I don’t know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, bacon lovers, but here at the Republic of bacon, it is hot. Every day, I pledge my undying love to the air conditioner and take the coldest shower I can stand, just to spend a few precious moments not sweating. My cats are all splayed out on the kitchen floor because the tile is a little bit cooler, extremely unimpressed at the unholy warmth that all the fans in the world can’t seem to dispel. It’s not quite July yet and already we’re in for a scorcher of a summer.

As much as I adore bacon (I mean, obviously – here I am writing this for you), when the weather is this hot, sometimes the idea of standing in front of a hot stove, frying up a pan of sizzling bacon, becomes less appealing somehow. I flatly refuse to turn on the oven and make my apartment even a single degree warmer, and I flatly refuse to microwave. When even eating anything warming that straight-from-the-fridge watermelon seems like a chore, what’s a bacon-loving girl to do to get her fix?

So, for this edition of Bacon Love Friday, here are some ways to stay cool while still enjoying bacon.

Bacon-ish Ice Cubes

These sweet little pig-shaped silicon molds are great for making chocolate or truffles, but they also make exceptional ice-cubes. What better way to cook wonderful, cooling drink as you sit on a shady porch and enjoy a lazy summer afternoon.

Bacon Cocktails

If you’re anything like me, that cooling beverage probably has a wee bit of vodka in it. If you want to beat the heat and have some fun, then an ice-cold bacon cocktail is the way to go, especially one made with out beloved Bakon Vodka.

Bacon Ice Cream

This time of year, I am practically living off of ice cream. There’s nothing better that a sweet, cold cone of ice cream on a hot day, both to cool you down and perk you up. Why not make it a scoop of bacon ice cream, and enjoy the sweet-and-salty deliciousness?

Bacon Popsicles

My other primary source of nutrition in the summer is whatever I can get from popsicles. At least by eating a bacon popsicle I’ll be getting a little more protein.

Bacon Bathing Suit

This has yet to be invented, but as soon as someone manufactures a bacon bathing suit for me, it will be all I wear whether relaxing by the pool or splashing through a sprinkler.