Baconfest Chicago Announces 2017 Menu

Last year was my first time attending Baconfest Chicago and it was pretty incredible. It ranks up there in my top 5 food fests in the Chicago area. If you thought bacon was just for breakfast or on burgers, THINK AGAIN! Think of your wildest bacon concoction --- and then what you'll find will be all that times 10. Some of the coolest, most unexpected combinations and some of the most creative uses of the beloved cured meat. Today some of the yummy menu details were released and I'm getting a little giddy. Take a peek below at some of the bacon goodness that will be invading the UIC Forum at the end of the month.

Baconfest Chicago Announces 2017 Menu Featuring "Bacon Bincho,"  "Bacon-o Tonnato," "Bacon Explosion"  by Chicago's Top Chefs Tickets on Sale Now for 9th Annual Festival held on March 31 & April 1 at the UIC Forum

March 10, 2017 (Chicago, IL) - Baconfest Chicago announces their 2017 Menu, featuring bacon delights like bacon taco shells, bacon lollipops, bacon biscuits, bacon pâté, bacon dumplings, bacon macarons, bourbon bacon popcorn, and more from Chicago's top chefs.   The 2017 Baconfest Chicago Menu is now online. "For months now, more than 150 of Chicago's top chefs have been lying awake at night dreaming up their best bacony creations to knock bacon fans off their feet at this year's Baconfest,"  said Baconfest co-founder Seth Zurer. "Every year they strive to out-do themselves as they compete to win the Golden Rasher Award, also known as the 'Bacon Oscar.'" It's bacon and more bacon at the 9th Annual Baconfest featuring bacon in a myriad of mind-blowing preparations that will astound and delight bacon-lovers.  Here are a few of the mouth-watering, savory, and sweet delicacies bacon-fans will discover at Baconfest Chicago 2017: FRIDAY DINNER - 3/31 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Cooking Channel VIP Hour 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM General Admission 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM General Admission Express Chengdu Impression -  Twice Cooked Pork featuring Sichuan style stir fried pork belly bacon with leeks and red peppers by Ryan Hu. Devon Seafood Grill - Smoked Duck Pâté with Candied Bacon Jam served over crostini by David Rolon. Italian Village Restaurants - Bacon Lobster Manicotti  featuring bacon "crepe" shell filled with Nueske's bacon, Maine lobster and seasoned ricotta cheese, with bacon arrabiata sauce by Jose Torres Novo - Shrimp and Grit Croquettes featuring bacon bits, shrimp, lemon, truffle, parmesan, chive, worcestershire, spices, balled, breaded and fried; served with a bacon aioli, and bacon powder by Corey Laub. Ronero -  Bolitos de Cubano featuring Ibérico bacon, mustard, jamon, rum pickled summer squash by Cory Morris.  Slurping Turtle - Bacon Bincho featuring prune wrapped with bacon deep fried in bacon fat, served on a stick by Takashi Yagahashi. Vie - Bacon-o Tonnato with  slow-cooked bacon, preserved tuna mayonnaise, bacon fat-fried capers, meyer lemon by Dan Compton.  Volume 39 - Smoked Bacon Mousse with crisp spicy bacon, apple butter, homemade shallot pickle, aged Cabernet vinegar by Nick Sutton. SATURDAY LUNCH - 4/1 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Cooking Channel VIP hour 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM General Admission 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM General Admission Express Bacaro - Bacon Noodle Soup featuring  bacon noodles, spring vegetables, bacon brodo by Drew Starkey. Big Jones - Bacon and apple sorghum cake featuring bacon and apple sticky sorghum cake, honeyed bacon ice cream, bacon rum caramel, bacon Madeira syllabubby Paul Fehribach. Community Tavern - Bacon and Prawn Dumplings with Spicy Coconut Puree featuring dumpling wrappers filled with bacon lar by Joey Beato. Dmen tap - Sacri-licious Currywurst featuring currywurst made with a sausage that breaks almost every biblical dietary law by Shawn Podgurski. Honey Butter Fried Chicken - Loaded Mash! featuring schmaltz smashed potatoes, fried chicken, pimento Buffalo sauce, bacon crunchies, and chive crema by Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp. Kinzie Chophouse - Chocolate Bacon Toffee Gelato featuringhomemade vanilla bean gelato blended with our rendition of an english toffee infused with applewood smoked bacon by Susan Frasca. South Water Kitchen Blue Cheese and Bacon Pierogi featuring bacon, blue cheese, and potato pierogi, caramelized bacon and onion, sour cream by Roger Waysok. SATURDAY DINNER - 4/1 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Cooking Channel VIP Hour 7:00 PM -10:00 PM General Admission 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM General Admission Express Dimo's Pizza - 'Murica featuringbraised bacon, pimento cheese, and apples by Steve Hofstad Fourteen Sixteen - Braised Pork Belly, Pickled Ramp and Lamb Salad with brown butter & white balsamic emulsion by Bret Bohning. Franklee-Delish - Rhubarb Strawberry Meringue Pie with bacon brittle by Ellice Talbert. Osteria Langhe / Animale - BLAT Gnocchi Diagnosis Delicious by Cameron Grant. The Bad Apple - Count Porcula's Drac Snacks withbacon and boudin croquette and habanero and red cabbage slaw by Craig Fass. Son of A Butcher by WHISK - Bourbon Sweet Potato Bisque with sweet potato and bacon hash by Ricardo Rodriguez. Sunda New Asian - Iberico Bacon Poke with Watermelon with seaweed, sesame seeds, scallions, shallots, sesame soy sauce by Jess Deguzman. World Of Whirlpool - Bacon Explosion with bacon roll, bacon aioli, bacon cheddar, bacon creme brulee, bacon blueberries by Ender Oktayuren. The 9th Annual Baconfest Chicago will be held on March 31 and April 1 at the UIC Forum. Tickets start at $60 for bacon only option to $200 for VIP tickets with an early entry and are still available online at  BaconfestChicago.com. Guests are advised to act now before tickets sell out.

About Baconfest: Baconfest Chicago holds its ninth tasting event on March 31 and April 1, 2017 at the UIC Forum (725 West Roosevelt). Ticketholders gain access to a bacon-wonderland where the city's best chefs hand out amazing creative bacon snacks. Luxury brands, artisan bacon-makers, and bacontrepreneurs display, sample, and sell a multitude of bacon products. The best mixologists and brewers hand out bacon-inspired cocktails, beer and wine. To celebrate special achievement in the bacon arts, Baconfest gives out Golden Rasher Awards (the Oscars of the bacon world). Best of all, Baconfest is good for America. In addition to hosting a food drive and raffle at the event, Baconfest Chicago donates a portion of proceeds from ticket sales to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.  Since 2009, Baconfest's support has resulted in more than $360,000 for Chicago's food bank, which translates into more than 1,100,000 meals for hungry people in the area.