Peter Stromquist

Category: Ham & Bacon

  • Lake Geneva Country Meats Review, Lake Geneva Wisconsin

    I have been known to take road trips in search of small producers of processed pork products, especially hams. Jumping off the interstates, traveling back roads, stopping in diners to inquire about local products. Never disappointed. The other day, I had been to a “pick your own” tomato farm, had a bushel of the beautiful red fruit, stopped at […]

  • Fricks Ham Review, Missouri Processor

    I love ham, and I’ve been fortunate to run into some great ones lately. Most recently the notable one was local, from All Grass Farms. But I screwed up this week, didn’t do my research, and tho I was going to be close to a Missouri processor named Frick’s Meats, whose product I have enjoyed […]

  • All Grass Farms Review – Supplier of Sustainable Proteins

    If you’re even an occasional reader, you know how much I like great ham. Fresh from the farm type ham. Ham that tastes like a hog. I’ve driven around the country in search of great suppliers, so I was delighted to be driving down a back road just outside of Chicago the other day, and […]

  • Broadbent Hams Review – Legendary Kentucky Producer

    I love ham. Good ham. Not that chopped, pressed and formed in a slurry, pushed thru a mold deli slices like at Subway or grocery deli counters. No, honest to goodness hog muscle, carefully cured and aged. I’ve driven the backroads of Kentucky, Virginia and other states in search of small producers. I’ve had the pleasure of consuming ‘melt […]

  • Carys Family Restaurant Review – Cary, IL

    “No, we’re out,” said Adele firmly. I protested, and she replied “we had five servings left and I sold them all this morning. Won’t be more until the delivery truck comes.” “I’ll wait.” OK, I didn’t say that, and noticing the disappointment on my face that I wasn’t going to get to have Chicken Fried […]

  • Applewood Farms Bacon Review – Aldi In House Brand

    I’ve been a little hotter than usual for bacon. For about a year, I’ve been buying whichever pre-cooked brand was on sale. Seemed like a no muss, no fuss opportunity to me, and often a lot cheaper than raw bacon. Lately, I’ve noticed that most all of the pre-cook brands the slices are nearly translucent, […]

  • Food Club Liquid Eggs Review

    I’ve never tried “liquid eggs” (industry term: breaker eggs), but I see them used quite a bit at charity breakfasts I attend. I do recall having powdered (dehydrated) eggs, which have been around for more than a hundred years. My experience was on Scout trips – the eggs were pretty awful.  So I set out […]

  • Sugar Bowl Review, Des Plaines, IL

    The Sugar Bowl has been an integral part of downtown Des Plaines since 1921. It has, over the years, been a sweet shop, candy store, ice cream parlor and restaurant. Today it’s heavily into the restaurant biz. Have seen this place many times when I’ve been zipping by on the train and had a hankering […]

  • Lou Mitchells Review, on Route 66, Chicago

    Main Street of America, the Mother Road, Will Rogers Highway, all names for US Route 66,  established in 1926, and destined to become one of the most famous roads in America. It ran from downtown Chicago to the Pacific Ocean, at Santa Monica (Los Angeles), California. Towns and cities grew up along side it, merchants […]

  • Hardees Breakfast Biscuit Review – Nationwide

    I admit I’ve become fussy about fast food (and C-store) breakfasts.  Think I’ve covered them all, and some are pretty good, some are absolutely dreadful. Some could be made better with very little effort or expense. I stopped in a Hardees/Carl’s Jr on a recent road trip, in search of a menu item I’ve had […]