Bacon Poll

Pancetta is good, but you can’t beat a good slice or three of streaky.

Short back. Long back looks too unwieldy to cook easily.

Right I'm just off to the Francis Bacon exhibition at the Tate. COINCIDENCE?

and I'm off to the Francisco Pancetta exhibition whoa

Pancetta vs short back. Canadian bacon looks foul.

Longback does need more attention because you need to get crispy fat without overcooking the meat. you can do this by careful staking and positioning in the pan.

Lardons

http://files.blog-city.com/files/A05/141484/p/f/beavis_and_butthead.jpg

write in vote for guanciale

Err a bacon moran writes: what does your normal British/Danish style back bacon fall under?

Also isn't streaky & American the same thing?

I apologise for my bacon naivety.

Shortback, although the danes shouldn't be allowed to keep pigs much less make bacon, based on the shit they export to us.

I split american from streaky, hopefully to ensure that neither won.

:o

Although american tends to be sliced thinner than british streaky.

"Is that your Ayrshire Bacon?"
"Naw, I'm just warming my hands on the radiator"

I vote pancetta, but I suspect my choice would be different if I'd tried guanciale.

Also

"Is that a cake or a meringue?"

guanciale

write in vote for guanciale

Same

Guanciale IS good.

Guanciale _is_ good, but it's rapidly becoming the sundried tomato of 2008, this massed rush of "I have discovered new Italian foodstuff and will now mention it to the death".

When it comes to salumi I prefer lardo, tbh.

Bacon is so overrated. I do not see the need to add it to everything. Bacon-flavored popcorn! fries! pizza! STOP ALREADY!

There's some good-food backlash happening up in this board lately.

Bacon is so overrated

Yeah, like GOD is overrated or sumthin'

I also don't understand people's manic devotion to bacon. It seems to inspire a lot of loyalty. I mean, bacon's okay...in its proper place. Which is on the breakfast (or breakfast-for-dinner) table about four times a year.

I like lardons in salad/stews/quiche.

xpost I definitely don't eat bacon at every meal or anything (or even once a week), but that's not because it's not tasty enough to deserve it. It's because it's mostly pig fat.

When it comes to salumi I prefer lardo, tbh.

― Carrie Bradshaw Layfield (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Thursday, October 23, 2008 10:25 AM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

theres a zing here, just give me a minute

dom u should start a salumi poll

There are very few savory foods that the addition of bacon would not improve. In fact, I dare anyone to name ONE.

It's not bacon but I use magret de canard (smoked duck breast) often, too, in much the same way. I made a pizza last night with figs, duck breast, crottin, mozzarella and frisée.

I mean, bacon's okay...in its proper place. Which is on the breakfast (or breakfast-for-dinner) table about four times a year day.

Fixed.

in my experience bacon haters/non-lovers are hyper-sensitive to saltiness.

I made a pizza last night with figs, duck breast, crottin, mozzarella and frisée.

Oh man I'm usually against l0u1s jagg3r-style pizzas, but this sounds amazing.

haha ilx now AUTOMATICALLY google-proofs LJ's name?!?

When it comes to salumi I prefer lardo, tbh.

― Carrie Bradshaw Layfield (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Thursday, 23 October 2008 15:25 (15 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

OTM

I also don't understand people's manic devotion to bacon. It seems to inspire a lot of loyalty. I mean, bacon's okay...in its proper place. Which is on the breakfast (or breakfast-for-dinner) table about four times a year.

― Maria, Thursday, 23 October 2008 15:30 (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

this is OTM where it concerns american bacon

tempeh.

Guanciale _is_ good, but it's rapidly becoming the sundried tomato of 2008, this massed rush of "I have discovered new Italian foodstuff and will now mention it to the death".

I live across the street from one of the best sources in the US (Salumi) and so have easy access. I buy a whole cured jowl about once every 6 weeks. Yesterday for lunch, I slowly fried 4 thin slices, then did a duck egg over-easy in the fat, then quickly sauteed some rocket and pine nuts in the same pan. Ate it on toast.

Nomnomnom

Also, Jaq if your ever come to this coast, check out Boccalone.

I love working at home.

Whoa, a Salumi Cone???? and finocchiona w/ brown sugar and w/ orange sound amazing. I also want to try that pig liver.

Man, I wish I knew about Boccalone when I was working up in Healdsburg! All the more reason to come down there for a visit though.

whoa at ciccioli and sanguinaccio from that place; have sent the link to my brother in sf

Jaq, it hasn't been open terribly long.

I think the idea of "Canadian Bacon" is a bit confusing... I mean, the bacon that most people buy here (and what is offered most commonly in supermarkets) is what I guess you'd call "American" or "Streaky". The term "Canadian" indicates back bacon, basically - but is that shortback or longback? It is yummy, but not all that common here excpet for back-bacon sandwiches at some markets and on eggs benny, that sort of thing...

I was at a Harvey's in Hamilton last month, and the woman behind the counter asked me if I wanted Canadian bacon on my bacon cheeseburger. I politely but firmly declined.

I only mention that to confirm Rob's point that, in Canada, 'bacon' does not mean Canadian bacon.

http://timesonline.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/02/22/kevin_bacon.jpg

world's longest head

http://blogs.menupages.com/sanfrancisco/bacon%20bra.jpg

http://www.mcphee.com/resources/april/items/bacontux.html

Are you assuming "smoked" for all these? I have never understood why non-smoked bacon is produced. I accidentally bought some one time and just about put my foot through the wall.

Anyway sorry Ed but I like my bacon streaky and goddammit I like it American.

Guanciale and pancetta aren't smoked, just cured. I've made home-cured bacon (and air-dried ham) that wasn't smoked - still very tasty. I do like hickory or apple wood smoked bacon a lot though - thick cut, mostly fat, American style.

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/7293/imageuploadimageel6.jpg

Pancetta can be smoked or unsmoked.

Cool, I didn't know that and have only seen it unsmoked (and referred to as "unsmoked bacon" in recipes)!

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Haha, that's actually 14 points to the champion.

I blame long queues at the polls

Ed's fault for splitting the back vote.