It’s the “B” in a BLT sandwich, the star of breakfast buffets, the garnish on a spinach salad, and the “pork” in pork-and-beans. Bacon imparts a smoky flavor to innumerable dishes. This ancient, cured meat now appears in such modern forms as shelf-stable or refrigerated fully cooked strips, bacon made from turkey and/or beef, and meats certified as organic.
History of Bacon
Bacon has an ancient history. The domestication of “pigs” (immature hogs) for food dates back to about 7000 B.C. in the Middle East. Some historians say that bacon made from hogs was a favorite of the early Romans and Greeks. About 500 years ago, bacon or bacoun (a Middle English
term) referred to all pork. The term derived from bako (French), bakkon (Germanic), and backe (Old Teutonic) that refer to the “back” of the hog.
European peasants in the 1500’s couldn’t afford to buy pork often. It was a sign of affluence if a man could “bring home the bacon.” They would cut
off some for guests and sit around “chewing the fat,” now a colloquial term for “having a discussion.” The term “bringing home the bacon” now means
“earning a living” or “being successful.”
Bacon is made in many countries of the world. In Germany, it is called speck; Netherlands, spek; France, lard or bacon; Italy, pancetta; and Spain, tocino or tocineta. It can be made from several different animal species including pork, turkey, and beef. Bacon can also be made from various parts of an animal; thus, its appearance can vary.
