In “Once Upon a Cookbook,” author Bryton Taylor writes about a scene from Mark Twain’s classic novel: “The image of Tom Sawyer and his companions feasting on fried eggs by campfire brings outdoor adventures along the Mississippi to life.”
To replicate that smoky flavor in a kitchen setting, Taylor recommends using a triple-smoked bacon with lots of fat.
“Lay the bacon on a wire rack set on a sheet pan, not only to crisp the bacon even on both sides but to capture the drippings in the pan below to use for frying the eggs,” she writes.
Fried Egg Feast
Yield: Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
- 12 slices hickory-smoked, thick-cut bacon
- ¼ teaspoon gluten-free liquid smoke
- 8 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
TIPS FOR CHEFS IN THE MAKING
Ages 5-10: Wash hands. Lay out bacon strips neatly on a wire rack. Crack eggs straight into the pan with a steady hand. Just be sure an adult is nearby to help if needed.
Ages 10-plus: Take the lead on oven-baking the bacon and draining off the drippings safely. Gentle, steady heat is the secret to perfect eggs.
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Arrange the bacon slices on a wire rack set over a sheet pan to catch the drippings.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and browned.
In a 9-inch frying pan, combine 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat drippings with the liquid smoke. Heat pan over low heat for 1 minute.
Crack in 8 eggs and cook on low heat until the egg whites are translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle sea salt and pepper evenly on top.
Serve two eggs with three slices of bacon per person.
From “Once Upon a Cookbook: A Treasury of Recipes Inspired by Timeless Children’s Books” by Bryton Taylor. Illustrated by Emma Adams. © 2026 Bryton Taylor. Reprinted courtesy of Insight Edition.
