Showing posts with label Bacon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bacon. Show all posts

Jun 5, 2020

More Bacon Facts

Bacon dates back to 1500 BCE. The Chinese were the first to cook salted pork bellies more than 3000 years ago. This makes bacon one of the world’s oldest processed meats.
Romans called bacon petaso. Bacon eventually migrated westward. The Romans made petaso by boiling salted pig shoulder with figs, and then seasoning the mixture with pepper sauce. Wine was a frequent accompaniment.
The word bacon refers to the "back" of a pig. The word bacon comes from the Germanic root “-bak,” and refers to the back of the pig that supplied the meat. Bakko became the French bacco, which the English then adopted around the 12th century, naming the dish bacoun. Back then, the term referred to any pork product, but by the 14th century bacoun referred specifically to the cured meat.


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May 29, 2020

Bacon Facts

The first bacon factory opened in 1770. For generations, local farmers and butchers made bacon for their local communities. In England, where it became a dietary staple, bacon was typically "dry cured" with salt and then smoked. In the late 18th century, a businessman named John Harris opened the first bacon processing plant in the county of Wiltshire, where he developed a special brining solution for finishing the meat. The "Wiltshire Cure" method is still used today, and is a favorite of bacon lovers who prefer a sweeter, less salty taste.
The phrase "bringing home the bacon" dates back centuries. These days the phrase refers to making money, but its origins have nothing to do with income. In 12th century England, churches would award a flitch, or a side, of bacon to any married man who swore before God that he and his wife had not argued for a year and a day. Men who "brought home the bacon" were seen as exemplary citizens and husbands.
Bacon was used to make explosives during World War II. In addition to planting victory gardens and buying war bonds, households were encouraged to donate their leftover bacon grease to the war effort. Rendered fats created glycerin, which in turn created bombs, gunpowder, and other munitions. A promotional film starring Minnie Mouse and Pluto chided housewives for throwing out more than 2 billion pounds of bacon grease every year: "That’s enough glycerin for 10 billion rapid-fire cannon shells."
Hardee's Frisco burger was a game-changer for bacon. Bacon took a beating in the 1980s, when dieting trends took aim at saturated fats and cholesterol. By the '90s, Americans were ready to indulge again. Hardee’s Frisco Burger, one of the first fast-food burgers served with bacon, came out in 1992 and was a hit. It revived bacon as an ingredient, and convinced other fast-food companies to bacon-ize their burgers. Bloomberg called it the Frisco Burger "a momentous event for fast food, and bacon’s fate, in America."
The average American consumes 18 pounds of bacon each year. Savory, salty, and appropriately retro: The past couple of years have been a bonanza for bacon, with more than three quarters of restaurants now serving bacon dishes, and everything from candy canes to gumballs are now flavored with bacon. Recent reports linking processed meats to increased cancer risk have put a dent in consumption, and may have a prolonged effect. But America’s love affair with bacon continues.
There is a Church of Bacon. This officially sanctioned church boasts more than 25,000 members under the commandment "Praise Bacon." It is more a rallying point for atheists and skeptics than for bacon lovers, per se, and there is no official location, but the church does perform wedding ceremonies and fundraisers, and has raised thousands of dollars for charity. All bacon praise is welcome.
There is also a bacon camp. Bacon camp is like summer camp, but with less canoeing and more bacon cooking. Held every year in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Camp Bacon features speakers, cooking classes, and other bacon-related activities for chefs and enthusiasts eager to learn more about their favorite food.

Modern technology wants to help you wake up and smell the bacon. An ingenious combination of toaster and alarm clock, the Wake 'n Bacon made waves a few years back with the promise of waking up to fresh-cooked bacon. Sadly, the product never made it past the prototype phase, but those intent on rising to that smoky, savory aroma were able to pick up Oscar Mayer’s special app, which came with a scent-emitting attachment.

