Mr. Bijoy Writes

I'm not sure how many years I've been doing these, but this is the latest, possibly largest installment. These are a few cool things that I think would be great gifts for guys. There's a little something here for almost everyone, or at least I think so. There's no organization to this list, so don't expect that. So, here we go! Apparently, puffy jackets are cool again. I can't, in the right mind, recommend one that doesn't both look good and is incredibly functional. My choice is the Cirq Pax 700 Downfill Jacket . You can find them on sale all over the place, so don't think you have to stick to the price shown in the link.  Your flight attendant might make a good drink, if you ask. More often than not, you'll get a can of mixer and a small bottle of alcohol. So why not step your "drunk on a plane" game up and get the Carry-On Cocktail Kit ? It'll make you the coolest guy on the airplane.     Want a t ruly smart bluetooth speaker ?...

Candied bacon. I don't think I really need to elaborate anymore than necessary here. Make it, eat it, be happy. What ya need: 1 pound of somewhat lean bacon, sliced 3/4 cup of packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons of finely ground black pepper Nonstick cooking spray Ok, so: Preheat your oven to 325ºF. In a large bowl, incorporate all of the pepper into the brown sugar with a whisk. A whisk will break apart the clumps in the sugar and allow for the most even mix with the least effort. So use a whisk. Now, grab a large baking sheet and line it with aluminum foil. Then set an oven-safe cooling/wire rack, that you've liberally coated in nonstick spray, on top of that. Slice-by-slice, dredge the bacon in the sugar mixture and set it out on the wire rack in one layer. You may need two baking sheets and you may need to do more than one batch, that's ok. Bake this for 20 minutes, take it out of the oven and promptly remove from the wire rack. Set aside to cool on a larg...

One of my very good friends asked me if I could help him with a recipe for a white alfredo sauce that incorporates bacon. Obviously, this is something I am more than happy to do. On pulling this recipe from my files, I thought I'd post it for all of you as well. I think you guys may enjoy it! What ya need: 10 slices of bacon (applewood smoked is best) 6 tablespoons of butter   2 tablespoons of cornstarch   1 pint of whipping cream   1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon of oregano   1/2 teaspoon of basil Ok, so: In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crispy. Set it aside on a paper towel to absorb the excess grease. In the same skillet, melt the butter. Once it is lightly browned, throw in the cornstarch and whipping cream and let it simmer while constantly whisking. Toss in the oregano, garlic powder and basil while whisking and allow the sauce to thicken. Finally, add the bacon and serve on top of whatever pasta you may choose. Enjoy!!

I was at brunch today with my brother Amit and two of his friends. One of which, let's call her S, is a pretty big foodie. In turn, our conversation was rather food-centric throughout the meal. Since it was brunch, bacon made its way onto the table. That got me thinking about bacon and bacon-based recipes. Now I don't think bacon goes well with EVERYTHING. But, if you want a great way to put bacon on almost anything, make this bacon butter. It's easy and it's really quite good. What ya need: 1 stick (1/4 lb) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 1/2 cup crisp bacon, finely crushed or crumbled (Serrano ham works as well) 1/4 Tbsp kosher salt (If you're using a specialty salt such as Himalayan, use a little less) 1/2 Tbsp freshly ground white pepper Ok, so: Grab a big bowl and throw in the butter and bacon. Mix these together until well-blended. Now throw in the salt and pepper, a little at a time, mixing as you go. Taste the butter between adding more salt an...