You need not love bourbon. Nor bacon for that matter. Morgan Murphy’s “Bourbon & Bacon: The Ultimate Guide to the South’s Favorite Food Groups” (Oxmoor House, $22.95) is larded with enough humor, history and info to help you sort bacon types and bourbon pedigrees to make it an enjoyable read as well. Plus there are lots of Southern Living-tested recipes. Some use both foods, others just one. Among them: a Joe Rickey sipper, Maple-Bacon-Bourbon Pops and a bacon-latticed apple pie. Forget calorie counts. As Murphy writes: “You may gain 30 pounds just reading it.” At bookstores nationwide.
When soups or stews send out a flavor SOS, many cooks turn to bouillon to bump up the seasoning. Two Curry Cubes from Edward & Sons do that with vegan and gluten-free classically flavored cubes. Both cubes have curry powder, cumin, garlic and coriander, but each has its own subtle accents: gently spiced Red (paprika, chili, clove) and Yellow (onion). The cubes worked well as a soup base and as a seasoning for liquids in a rice-and-lentil preparation. Suggested price: $2.99 for an 8-cube pack. For a store locater or to buy: edwardandsons.com.
Savory meat pies have kinfolk the world over, from pasties to empanadas to Boomerang’s Handheld Aussie Pies (via Austin, Texas). The six-flavor line of pies, each about 31/2-by-5 inches, include Stout Steak & Potato, a vegan Curry Veggie, and Chicken and Mushroom. They boast a superflaky top and sturdy bottom crust. The two we tried were tasty packets: the steak’s herb-enhanced with thyme and oregano, the curry’s spiced with ginger and garlic. Mini-pies (dubbed Boom Bites) are headed to stores now. Suggested price: $5.99 for two large pies. For a store locater or to buy: boomerangspies.com.
Twitter: @judytrib
