In December 2009, I launched my blog about truly shameless indulgence, http://gluttonforlife.com. It chronicles my exploits and experiments in eating, gardening, home, health and travel. (My husband, George Billard, takes all the good photos.)

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This bacon-infused bourbon cocktail was inspired by the Old Fashioned at PDT, a cocktail mecca in New York City’s East Village. I think the star-anise-infused cider syrup gives mine a nice complexity, and the fresh lemon juice sparks the dark, smoky flavors. I entered this drink as a contender on Food52, when the theme was "Your Best Pork and Apple Cider Recipe" and, although it didn't win, it was one of the week's editors' picks. (Probably because it really stood out against all the ((admittedly delicious-looking)) recipes for cider-braised pork shoulder.)

BACON-INFUSED BOURBON
375 ml bourbon, such as Tuthilltown’s Baby Bourbon
2 slices smoky bacon, cooked to render ¾ oz fat

Decant the bourbon into a large glass jar with a wide mouth.
Fry the bacon in a skillet to render the fat. (Scarfing the bacon down is de rigueur!)
Once it’s cooled a bit, strain the fat into the jar of bourbon.
Let it sit out for about 6 hours and then put it in the freezer.
Once the fat is completely hardened, scoop it all out with a slotted spoon.

APPLE CIDER SYRUP
2 cups organic apple cider
1 tablespoon brown sugar (like dark muscovado)
1 tablespoon maple syrup, grade B preferred
1-2 star anise

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and keep at a strong simmer until liquid has reduced to 2/3 cup. Strain out the star anise.

THE PIGGYBACK
2 ozs bacon-infused bourbon
1 ½ ozs cider syrup
1 oz lemon juice

Into a cocktail shaker with ice, pour bourbon, syrup and lemon juice and shake. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. You can double the ingredients and shake two at a time if you’re not drinking alone.