Bacon jam? You’re not dreaming! It’s real!

Caption: Chris Mills with his bacon jam. By Richard BruinsmaThe very words “bacon jam” will be enough to send some people in a spin, while others will be scratching their heads saying “what the…?”Well, you’re reading it first here on the Sunshine Valley Gazette's website… it’s a real food creation.It latches on to the world’s exploding love of bacon, but also smashes the misconceptions we’ve all lived with forever regarding the true definition of “jam”.“Most people’s view of jam is one-dimensional,” Chris Mills, a dedicated and experimental cook who co-owns Winston Cottage B&B with his wife Deb, said.“We think it’s a spread made of fruit and sugar, but jam refers more about a process – a form of preserving – rather than a product, so you can make pumpkin jam, chilli jam and of course bacon jam.”So, bacon lovers, as you slowly lift your chins off the floor, here’s something that will further blow your mind: one of the secret ingredients is pomegranate molasses.Pomegranate molasses has an unusual sour and sweet flavour similar to balsamic vinegar.“I use this in lots of things; if I really want to give something a pick up, I use pomegranate molasses.”The other ingredients are bacon, maple syrup, a lot of onions, brown sugar, salt and a number of other spices.Mr Mills also cures his own bacon over about seven days using maple wood in his smoker to further enhance the flavour. The bacon jam is a creation that comes from his desire to experiment with foods while also creating tasty dishes he can serve to guests at the small B&B. “It’s really a condiment – it doesn’t replace raspberry jam on your toast – but everybody seems to like bacon and, to me, it really seems to make sense and it’s very tasty.”Bacon jam, a unique food that provides a new and unique sweet and tangy twist to an Australian household favourite.As they say these days: mind blown.