Fat stew

Every once in a while I screw up in the kitchen. A fascintion with liquid smoke comes to mind and using Bells Seasoning on an entire roast turkey dinner come to mind. In this case, I just went a bit too far with my fats. I decided to return to Oyster Stew after a long layoff and a chance sighting of two six ounce jars of Willipia inlet oysters in the Food for Less WareHouse. I lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland for nearly fifteen years and cream of crab soup or Oyster Stew were big favorites. Oysters and crabs were so plentiful in various seasons, that not cooking a hearty milk stew was just a shame. So, it isn't as if this was my first rodeo. I didn't saute the onions and celery in bacon fat, just butter. I did overdo the half and half proportions, plus the butter slices were a bit thick, and the addition of crisp yet slightly fatty bacon was just a bit much. Oh was it good though. I knew I was in trouble when big white globs of milk fat started swimming around on the surface, but when the sweet streams of golden butter made their appearance, the situation became desperate. Then came the odd chunk of bacon popped up for a breath of air. I was nodding off in my chair after the second bowl.