Oct 11, 2019

New Ted Meat Research


Scientists have found there is little evidence that eating red meat causes health problems. Ian Johnson, a nutritional expert at the UK’s Quadram Institute, welcomed the new findings, telling Reuters, “This study will, I hope, help to eliminate the incorrect impression… that some meat products are as carcinogenic as cigarette smoke, and to discourage dramatic media headlines claiming that ‘bacon is killing us’.”
The research, led by Dalhousie University and McMaster University in Canada, counters official guidance from the World Health Organization, which in 2015 labelled meat a carcinogenic.
The new paper was based on the research of an international team of specialists and published on this month in Annals of Internal Medicine. Bradley Johnston, associate professor at Dalhousie University, said, “Based on the research, we cannot say with any certainty that eating red or processed meat causes cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.”
The study’s author elaborated, “From 12 randomized controlled trials enrolling about 54,000 individuals, we did not find a statistically significant or an important association in the risk of heart disease, cancer, or diabetes for those that consumed less red or processed meat."
"In the meantime, the best we can do is understand the parameters of the evidence that we do have. While the precise downsides of bacon, for example, are unclear and possibly nonexistent, what is apparent is that we don’t really have enough evidence to consider it a bad food."
 

Some scientists have been pushing to stop meat consumption on the grounds that it is bad for one’s health, others have led with the angle that it must be reduced because of the so-called ‘climate emergency’.

May 10, 2019

Bacon Fad Continues

Archie McPhee has a whole line of bacon products including: bacon candy canes, bacon frosting, bacon gumballs, bacon lollipops, bacon floss, and bacon air freshener.
Vosges has a complete line of bacon candy bars.
Tee & Cakes has the cutest bacon cupcakes.

Baconsalt created Baconnaise, bacon mayonnaise.
Burger King introduced their Bacon Sundae, Jack in the Box has a Bacon Shake (that actually contains no bacon), and Denny’s has a Bacon Sundae.
You can smell like the pork product thanks to Bacon Cologne.
There is also Bacon Vodka.


The Wake n’ Bacon alarm clock will hit the spot as the alarm uses real bacon to create a real bacon smell to wake you up.

Mar 29, 2019

Real Bacon Bombs

During World War II, handing over cooking fat to the government was doing your patriotic duty. The American Fat Salvage Committee was created to urge housewives to save all the excess fat rendered from cooking and donate it to the army to produce explosives.
Fats are used to make glycerin, and glycerin is used to make things blow up. Homemakers were asked to give their bacon grease to the local butcher, who turned it into the government, because it was needed for the production of glycerin.
One pound of waste fat equaled 1/10 of a pound of glycerin.
1/10 pound of glycerin equaled 1/5 of a pound of nitroglycerine.
1/5 of a pound of nitroglycerine equaled 1/3 pound of gunpowder.
1/5 of a pound of nitroglycerine equaled ½ pound of dynamite.


“A skillet of bacon grease is a little munitions factory,” announced a booming voice in a Disney propaganda cartoon. “Every year two billion pounds of waste kitchen fats are thrown away, enough glycerin for ten billion rapid-fire cannon shells. Making a roast? Don’t throw out those lovely puddles of grease drippings, save them for our boys on the front line." Housewives were directed to strain their leftover fats and store them in a wide-mouth can. Once a pound or more was collected, the fat was to be handed over to any one of 250,000 participating butchers and retail meat dealers or 4,000 frozen food plants who would then turn the fat over to the army. The donor received four cents a pound for the fat.

Jan 25, 2019

McDonald's Embraces More Bacon

McDonald's is launching Cheesy Bacon Fries next week on Jan. 30, 2019 along with the Big Mac Bacon burger and Quarter Pounder Bacon burger, the company said.

The fast-food chain explained in its official announcement, "'That’s too much bacon,' said no one ever."

McDonald’s is also hosting a nationwide one-time bacon bash and free bacon giveaway from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday January 29 at participating locations nationwide to celebrate bacon menu items arrival the following day. During "Bacon Hour," customers can get a free side of thick-cut, Applewood smoked bacon with any purchase, be it a filet-o-fish, hot fudge sundae, or apple pie.
“When we said there’s no such thing as too much bacon, we weren’t kidding,” said McDonald’s manager of culinary innovation Michael Haracz. "January 29, we’ll be upping the bacon ante — the bac-ante, if you will — and celebrating this glorious food favorite like never before."

