So, I'm sitting here steaming after another frustrating episode of Top Chef, and I realized I haven't shared any recipes with you guys.  Well, I'm also sitting out here (yes, I'm outside) drinking a bourbon and bacon shake.  You heard me right.  Bourbon and bacon.  Together.  In ice cream.  And then turned into a milk shake.  Oh yeah.  It is good.  So, as a peace offering, I'm sharing my Bourbon and Bacon Ice Cream recipe.

What you'll need:

• .5kg good bacon cut up into lardons (tiny chunks)
• 80-100mL good bourbon (I used a 2000 Evan Williams Single Barrel)
• 475mL heavy cream (about 2 cups)
• 300mL whole milk (about 1.25 cups)
• 200g granulated sugar (about 7/8 cups)
• .6g kosher salt (1/8 tsp)
• 7 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla bean and 15mL of good vanilla extract

How to assemble:

1. Fry up your bacon until crisp.  Set aside the bacon and the drippings.
2. Combine cream and milk in medium sauce pan.  Split vanilla bean lengthwise and deposit seeds into cream mix.  Remove the cream from the heat, steep the vanilla for a half hour.  Throw bacon and fat into warmed mix and let sit overnight in refrigerator.
3. Combine eggs, sugar and salt.  Cream together until the eggs lighten.  Reserve.
4. Strain out the bacon fat and bacon chunks, these have given up all their goodness to the cream mix.  Reserve cream mix, discard fat and bacon.  Bring cream back up to temp slowly.  When the cream mix is back up to heat,  slowly add 1/4 cup of the mix to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.  Do not add the cream mix too quickly to the eggs or they will scramble and you'll have to start over.  Add one more 1/4 cup mix of the cream to the eggs.  Add the egg and cream mix back to the cream mix in the pot.  Add the vanilla extract and the bourbon.  Cook gently until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Remove from heat and strain through fine mesh sieve.
6. Throw into your ice cream mixer and follow manufacturer instructions OR:
7. Get yourself a 5L dewar of liquid nitrogen (LN2).  Throw the mix into a heavy, stainless steel bowl and slowly pour the LN2 slowly over the mix while someone else whisks vigorously.  When thick, pack into your freezer to set overnight.
8. Enjoy.

And THAT is how I roll.