Silver Spring, U.S.A. — Have no fear, bacon is here. With Americans gobbling up more than 1.7 billion pounds of bacon each year, Destination America brings bacon buffs what they crave with an all-new series, “United States of Bacon.” Each episode features our hog-wild host, Chef Todd Fisher, as he road trips to cities across America in search of the most mouth-watering, stomach-growl-inducing, sensory-overloading bacon creations kitchens have to offer.

While more than half of all U.S. homes (53%) keep bacon in their fridge at all times, no longer are the sizzling strips being relegated to the sidelines as a simple breakfast side dish. As Chef Todd discovers, bacon has become a beloved fixture of American cuisine for any meal of day and the “secret sauce” for recipes of all kinds, popping up on menus as the crown jewel of traditional dishes and in avant-garde pairings with ice cream, jam, and cocktails. The 12-episode first season of “United States of Bacon” premieres Sunday, December 30 at 10 & 10:30 PM E/P. If only television screens were scratch and sniff.

“From thick cut and juicy to thin and crispy, this series covers every form of bacon under the sun,” said Marc Etkind, SVP of Content Strategy for Destination America. “It’s no wonder bacon is in high demand – just watching “United States of Bacon” induces hunger pangs of epic proportions – but whether or not Americans feel the effects of an ‘aporkalypse’ bacon shortage, it certainly won’t be in short supply on Destination America.”

After the break-out bacon special in summer 2012′s three-part series “United States of Food” earned phenomenal ratings for the network, Chef Todd continued his road trip across America in search of bacon dishes that have diners squealing with delight.

In the premiere episode at 10 PM E/P, he visits Milwaukee, a city built on meat. His first stop is to homegrown hangout AJ Bombers for the Barrie Burger, an outrageous chunky peanut butter bacon cheeseburger that’s as savory as it is sweet. Then Todd swings by Saloon on Calhoun, a local bar with a bacon love so deep that they host a daily bacon happy hour featuring bacon-wrapped pork “wings” made from juicy tenderloin.

In Kenosha, Todd visits Frank’s Diner, the oldest continuously operating railcar restaurant in America, for a monstrous and meaty Garbage Platter exploding with eggs, hash browns, veggies, five different cheeses, and five kinds of meat. His final stop is the Comet Café, a small venue whose bacon-wrapped meatloaf sandwich and bacon cheddar apple pie have patrons begging for more.

Then at 10:30 PM, he continues his journey to Chicago, home to one of the country’s biggest bacon festivals. His first stop is Gino’s, where he feasts his eyes on a mammoth deep-dish pizza overflowing with meat and, of course, tons of bacon. Next, Todd chomps down on a massive triple-decker BLT at the 140-year-old Green Door Tavern.

Finally, he pulls up to Morrie O’Malley’s, a favorite pre-game stop among White Sox fans, for a classic Chicago dog. But up his sleeve, Todd’s got the makings of an innovative new bacon dish: the B-L-Turtle Burger. Other episodes have Todd making pit stops in Des Moines, Seattle, the Bay Area, Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon.

Viewers can also curb their bacon cravings by visiting BaconFreak.com, which has partnered with Destination America to provide even more “United States of Bacon” content.

The article All-new “United States of Bacon” Airs on Destination America appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Silver Spring, U.S.A. — Everyone has a bucket list of things to accomplish in their lifetime. They usually look a bit like this: hike the Appalachian Trail, visit Graceland, go on a New Orleans ghost tour, get pulled onto stage at a Vegas magic show – but Chef Todd Fisherhungers for experiences with a bit more meat to them.

As a life-long restaurateur, Chef Todd’s passion for palate pleasers has him questing for the best bacon, burgers, and steaks at not just eateries, but meat temples, across the nation in Destination America’s new original series “United States of Food”, premiering Sunday, July 8 at 9 PM E/P with “United States of Bacon.” Subsequent episodes include “United States of Burgers” on July 15 and “United States of Steak” on July 22.

