Bacon???? Maybe in Canada

I've been to a few restaurants so far and haven't been overly impressed.  I think as I move to a neighborhood with a few more options things should get better (and venture into those neighborhoods to find the hole in the wall dumpling houses that Sydney is supposedly known for).  But one thing I have noticed is that only Canadians would only look at this and call it "bacon."

I stopped by the store the other day and picked up a pack of "bacon."  Sure, it says short cut bacon, but there is no long cut bacon.  And at first glance, you'll notice by the meat to fat ratio that this certainly isn't bacon.  It did taste like a thick cut ham and would probably be good grilled on some bread, but it definitely was missing the salty, fatty crunch of the bacon that got delivered to me monthly.

I've noticed that other things taste a little bit different over here.  Everything seems to be a little bit sweeter, but not necessarily in a good way.  The Barilla jarred pasta sauce had a bit too much sweetness for me.  The soy sauce I used to cook some chicken in last night was almost more sweet than salty.

But back to bacon, I guess I'll have to order Michael Rhulman's Charcuterie to learn how to make my own US style bacon and show these Sydneysiders what they're missing.  I'll make sure to post pictures once I start that little adventure.

One last side note, for those who haven't seen Grant Achatz of Alinea has announed a new restaurant and bar in Chicago (Next Restaurant and Aviary).  Not many details yet, but looks pretty interesting (as you would probably expect).  Like Disney World you'll be able to buy tickets for a menu that changes every three months and focuses a different region and time frame (including the future???).  And it might come in at around $100 for 7 or 8 courses with wine.  Sign me up