Apple Maple Bacon pie from The Tootie Pie Co.
The Apple Maple Bacon pie from the Tootie Pie Co. is one example of a creative use of bacon. (photo: Tootie Pie Co.)
 
With more than half of restaurants in the United States offering bacon on their menus, foodservice operators must get creative with their bacon creations to differentiate themselves from the competition. Two establishments made headlines recently with deceptively simple recipes.

The Tootie Pie Co. in San Antonio, Texas, is offering an Apple Maple Bacon pie. Bakers pack the pie with 3 lbs. of apple slices that are mixed with a special blend of spices, and then topped with maple crumb and bacon. The 11-in. pie will serve eight to 10 people and costs $40.00. The company plans to begin shipping Apple Maple Bacon pies starting Nov. 6.

Sweet Maple's millionaire's bacon
Sweet Maple's millionaire's bacon is the latest  bacon craze to sweep the San Francisco Bay area. (photo: Sweet Maple Facebook)
 

Bacon fit for a millionaire is being served to the masses in San Francisco.

And, it seems, Sweet Maple’s millionaire’s bacon also was made for TV — the restaurant’s decadent bacon was featured on the Discovery Network’s broadcast of “United States of Bacon.” The free-range bacon is sliced approximately 1-in. thick and baked with brown sugar, cayenne and red and black pepper. A side order will set you back $8.