Amazing Tastes: Lamb Bacon

If you ever ask me, “Reina, what is the best thing ever?” the answer is very simple: lamb bacon.

Yes, lamb bacon. This smoky, delicious, oh-my-G-d-it’s-coming-towards-my-mouth tastiness has been done in two prominent kosher restaurants on the West Coast – and all you East Coasters haven’t truly lived unless you have tried it.

Let’s face it – bacon, not to mention pork of any kind, seems to be the du jour of the culinary world. Therefore, it’s obvious that the kosher world would hurry to try to come up with a more halachic version. There are different versions of bacon you can buy – only yesterday had I heard about duck bacon, and although turkey bacon exists, I’ve never seen it kosher.

But the truth is that lamb bacon is a beautiful thing. It’s flavorful to the point of dancing on the tongue. I love the savory and wonderfully unique flavor of lamb, not to mention meat that has the earthiness of smoke with the sweet of maple. Perhaps that is why I like barbecue so much.

The first time I tasted this goodness was at the Herzog Winery’s Tierra Sur restaurant. I had it at lunch on a chicken sandwich with garlic aioli. It was so scrumptious I couldn’t believe that I was consuming this deliciousness. I had to preach its goodness to the masses. Chef Todd is a very cool guy – in fact, since I got married at the Baron Herzog winery, my parents went up to try some appetizers, and he made them specially to taste one random Thursday night. But he would be cool enough alone if he just made lamb bacon.

Then I find out that it’s not the only place. Turns out that Chef Chaim Davids of The Kitchen Table Restaurant in Mountain View was the sous chef for Chef Aarons at Tierra Sur. The love of the lamb bacon was spread to northern California, and people were shocked that there was actually kosher bacon out there. Chaim’s currently in Israel, but I thankfully got the chance to meet him before he left and talk food – not to mention the glory of lamb bacon. I have come to the conclusion that if you make lamb bacon, you’re automatically cool. It could me just me, but I haven't met anybody who has made it who is a meanie.

As bacon is a cured meat, often needing lots of preparation to become its smoky and sweet self, it’s probably not something you’re going to find at your local kosher market (although I can keep on dreaming). But I do recommend going to The Kitchen Table if you’re up in NorCal, or visiting Tierra Sur for a lunch in Oxnard. It’s not a cheap stop, but it’s something worth saving for, not to mention savoring.

For more information on The Kitchen Table, visit them at www.thekitchentablerestaurant.com. For more information on Tierra Sur, visit them at www.herzogwinecellars.com.