Most of the time here at BAH, I’m blabbing about the (mis)adventures in my kitchen. We do our eating at home so that’s what I know best. However, there are moments when I come across something while I’m out and about that must be shared. Like Sweet Cascades.
I was tipped off about Sweet Cascades last year when I heard that they sold Old Bay Chocolate Crabs. For those unfamiliar with Old Bay, it’s the traditional spice mix used in these parts for steamed crabs, shrimp, and really just about any other food surface. It was the only thing that The Mistah specifically asked me to send over while he was deployed. If he had his way, he would put it on everything. It’s got a serious kick, like Ninja in a can.
According to what I could find on the Old Bay website, the ingredients include celery salt, mustard, red pepper, black pepper, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon, and paprika. The folks at Sweet Cascades take Old Bay and combine it with both dark and milk chocolate to produce a sweet/savory, salty/sweet treat.
Last year, I spent a nice chunk of change so that each Christmas Care Package we sent out of town included some Old Bay Crabs. And in the process of having the order filled, I got to chat with the folks about all sorts of interesting things like tempering chocolate and candy making. I was even lucky enough to sample some of their other treats like drinking chocolate and out of this world dark chocolate disks.
And then a whole year passed before I walked through the door again. Which is a real accomplishment because the shop is less than a block from my office. I pass it twice a day, every day. But I know that regular visits to Sweet Cascades will have me digging in the closet for those jeans that got too big to wear. My sweet tooth will just have to accept that it’s only going to get a Sweet Cascades fix once a year.
Fast forward to last Friday. I popped down the street during lunch to pick up this year’s (smaller) haul of Old Bay Crabs (thanks recession!) and as I’m talking about having seen the shop mentioned on HowChow’s Blog, the conversation suddenly detoured to chocolate covered bacon and would I like to sample some. Hell yes.
I was in heaven. Smokey bacon and milk chocolate heaven. I learned that the bacon is cooked until it is almost charred so that much of the grease is rendered out. Because greasy bacon and chocolate is definitely not heavenly. There might have been more information shared but I was too busy savoring every last bit of goodness to pay attention. Without thinking, I asked for a quarter pound to go. And that bag in the photo? That’s all that’s left.
So I can’t actually show you what chocolate covered crack looks like. But I can tell you where to get it:
Sweet Cascades
8167 Main Street
Ellicott City, MD 21043
Bon Appetit Hon 
I need to check this place out! I’ve heard about the Old Bay Chocolate crabs. I’m a little worried about chocolate-covered bacon only in that I have so many vices, I don’t know that I need one more and if it really is chocolate crack, I’d be powerless to resist.
Julie, the bacon bark (that’s probably a better description than chocolate covered bacon) is really best in small quantities. I found that if I was eating a bigger piece, I didn’t like it AS much. So employ a less is more approach if you decide to experiment.
We had chocolate covered bacon at Clipper City’s Beer and Bacon festival. It was seriously yumlish. I wonder how hard it would be to make…
Beth, I’d think that if you can make chocolate bark (which I totally can’t), this shouldn’t be that hard. But you would definitely want to make sure the bacon is well cooked, to render out as much fat as possible, and well dried before it is mixed into the melted chocolate.
The bacon bark from Sweet Cascades was on the thick side. Thicker than a Hershey Bar is the best description I can provide. I really should have taken some measurements before I gobbled down 1/4 pound of the stuff so that I could provide some proper specifications.
Maybe you should swing by SC and pick some up?
If the Food Network is to be believed, not that hard
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/chocolate-covered-bacon-with-almonds-recipe/index.html
Maybe one day after work I will make it over there.
If I had that in my house, it would TOTALLY be like crack.
See how easy it is to turn your house into a crack house? I wonder if the folks at Sweet Cascades realize what they’ve done to the community.
Don’t suppose they deliver?
Sorry Emily, I don’t believe they ship. But I don’t know that for sure. You could always go to their web site via the link in the post and inquire.
Sweet Cascades will ship all over the country for you. Just give them a call.
For those interested in getting their hands on Sweet Cascades chocolate covered crack, but who aren’t in the area, it looks like you’re just a call or click away from bacon bark. Go. Do it now.