Incidentally, doing market research, the brand found that the word “bacon” was mentioned across Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and other forums an average of 17,000 times a day (or 740 times an hour) by users in the US between January 1, 2018, and January 7, 2019.

Dec 8, 2017

First Moon Meal

Speaking of the solar system, the first full meal eaten on the Moon consisted of bacon, cookies, and coffee, along with some peaches, and a glass of grapefruit juice. However, this is not the first food consumed on the moon.

When Buzz Aldrin set off on the Apollo 11 mission, he took with him a small communion kit given to him by Rev Dean Woodruff, so that he could symbolically take part in the ceremony with the other members of his Presbyterian church. This kit contained a small piece of communion bread and a small vial of wine, both of which Aldrin consumed after saying a prayer during the Apollo 11 radio blackout. This was also, unsurprisingly, the first religious service held on the Moon. Of course moon meal, another first for beloved bacon. It proves bacon is out of this world goodness.

Aug 12, 2017

Bacon and Nose Bleeds

According to a study conducted by the Detroit Medical Center, bacon can quickly and effectively treat a nosebleed by serving as a nasal tampon. For this bizarre method to work, one must plug the bleeding nostril with a piece of cured uncooked pork.
The team tested their bacon hypothesis on a girl who had Glanzmann thrombasthenia, a rare hereditary disease that causes prolonged bleeding. After sticking a piece of cured pork inside the girl’s bloody nose, the bleeding stopped immediately.
The results of this scientific research were published in the Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology. The researchers acknowledged that doctors had used cured pork to treat nosebleeds in the past. However, the practice was discontinued.

The researchers speculated that the high risk of acquiring parasitic and bacterial complications from stuffing one’s nose with cured pork caused the unconventional treatment to be abandoned.

Jun 16, 2017

Tilapia vs. Bacon

Nutritionists have referenced a study that implies eating tilapia is worse than eating bacon. Dr. Floyd Chilton, professor of physiology and pharmacology who directed the Wake Forest study, says the comparison of tilapia to bacon was taken out of context.

A 4-ounce serving of tilapia has about 29 grams of protein and about 200 mg of omega-3. By comparison, a 4-ounce serving of bacon has 40 grams of protein and 228 mg of omega-3.

The report said the, “inflammatory potential of hamburger and bacon is lower than the average serving of farmed tilapia (100 g).” The fish currently tests in the “red zone” for the presence of banned or illegal chemicals such as antibiotics, malachite green, and methyl testosterone hormones used in Chinese tilapia production.

Incidentally, the USDA does not currently have guidelines for classifying seafood as organic.

Apr 8, 2017

Three Kinds of Bacon

They are: smoky, sweet, and funky.
Funky bacon is funky, because it is not necessarily made of pork, or it is cured or seasoned in a prominent way. Funky bacon can also be sweet or smoky.
A smoky bacon can be sweet, but a sweet bacon is qualified by its sweetness and has a lack of overall smokiness.

All bacon should be salty, without allowing the salt to overpower and should be cut in a way that is appropriate to its use and the bacon’s own fat-to-meat ratio.

The fat-to-meat ratio should be a one-to-one balance of fat to meat, one that errs on the fatty side. A 60 percent fat to 40 percent meat ratio is the limit of acceptability for a standard bacon slice (cut from 1∕16 to 1∕8 inch thick)

Feb 3, 2017

Bacon Up

Holy Disaster - US bacon reserves hit 50-year low. Prices continue to go up in a sizzle. The average price of bacon across America has risen 14 percent since June of last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Analysts are reporting an 18% increase in the wholesale price of pork, with the surge expected to have a continued rise on the price of bacon and sausages.

Pig farmers can't keep up with the world's sizzling appetite for those fatty, juicy, smoky strips of sheer eating pleasure. US Department of Agriculture, “Today’s pig farmers are setting historic records by producing more pigs than ever,” said Rich Deaton, president of the organization. “Yet our reserves are still depleting.”


