Another Helping of Food Related Weirdness - 4

First up, let's take a moment to savour pest control, Texas Style. Farmer Skip Smith, from Dublin, TX, is so fed up with feral hogs busting in to his watermelon patch and eating his crops that he’s fighting back with the aid of night-vision goggles and a silenced, fully automatic machine-gun. “The same thing that our forces use in Iraq, we're just using them on animals," Smith said, “we shoot about 45 to 50 a week on 1000 acres." Which is a hell of a lot of free bacon (ABC).

But if there is one food that might possibly challenge bacon as the mightily meaty master of my heart, it would be southern fried chicken. So what could be better than a sandwich that includes both? Well, how about one that leaves out that pointless bread stuff and puts the slices of gorgeous bacon between two hot, fresh fried chicken fillets? That is the idea behind what some reports are claiming is the latest creation from KFC, the “double-down” sandwich. Bacon, cheese and the “Colonel’s special sauce” are sandwiched between the chain’s house-style fried chicken in a heart-stopping 1200 calorie mouthful. And the day this launches near me officially marks the end of my banana diet (AJC).

But why stop with just snacks or main meals? Surely the health-restoring, planet-healing, marriage-saving wonder food that is bacon is more versatile than that? Well yes it is, thanks for asking, at least that’s the impression left by a rash(er) of recipes for bacon desserts. From candied bacon and maple bacon ice-cream, to bacon baklava and milkshakes, your pudding course need never be bacon free again. Hoorah (Idaho Statesman).

But don’t mention desserts to NYPD sergeant Eric Turetsky, who – in an apparent attempt to live up to the stereotype – is currently being investigated for helping himself at his local Dunkin’ Donuts. Turetsky is alleged to have regularly gone behind the counter to get himself coffee, donuts and sandwiches, then leave without paying anything, except for the occasional dollar or two “tip” (NY Post).

And Officer Turetsky is not the only cop whose sweet tooth has got him into trouble recently. An unnamed policeman in St. Paul, MN is still under investigation after he allegedly snuck into the Como Zoo after hours and tried to feed Pop-Tarts to the gorillas. The zoo confirmed that Pop-Tarts are not a normal part of a gorilla’s diet, they much prefer waffles (Metro).