Have you heard... My mother still watches what I eat...

Say hello to my new breakfast buddy.  Her name is
Wendy.  

I suspect that the subject line is not at all surprising to most.  It is likely the truth for many more than would care to admit it.  My mother has always monitored my consumption, perhaps even more so since my Dad had bypass surgery and she educated herself on heart-healthy dietary guidelines.  I count it as a blessing that she still cares about me as though I am a child.  I'll remind myself of that after she reads this.  She won't be the only person to counsel me after reading this either.  I won't name any of the others, but you know who you are.  (Sam)

I can only hope that my dear readers appreciate the sacrifice I made this morning on their collective behalf.  You see, Wendy's launched their new breakfast menu this week.  I decided today to sample it and share the results.  I will offer the disclaimer that I have always been a fan of Wendy's, in particular The Baconator.  Living in Columbus, I also consider Wendy's to be a local joint.  Dave Thomas saw fit to launch his great enterprise here a couple of years before I was born.  I have vague recollections from my later grade school years of visiting a Wendy's location once they started to expand into other states.  Fortunately, my palate has grown up in the ensuing years.  Sometime around my 14th year I was finally willing to eat a cheeseburger.  It was around that time I believe the American fast-food scene discovered the joy of the bacon cheeseburger.  Back then I was on a school field trip to visit the Oak Ridge Nuclear Laboratory and the scheduled lunch stop was at a Hardee's somewhere along the route.  I was crushed to discover this particular Hardee's location didn't offer my go-to sandwich at that time - the hot ham and cheese.  Rather than go hungry, I took a chance and tried a bacon cheeseburger and found I enjoyed it.  If not for that singular experience, I might still be living in the darkness of a cheeseburger-less life.  (earnest grin)

I'm sure I have wondered aloud more than once what The Baconator might taste like if it were translated into a breakfast offering.  I am embarrassed to reveal I have made many a breakfast sandwich over the years, but have never even tried to make a Breakfast Baconator.  (sheepish grin)  I am glad Wendy's has finally satisfied my casual curiosity.  I don't normally use sports analogies, but since Wendy's earliest menu theme was baseball oriented...  I will declare the Breakfast Baconator Combo... A.  Grand.  Slam.  Home.  Run.  The sandwich itself was a delectable combination of egg, sausage, (lots of) bacon, cheese, and a Wendy's original sauce served on a grilled bun.  I know many would consider it sacrilege to serve a breakfast sandwich on something other than a biscuit or English muffin, but I think in this case the grilled bun is the right call.  The seasoning overall was not what I would call spicy, but it was just a little peppery.  I am not sure if it was black pepper in the sausage, bacon, or egg...  I just know that I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I also know others - such as my wife - may not.  This is why I feel it important to mention.  As good as it was, I would consider the sandwich just a triple.  It was the seasoned breakfast potatoes that made it a home run.  They were pleasantly seasoned, perfectly crispy on the outside, and moist and fluffy on the inside.  The seasoning tasted like breakfast to me.  What else could possibly improve this meal any further?   I know carbonated-beverages are not something I usually drink for breakfast, but couldn't resist Dave's Original Cherry Cream Soda on the fountain.  If you are wondering, I did get a refill before leaving.  WOW!   Not sure how long this has been on the fountain at Wendy's, but it may supplant Strawberry Lemonade as my favorite.  Time will tell.  No offense to Denny's, but GRAND SLAM is the only way to describe this breakfast.  

If you haven't already, I encourage you to get out of bed a little earlier than usual and find your nearest Wendy's before breakfast ends at 10:30 am.  I plan to branch out and sample the other breakfast offerings in the coming weeks.  Please check back for these future installments.  Better yet, let me know if you give it a try.  I welcome your observations.  I am not sure who in your life might work you over in the event of such conspicuous consumption, but here are a few defenses I intend to use:

     1.  I don't eat like this for every meal.  
     2.  Life is all about choices and I chose to eat this and skip lunch today.  
     3.  I wandered around Menard's for a good long while afterwards to get in a few thousand extra 
          steps.  
     4.  I sacrificed myself solely for the benefit of my dedicated readers.  

The good news is that the Wendy's breakfast will help fortify me for my mission tomorrow.  I will be traveling over to Plain City for an all-day sausage making clinic courtesy of my good friend Mike aka Mad Dog.  We will be making Polish Sausage and Mike's legendary Hungarian Kolbasz.  If I haven't mentioned before, he owns a grinder that is over 50 years old and a sausage stuffer that is over 100.  I am totally geeked about it.  I could hardly contain my excitement when I went to GFS to pick up the 90 pounds of bone-in pork butt earlier today.  It was 20 pounds more than I expected.  Perhaps they are playing Sir Mix-A-Lot in the barn nowadays because these are some big butts.  (uncontrollable laughter)  I am sure to write more about it soon.  

Your Dining Scout and Shadetree Chef,
Michael Hurd aka Big Mike

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