Hog farmers export approximately 26 percent of total production, the Bacon Council said. China still produces almost four times the amount of pork as the US, so the US may need to reduce exporting in order to satisfy local demand or risk rising imports. Bottom line, eat more bacon now before the next increase.

Jan 27, 2017

Stone Age Bacon

Oetzi the famous "iceman" mummy of the Alps appears to have enjoyed a fine slice or two of Stone Age bacon before he was killed by an arrow some 5,300 years ago. His last meal was most likely dried goat meat, according to scientists who recently managed to dissect the contents of Oetzi's stomach.
"We've analyzed the meat's nanostructure and it looks like he ate very fatty, dried meat, most likely bacon," German mummy expert Albert Zink said at a talk in Vienna.

More specifically, the tasty snack is thought to have come from a wild goat in South Tyrol, the northern Italian region where Oetzi roamed around and where his remains were found in September 1991.

Oct 28, 2016

Candied Bacon

If you love maple syrup and if you love bacon, Bob Evans should be on your breakfast list of places to visit. It is now serving a candied bacon appetizer.

“It's so crunchy, it doesn’t even feel like meat, but it tastes like meat,” said one taster. "It's sweet and savory and it's still crisp," said another satisfied taster. "It's God's food," said another of the pulcritudunous porcine product.


Health concerns, at least when it comes to bacon may not be much of a concern for the average American. According to the National Pork Board, ten pounds of bacon is sold annually per person, demonstrating the continuous popularity of pork.
The sweet and salt combo will the spot for breakfast, lunch, brunch, or dinner and every snack in between.



Incidentally, in May, a British man legally changed his name to Bacon Double Cheeseburger.

Sep 2, 2016

International Bacon Day

Well, it is that time of year again when we get to celebrate something we all enjoy - BACON. Tomorrow, the Saturday before Labor Day we celebrate International Bacon Day.

May 27, 2016

Bacon Cures

Cured bacon cures disease. Not a joke. Dr. Jennifer Gunter found that bacon has historically been used to stop severe nosebleeds, which can potentially be extremely hazardous, by stuffing it up your nostrils (the saltiness of the meat constricts blood vessels).

Bacon can also be used to expedite the removal of harmful Dermatobia hominis parasites by using it as bait (they like bacon, too).

Bacon can also treat scabies, by rubbing rendered bacon fat on yourself, which is apparently 88% effective compared to actual medicine.

Bonus, bacon can also reduce hunger and boredom.

May 13, 2016

Barding vs. Cauling

Barding is the wrapping of fat, such as bacon around meat to cover the meat in a  layer of taste and texture. Cauling is the act of wrapping caul around meat and is similar to barding.


Picture of Caul

Since caul is thin, as opposed to the thicker layer of fat used in barding, a cauled dish has a delicately rendered layer of fat that can accent a dish without overtaking it, as bacon might. It can be kept frozen for a long time and should be brought back to room temperature before it is used.

Dec 25, 2015

Bacon Day

Bacon Day is celebrated annually on December 30th. Bacon is a very popular food and you can find many items also flavored or scented with bacon including popcorn, soap, candles, air fresheners and many more. #bacon

Bacon Mashed Potato Waffles

To make this holiday leftover treat, add crumbled bacon, butter, garlic powder to mashed potatoes and cook in a waffle iron. Add more bacon and cheese on top, then broil until cheese melts. Ah, post holiday ambrosia!

Sep 11, 2015

Bacon Orgazmia

The stars have aligned and my latest (50th) book Bacon Orgazmia is now available on Amazon. More information about bacon than has been allowed to be known about any subject since the beginning of the known universe. Please take a look. Peek Inside will be added soon for a free preview.
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Aug 28, 2015

Google Birthday

Next week September 5, 2015, Google will celebrate its 17th birthday. Seems like the company has been around much longer. It is worth about US $367Billion. In such a few short years, it has profoundly changed the internet and the world. How appropriate to celebrate a birthday on International Bacon Day - Both are ubiquitous.