Sometimes the Bar... It Eats You

For starters, the Elk Creek Café was wonderful. But today's post isn't about that. We're going for dinner there again this week, so I'll write about it then.

This post is about my failed bacon mission.

It's become something of a legend 'round these parts: there's some mighty fine bacon to be found in Millheim. And this is said with the recognition that Central Pennsylvania is already renowned for its Amish bacon. So it's safe to say that there's something pretty special happening in Millheim. You might not know this, though, from looking at the humble façade of Bierly's Meats, a nondescript country butchery on Rte. 45 in downtown Millheim. But their home-cured sugar bacon will make your socks roll up and down.

Like many of the storefronts along Millheim's main street, Bierly's powder blue siding has seen better days. This is so much the case that when H. and I would visit Millheim in years past, we never once acknowledged that Bierly's Meats was an extant market. There are a number of businesses like this in central Pennsylvania. One wonders: are they ever really open for business? Or are they relics from some indeterminate war-era past? It's a happy moment when the former is the case; and there are often some wonderful things to be discovered within.

Bierly's meats, by all counts, is one such cabinet of wonders. The problem is, I've never managed to get there while it's open. A few Sundays ago we drove out to have brunch at the newly-opened Elk Creek (which was lovely), but the side-trip was in vain: the meat market is closed on Sundays. It is open on Saturdays, so when we made our way to Elk Creek's art opening/tavern menu event at around 4:30 yesterday afternoon, I had high hopes. But alas, I should have done my homework: Bierly's closes at 4 on Saturdays.

I have tasted bacon from this market, so I know it exists: P2 kindly brought us back some from a pilgrimage he made over the summer. Now it's my turn to repay the favor. Bacon for everyone in the neighborhood! I will go this week. Perhaps even tomorrow. Ah, but are they open Mondays?

I can't handle another disappointment of this magnitude!

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On a separate note, I did add bacon (ah, but workaday supermarket bacon) to the bread salad I described in yesterday's post.

It was fine. Whatever.