daily gluten-free food photo: bacon press

Finding the Chef was enough. How could anything compare to waking up and seeing his fce next to mine in the morning, the sun coming through the windows? We have nothing to do for hours but read the newspaper, laugh and eat something scrumptious for breakfast. Really, this is enough.

But sometimes, there are also presents.

My dear friend Sherry — she of the fierce passions and huge laughs, two daughters and one more on the way, eternal wonderings, and one of my favorite people in the world — sent us a beautiful engagement present last week. One was dear and thoughtful, perfectly suited for two people who love food and each other. The other was this: a bacon press.

Guess which one we love best.

Ostensibly, this heavy metal pig is meant to be pressed down on bacon as it cooks. But the beautiful bacon from A & J's cooks up wonderfully, equal parts crispy and chewy, every time. Besides, how could we besmirch this lovely pig?

So there it sits, next to the coffee pot, up against the mortar and pestle, reminding us every day how absurd and beautiful this world really is.