Can We Talk 2

Bacon

         Bacon has fallen in and out of favor over the years. It was high in saturated fat and sodium, so dieters abandoned it. A nation suddenly obsessed with heart health spurned bacon Then the nitrates made it fall out of favor. But some how it stuck around and has surged upward again.

         You now buy nitrate free bacon. And it comes in thinner slices for those counting calories, but not wanting to abandon it all together. You find bacon in salads, side dishes, and even deserts. I remember way back when you'd find chicken livers wrapped in bacon at nice wedding receptions, but that fad is gone, mostly because of the livers. When I myself was spurning bacon for health reasons, I discovered there was almost nothing at a church potluck in which I could indulge besides bread. I wondered why bacon had to go in everything, and that was before it went into cupcakes and cookies.

         Recently, on Wheel of Fortune one contestant described himself in his one moment in the spotlight as a lover of bacon all the time. Wow! One of the most important things about you is that you love bacon any time of day! I also saw a recipe in a popular magazine for candied bacon.

         I suppose this love affair with bacon began with farmers and cowboys because it kept so well, even under adverse circumstances. You cut the mold off the ham or the side of bacon and use it. Plus the bacon leaves a nice grease for frying other foods or making gravies. When people worked harder and walked more, the extra calories and fat in their vegetables or breads didn't hurt so much. I admit that frying some bacon over a camp stove or fire will stir up a whole camp ground, and get people talking to you. The outdoor air, the smell of smoke, coffee, and bacon does wake you up and comfort you.

         I once saw a TV documentary on food fads. It went through over a century, decade by decade. TV dinners in the aluminum trays were included, and then microwave foods. Freezers, blenders, food processors, and toasters all played a part in food history and fads. It would interesting to see that again in an updated version. It would include more international influences, organic, gluten-free, computer shopping, and Applewood bacon.