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'Bacon' appétit? Alexandria bakery creates a culinary tribute

Sam Bradley

Saturday is International Bacon Day and an Alexandria bakery has celebrated all week long. Atwood’s Bakery introduced the salty delight into more than 30 menu items, mostly desserts. This is the bakery’s first Baconfest since opening in 1977. General manager Jennifer Atwood credits her 10-year-old bacon-obsessed son for encouraging her to branch out with her recipes. And she did – creating bacon cookies, truffles, cheesecake, and even an Elvis cupcake made with chocolate chips, fresh bananas and topped with a peanut butter cream and a crumbling of apple wood smoked bacon. Customers, she said, have come from far and wide.

"A guy came in and had driven an hour, and was like, Oh bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon!" Atwood said by phone, right before her lunch rush. "We have a bacon smoothie, so he got that. He pretty much bought one of everything, and he’s coming back Friday for another bacon burger.”

Smoothie aside, the 50/50 burger as she calls it is equal parts bacon and top sirloin that’s custom blended each day by a local butcher. She said it’s been a real crowd-pleaser, and it might just earn a seasonal spot on her lunch menu.

“It's a patty on a seeded potato roll bun. Then, it’s topped with pepper jack cheese, more bacon, a fried over-easy egg, chipotle mayo, and avocado," Atwood said.

Atwood’s Bakery will continue its culinary tribute through Saturday, and it may become an annual tradition. Atwood said the 50/50 burger  will be available for extended hours Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., so no customers are denied their bacon.