Blackberry Balsamic Glazed Bacon Skewers

• Fresh red Anjou pears, roasted Jones Dairy Farm Dry Aged Cherrywood Smoked Slab Bacon, creamy brie, peppery arugula, and sweet blackberries, skewered and finished with a vibrant blackberry balsamic glaze.

The cool, crisp bite of raw pear against the roasted bacon is part of what makes this plate work. Anjou holds its structure, won’t oxidize quickly after cutting, and has enough delicacy to let the glaze and brie carry the richness. Bosc will hold as well, but the texture is denser and fights the other components rather than complementing them.

Apply the glaze last. Reduce the balsamic until it coats a spoon, then add fresh blackberry puree, remove from heat, and add a small amount of honey. It should be thick enough to cling without pooling on the plate. Apply it to the bacon after cooking, not during, so the fruit sugars don’t scorch.

Build the skewer in this order: blackberry, pear, brie, bacon, arugula, pear. The blackberry anchors the skewer end and the second pear piece closes it out, framing the plate cleanly. This is a composed small plate — the skewer structure is part of the pitch.

These same flavors translate directly into a composed salad. Arugula base, sliced pear, brie crumbles, blackberries, and thick-cut Jones Slab Bacon lardons, finished with the same blackberry balsamic as a dressing. The skewer is the showpiece; the salad is the weekday workhorse. Both come from the same prep.

• Shareable
• Appetizer
• Dinner
• Upscale
• Catering