flavor, but that's not the case. She's found balance, walking the line
between being cloyingly sugary and intensely meaty.
Tara originates from Philly, heading West to Southern California nine years ago…
]
…for a boy. Unfortunately for her, he wasn't nearly the foodie she was, and they parted ways not too long after. With an art degree under her belt, Tara found steady work as both a graphic designer and pilates instructor. One day, her boss brought in some candied bacon for the troops, and that was the game changer for our vixen.
She started toying with the idea of more complex flavors, and found curry to be a sinful combination. It evolved into her dairy and nut-free delight Coconut Curry Lime. After a few more successful mash-ups, like S'mores, Tara founded The Sticky Pig in November 2009.
Our Bacon Vixen did not attend culinary school, citing PBS as her self-taught cooking institution, and classics such as Martin Yan's Yan Can Cook and Jeff Smith's The Frugal Gourmet as professors. Her current residence is Costa Mesa, but the bacon-tastic magic happens in various private kitchens around Orange County, including a restaurant at The District in Tustin.
The labor-intensive process begins with bulk bacon, and although a specific brand was never mentioned, she states matter-of-factly, “I tried every brand: Nieman Ranch, Farmer John, etc. Nitrate-free bacon didn't work and cost too much.”
While Elvis is one of her top sellers, Coffee 'n Cream and (her favorite) Raspberry Jelly Doughnut also share the spotlight. The 'jelly' in the doughnut is made up of fresh raspberries, dates and crunchy raw almonds; then it's finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. These three flavors make up half of her always available Signature Six, the others being Chocolate Peppermint, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel, and the previously mentioned Coconut Curry Lime. Due to the freshness of Tara's ingredients, orders are perishable and can be refrigerated for up to a week. If you're wondering what to serve these alongside, “They can pair with so many things,” she remarks. She's currently updating The Sticky Pig site to reflect the possibilities, including wine pairings.
“I'm working on something BIG, but I can't tell you just yet,” she says. What can she dish? There's the Maple Cinnamon Whiskey Candied Bacon ice cream. Yum! Also forthcoming are possible bacon caramels, macarons, and candied rose petals. She would love to do a bacon-centric gourmet food truck someday, but one thing she won't venture into: cupcakes. With her chocolate-hued boxes, Tara's goal is for The Sticky Pig to be known as the “Tiffany of bacon candies.”
The Sticky Pig is available exclusively online at www.thestickypig.com.
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A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.