Another chance to eat for a good cause!

    Well, the days are getting warmer, the temperature is above freezing more often than not...and that means it's charity walk/run time again!  Since there is roughly one of these events a day in the warmer months, even the most dedicated walker needs to pick and choose which to participate in.  For the foodie with a heart, may I suggest Graze to Raise - the Alaska Visitor Industry Charity Walk .
   Held on May 7th in Anchorage and May 8th in Fairbanks, this walk raises money for a variety of charities and offers participants a good time as well!  It is organized by Alaska's Visitor Industry, and billed as "the only walk in Anchorage where participants probably won't lose any weight."  Sponsors have food and beverage booths out for walkers, and I'm told in past years there have been some pretty good eats. 
  Teams can register, as can individuals.  You are encouraged to get sponsors and raise as much as possible, but you can just sponsor yourself for a fee - go to the website to get specifics.  Individuals and groups who raise money above a minimum level (again, see the website for details) can specify what local charity gets their money!  However, even if you don't get to specify where your donation goes, your money still goes to nonprofits here in Alaska. 
    So to have a good time while doing good, sign up to Graze to Raise.  We'll see you there!

Yes. Yes, we DO heart bacon.

Mr EA and I recently revisited the Spenard Roadhouse, of earlier post fame, in order to check out this month's Bacon of the Month appetizer. Yes, you read that right - bacon of the month.
    We split the aforementioned appetizer, a Cubano sandwich with tater tots (Mr EA's favorite sandwich ever) and a dessert which I will get into later.  The Bacon of the Month turned out to be crispy cheese and bacon croquettes with a tomato dipping sauce also enriched with bacon.  It was not what we were expecting, but it was delicious anyway!  (On their website, the menu listed the bacon of the month as a fondue with bacon, Granny Smith apple slices and toast points.  That sounds awesome, too.  We 'll look for it to come around again some time.)
   The Cubano was awesome, as always, as were the tots. Served on a ciabatta, the sandwich is a rich taste treat consisting of pulled barbecued pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickled onions and dill pickle.  It is a sloppy, delicious sandwich that will fill you up - which is why we started sharing dishes at the Roadhouse in the first place.  The tots were crispy and delicious as always, and perfectly set off by the ketchep that comes with them in little dipping cups.  Mmmmm.!
    Then to round out our lunch, we chose Maple Apple Bread Pudding, which is served warm with bourbon caramel sauce.  What was so interesting about this dessert?  For a couple of dollars more, you can get it with ice cream and/or...bacon!  Obviously, we got the bacon.  This is our second experience with bacon-maple based dessert, and I have to say, so far its worked out pretty well for us.  The saltiness of the bacon worked perfectly with the sweetness of the caramel bourbon sauce and the maple-apple flavor of the bread pudding itself. 
    So, in short, if you're in the mood for some bacon, head on over to the Spenard Roadhouse - you'll be glad you did!