Bacon is loved and hated throughout the world. Some cultures forbid their followers to have bacon, like a forbidden fruit. Still, bacon is indulged in almost every culture in the world.
In modern times it has become a villain of the anti-meat crowd likening it to cigarettes, those sticks of death so vilified. But how did it get this reputation for evil. That is a long and sordid history that will have to wait for another day. From the scare of the evil saturated fat to the nitrate demons, this tale deserves it's own telling. Keep your eye out for continuing saga.
In the grand parade of history, bacon has marched with quiet authority, winning hearts and conquering palates without the need for trumpets or banners. Its journey is long and winding, stretching back through the dim mists of time, across continents and cultures, settling itself snugly into the very fabric of our kitchens and hearts.
Long before bacon became the crispy indulgence we know today, it was a necessity—a means of survival, a way to eke out sustenance when winter's icy grip tightened on the land. It all began in ancient China, some three and a half millennia ago, where ingenious villagers discovered the magic of salt. They took slabs of pork belly and rubbed them with salt, hanging them to cure in the dry air. This humble preservation method would ripple out through history, much like the rings in a pond when a stone is cast, reaching the far corners of the earth.
As the idea of salting and curing pork spread, it found new adherents in the Roman Empire, where soldiers and peasants alike found solace in the chewy, salty strips of pork belly. They called it "petaso," a word that somehow sounds both savory and ancient, like the crackle of a campfire in a forgotten forest.
By the Middle Ages, bacon had woven itself deeply into the fabric of English life. It was the food of the common folk—the ones who toiled in fields and barns, who knew the value of a warm, hearty meal at the end of a day’s hard work. The pigs roamed freely, foraging for their meals, and their meat—when salted and smoked—became a staple in every household. In the chilly English countryside, there was no greater treasure than a well-cured side of bacon hanging in the smokehouse, ready to fortify the spirit against the biting cold.
The phrase "bringing home the bacon" emerged from these very hills and valleys. It wasn’t just a bit of quaint talk; it was a literal expression of well-being. To bring home the bacon was to bring home sustenance, security, and even a little prosperity.
When the early settlers crossed the Atlantic, they carried with them not just hope but also pigs—the living embodiment of future bacon. And so, the pigs came rooting and snuffling through the underbrush of the New World, their destiny tightly intertwined with the human hands that fed them. In the smokehouses of early America, bacon took on a new life. No longer just a means of preservation, it became a symbol of self-sufficiency, of the ability to carve out a living from the wild, untamed land.
Before the mass exodus from the country to the cities in the early 20th century with all it's promise of prosperity and sophistication, pigs were common place in back yard and on small farms as the consumer of all things not ate at the table. Pigs were the ultimate recyclers.
Fast forward to the early 20th century, when bacon underwent yet another transformation. Enterprising butchers like Oscar Mayer saw the potential in pre-sliced, neatly packaged bacon—a convenience for the busy modern family. Thus began the era of mass-produced bacon, where it moved from farmhouse kitchens to grocery store shelves, becoming a quintessential part of the American experience.
From continent to continent, bacon has traveled, adapted, and thrived, finding its place in the hearts of diverse cultures. And yet, despite its universality, bacon is anything but uniform. Let us wander now, with eyes wide and nostrils flaring, through the rich tapestry of bacon’s cultural journey.
The methods for cooking bacon are as varied as the paths of the rivers that crisscross the earth. Here are five tried-and-true ways to reach that crispy, salty perfection:
Today, bacon has stepped beyond the breakfast plate and into a world of endless possibilities. It has found its way into every nook and cranny of the culinary landscape, becoming a muse for chefs and home cooks alike. There’s bacon jam—sweet and savory, slathered on burgers or crostini, chocolate covered bacon, bacon wrapped scallops or pretty much anything. There are bacon cocktails, where the smoky flavor adds a surprising twist to a Bloody Mary. Even bacon ice cream—yes, bacon ice cream!—has made an appearance, challenging our notions of sweet and savory.
Bacon is more than just a food; it is a thread woven through the human experience, a flavor that speaks of home and history, of survival and creativity. From the ancient salt pits of China to the smoky grills of modern America, bacon has journeyed far and wide, adapting and thriving, but always remaining a cherished constant.
So, the next time you hear the sizzle and pop of bacon in a pan, take a moment to savor not just the flavor but the history, the culture, and the simple joy that this humble slice of pork brings to the world. For me it conjures up images a smoke house, the smell of animals in the yard from childhood, and cracklings from when my mother would make a pork roast. She was quite the cook.