FromtheearliestdaysofEuropeansettlementintheSouth,asinmanyruraleconomiesaroundtheglobe,curedporkbecameamainsourceofsustenance,andthecheaper,lower-on-the-hogcuts--notably,bacon--becamesomeofthemostimportanttraditionalsouthernfoodstuffs.Inthiscookbook,FredThompsoncapturesahumbleingredient’sregionalculinaryhistoryandoutsizedcontributionstothetable.Delicious,ofcourse,straightoutoftheskillet,baconisalsospecialinitsabilitytolendauniquesavorysmokinesstoanenormousrangeofotherfoods.Today,forregulareatersandhigh-flyingsouthernchefsalike,baconhasachievedaculinaryprofilesopopularastoapproachbaconmania.ButThompsonsagelynotesthatbaconwillsurvivethesilliness.Describingthemanykindsofbaconthatareavailable,Thompsonprovideskeychoicesforcookingandseasoningappropriately.Thebook’sfifty-sixrecipesinvariablyhighlightandmaximizethatbelovedbaconfactor,soappreciatedthroughouttheSouthandbeyond(byThompson’scount,fiftydifferentstylesofbaconexistworldwide).Dishesrangefromsouthernregionaltointernational,fromappetizerstomaincourses,andeventoaverysouthernbeverage.AlsoincludedareThompson’sdo-it-yourselfrecipesformakingbaconfromfreshporkbellyinfivedifferentstyles.