“The story of America’s love affair with food would not be complete without a chapter on our hearty hallmarks: bacon, burgers, and steak,” said Marc Etkind, SVP of Content Strategy for Destination America. “With a tremendous zeal for all things meat and an appetite for inspiring taste buds through the TV screen, Chef Todd makes the perfect host for “United States of Food” and a welcome addition to the Destination America family.”

Throughout the series, “United States of Food” visits venues with the best and most innovative menu items in the nation. Making Chef Todd’s “bucket list” are pop culture mainstays like Chicago’s Billy Goat Tavern, whose “cheeburgers” were made famous by Saturday Night Live, as well as trail-blazing small businesses like the Bacon Bacon Truck in San Francisco and their traffic-stopping grilled cheese, which oozes bacon jam in addition to containing a few strips of the real stuff.

A visit to NYC’s famous Crif Dogs proves serendipitous as record-holding hot dog competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi is spotted among the crowd of diners tasting his first bacon-wrapped hot dog. “United States of Food” rounds out its journey at venues as interesting as the dishes they concoct, such as The Grill House in Allegan, Mich., a grill-your-own steak joint that is also rumored to be haunted. The three one-hour episodes include:

United States of Bacon [Premieres Sunday, July 8 at 9 PM E/P]

Bacon is undeniably, irrefutably one of America’s most favorite foods. But long gone are the days when all that greasy goodness was restricted to a measly side order at breakfast.

Today, America is taking bacon to a wild, new extreme that has it popping up in meals and on menus you’d never expect and in ways your taste buds have only dreamed. Chef Todd Fisher samples bacon burgers at Slaters 50/50 in Los Angeles, learns how NYC’s Crif Dogs crafts their bacon-wrapped hot dogs, nibbles a bacon and chocolate ice cream sandwich at Big Gay Ice Cream, and halts traffic to taste test the Bacon Bacon Truck’s bacon jam-filled grilled cheese in San Francisco.

These aren’t just restaurants or eateries. They’re bacon temples. One man. One country. One strip of bacon at a time.

United States of Burgers [Premieres Sunday, July 15 at 9 PM E/P]

The hamburger is America’s signature sandwich, but Chef Todd Fisher only has the best of the best on his burger bucket list. His food journey begins in Connecticut at Louis Lunch, the home of the hamburger’s creation and then onto Boston where Bartley´s Gourmet Burgers constantly adds a twist to the staple sandwich.

Next, Chef Todd finds hamburger perfection in a New York City steakhouse and then hits Chicago for “cheeburgers,” made famous by a Saturday Night Live skit but inspired by the grill masters at Billy Goat Tavern. The bucket list then brings Chef Todd to Memphis for a mouthwatering deep-fried burger from Dyer’s On Beale, and finishes in Atlanta at Holeman and Finch, where the coveted “Burger Time” ritual offers 24 carefully assembled burgers each night.

United States of Steak [Premieres Sunday, July 22 at 9 PM E/P]

Todd Fisher is on a mission to check the best steaks in America off of his bucket list. Kicking off in the Lone Star State, known for their cattle and cowboys, he tastes the perfect Texas T-Bone and samples a down-home classic: the chicken fried steak.

In Michigan, Chef Todd cooks up his favorite cut of beef at a haunted grill-your-own steak joint then makes his way to Boston for the classic Yankee fare and a monstrous prime rib. Stopping in Brooklyn, Chef Todd finds out why Peter Luger’s Porterhouse has been rated number one in New York for 28 years running before finishing his journey in Mississippi at the unlikeliest steak mecca you’d ever imagine.

“United States of Food” is produced for Destination America by Sharp Entertainment. For Sharp, Matt Sharp is executive producer. For Destination America, Fay Yu and Ron Simon are executive producers, Sara Kozak is SVP of production, Marc Etkind is SVP of content strategy, and Henry Schleiffis president and general manager.

The article The Food ‘Bucket List’ in Series “United States of Food” appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.