescue Plan Act — ARPA funds. It will be given on a first-come, first-served basis to restaurants. They must have made less than $1.25 million in revenue in either 2019 or 2020 and lost money due to COVID-19. Commissioner Cavanaugh called small businesses “the backbone” of the economy. “They employ more people, they pay more taxes, and they provide more services than really any other sector of the economy, and particularly the restaurant segment of the small business community has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic because many of them simply had to close their doors for some period of time,” Cavanaugh said. Each restaurant will get a grant of up to $10,000. Restaurant owners can look at the qualifications through the online portal at lutz.us/rap, but applications can’t be submitted until Dec. 12.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Neb. —

Douglas County is putting aside $700,000 to help local restaurants impacted by the pandemic.

The assistance program comes from commissioner James Cavanaugh’s allocation of the federal American Rescue Plan Act — ARPA funds.

It will be given on a first-come, first-served basis to restaurants.

They must have made less than $1.25 million in revenue in either 2019 or 2020 and lost money due to COVID-19.

Commissioner Cavanaugh called small businesses “the backbone” of the economy.

“They employ more people, they pay more taxes, and they provide more services than really any other sector of the economy, and particularly the restaurant segment of the small business community has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic because many of them simply had to close their doors for some period of time,” Cavanaugh said.

Each restaurant will get a grant of up to $10,000.

Restaurant owners can look at the qualifications through the online portal at lutz.us/rap, but applications can’t be submitted until Dec. 12.

What Is “Pilk” and Why the Strange Beverage Has Gone Viral on TikTok

Posted on07/08/202307/12/2022Author

“Pilk” has been a fascination online for years, and is popular among South Asian communities.
The drink went viral on TikTok this week after Lindsay Lohan drank it in a Pepsi ad.
Soon, the milky, carbonated beverage was everywhere on TikTok.

Some people will try anything for viral fame — including Pilk.

The drink, which is sometimes referred to as “dirty soda,” has been an internet fascination for years, but became a TikTok trend in the last week following a Pepsi advertisement where Lindsay Lohan drank the half-Pepsi, half-milk mixture. Multiple hashtags for the drink, which has met with both enthusiasm and enthusiasm, have garnered a cumulative 40 million views on the platform.

Many of the videos consist of creators pouring Pepsi into a glass of milk and then sharing their reactions. Some of the clips begin by stitching a cut from the “Pilk and Cookies” Pepsi advertisement, in which Lohan sits in front of a Christmas tree sipping a glass of the drink.

A lot of the most popular videos claim the drink tastes good. The influencer Brooke Barry has made multiple videos showing her creating and drinking Pilk that have garnered millions of views.

“If Lindsay Lohan drinks it, I drink,” Barry said in the first video.

The trend has gone beyond English-language creators and found popularity in Spanish- and French-speaking circles on the platform, too.

There are also some creators who scored the drink after tasting it. One especially apprehensive user said the drink was not for him. Another creator made two versions of the trend — one with regular Pepsi and one with diet Pepsi — but said it was a disgusting drink either way.

“If I was forced to swallow this, I could,” the creator, who goes by the name “Mr. Teddy Bear,” said in the video. “I’m not going to finish either one of these.”

The advertisement — and the initial reaction from creators trying the drink for the first time — has received some backlash online because a version of the drink was already popular in South Asian communities. Commonly known as “doodh soda” the drink mixes various sodas with milk and is widespread in India and Pakistan, according to Bon Apétit.

Videos and posts featuring internet users drinking “Pilk” date back years. There have been several variations of the trend online, including creators making “pilk cheese” or using other sodas like Fanta instead. The beverage had a mini-moment on Reddit during early 2020 after a user said it was a delicious drink on the “Unpopular Opinions” subreddit and earned over 16,000 upvotes.

“A lot of people looked at me like I’m some psychopath,” the user wrote, “but once they tried it out of curiosity, they liked it as well.”

“Pilk” is the latest in a long line of bizarre food and drink trends on TikTok, which has seen everything from Cheetos topped with ranch dressing to frozen corn syrup gain traction.