Over a year ago I read an article in a magazine about bacon wrapped tater tots at the High Life Lounge in Des Moines, Iowa. Then I experimented with making my own version of bacon wrapped tater tots using wild boar bacon. The blog entry I wrote about it is the most visited item on my blog to date. It seems that a lot of people are as infatuated as I am by this simple but incredibly delicious concept.
So when I started planning my cross country drive, there was no question that the High Life Lounge would be on my list of places to stop.
I rolled into the High Life Lounge on a Thursday evening after 8+ hours of driving. I was tired and in serious need of a cocktail and food. So it was a most welcome greeting when I saddled up to the bar next to Lounge co-owner Jeff Bruning and was served a Miller High Life and bacon wrapped tots within moments of arriving. Also joining us was Brooks Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival that was held at the Lounge earlier this year.
The article I read last year about the High Life Lounge’s bacon tots failed to mention that they also slide a small slice of hot pepper next to the tot before wrapping it in the bacon. This adds a whole different dimension to the experience that was quite appetizing and gives the tots a very different flavor than I was familiar with from my own experimentation.
Over a couple beers and the tots, Jeff and Brooks regaled me with stories from the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival which, unfortunately, I was not able to attend this year. But it’s definitely on my schedule for next year. The High Life Lounge rocks it old skool, which is my favorite kind of bar. And you just can’t beat an entire day centered around consuming as much bacon as possible. So I eagerly look forward to spending March 1, 2009 in Des Moines.