Ok, ok, it’s January 7th, but I have an excuse! Really! I’m headed to Vegas this weekend for a fun conference that I’m really looking forward to, plus it means we’ll get to sample the Las Vegas foodie scene again which is always stellar.

Since it’s the New Year though, it’s prime dieting time for everyone. Weight loss programs and ‘food’ that tastes like cardboard abounds and everywhere we are bombarded by images of skinny happy people, smiling.

I never really thought much about it, until someone pointed me to TheHairpin.com today and their post, aptly titled “Women Laughing Alone With Salad”. Wow. These women so obliviously ecstatic about their leafy greens I’m nearly jealous…no salad I’ve ever had made me look so very happy! Or manic. Or just plain freaky.

Go get yourself some chocolate, then click here and see the happy salad women en masse.

Oh. And I gave up soda for my New Year’s Resolution. Seven days clean…I’m so proud of myself! What was your New Year’s Resolution?

Recently I received a Yoders Can of Bacon from my pal (and fellow bacon badass) Wade. Because he purchased this can of bacon from a camping and survival company – Gloria Gaynor’s iconic disco hit “I Will Survive” came to mind and I began singing, “As long I have my can of bacon, I know I’ll be alive.”

But that joy was short-lived. I starred at the can for two days before opening it. Normally, I eagerly rip open any bacon-related item with glee in anticipation of that first bite. But this was different. I wasn’t sure what to expect inside and I was also a little scared.

Curiosity, on my part and that of the sender, got the better of me, but I may have been better off burying this can in the backyard (if I had one) or putting it into my giant earthquake kit. The anticipation of what was inside far exceeded the actual contents.

If you truly love bacon, like I do, this product might not be for you. The quality of the meat isn’t up to the standard that I now have for bacon. It’s hard not to be a bacon snob when you live within walking distance of gourmet treats and creative bacon concoctions like pistachio-bacon ice cream , maple glazed bacon apple donuts and bacon potato chips Plus, when it comes to just straight up bacon strips, I like mine center cut, thick and peppery.

As for the can of bacon, it looks like nearly 3 pounds of raw bacon go into each can and that there ends up being about 9 ounces (or 45 slices of fully cooked and drained bacon). But for me, it had a tinny taste and the fact that it was not hot meant there was also sort of a layer of congealed bacon fat on the meat and the waxed paper sheets rolled up in the can. You can see here how it looks in and out of the can.

There is a chance that had I waited to eat this after a disaster or in a survival emergency, it might have been the tastiest bites I ever devoured. But I can’t really think of any other reason to eat a can of bacon. Even on a camping trip, I’ve usually been able to cook real bacon.

And this stuff is not cheap. I’ve seen it online starting at $11.95 a can, plus the shipping charge. You can get an entire case of this, but unless you are a conspiracy or doomsday theorist that is stocking a bunker, I would only see this as sort of a novelty item.

One thing I also really liked is that their search box allows you to search by the food item or  country – so if you are say – headed to Thailand and want to engage in some “weirdfoodiness”  you can find out what type of fun bugs, reptiles and mammals you may be able to find at the local market or streetfood card.

It’s a fun and goofy site that would no doubt make the squeamish squirm – but I live for that kind of thing.

So, if you want to learn a bit about weird foods and their place in cultures all around the world, Weird-Food.com is a fun place to start your research or kill some spare time that clearly I have too much of.

Happy Funky Food Friday!

Olive Oil Bon Bons - Gorgeous.. but weird!

I saw this one contributed via TwitPic courtesy of @TheGourmetGirl – Have a happy Funky Food Weekend!

Her name? Petal Blossom Rainbow Oliver.

She joins her older garden themed sisters, Poppy Honey and Daisy Boo.

I’m thrilled that everyone is happy and healthy and that they have a sweet new baby girl to love however, and you can call me old-fashioned, I think that someone secretly swapped their baby names book with an english garden primer and no one has noticed!