National Bacon Day
Fry up a crispy, meaty treat for every meal of the day or try weird and wonderful creations like bacon brownies and bacon-flavored floss.
Admittedly, there are very few things in this world that don’t taste better when paired with a bit of bacon. Whether it’s chocolate-covered bacon from the candy shop, bacon cheeseburgers, bacon-wrapped tater tots, or even bacon-covered chapstick, it’s hard to deny that bacon is a delicious tasty treat that had truly gotten its fingers into almost everything!
And now is the time to celebrate, because it’s National Bacon Day!
History of National Bacon Day
The origins of Bacon stretch back into the middle ages, with the name of this delicious meat originating in Middle English from the word “Bacoun”. Following it back, it can be found in France as Bako, Germany as Bakko, and even in old Teutonic as Backe.
All of these words mean “back”, and what does that reveal about bacon? That’s right. It’s made from the back of the pig!
But those listed above are not even the earliest example of bacon. It seems that the first bacon was known to have come from the Romans, and was known as ‘Petaso’.
With a long and delicious history, making bacon has been a popular method of preserving meat and adding a certain flavor to it by soaking it in a specialized brine. In fact, there were even certain breeds of pigs that were specially bred for their copious back meat, including breeds such as Yorkshire and Tamworth.
Although it wasn’t always just the back meat that was referred to as Bacon. At one time the word referenced any kind of preserved pork, but that usage fell out of practice in the 17th Century.
Even today, however, there remain some questionable definitions of “bacon”. For instance, what Americans refer to as bacon is different from their neighbors to the north, the Canadians. And in England, what Americans would refer to as just “bacon” would be called “streaky bacon”, “rashers” or “crispy bacon”.
But no matter the controversy or differences in terminology, bacon is beautifully tasty meat that certainly deserves its own day to celebrate!
National Bacon Day Timeline
1500 BC
Bacon is invented
As one of the oldest cuts of meat in history, bacon during this time may be from the back of the animal or from the belly. It is salted to preserve freshness and is probably very fatty.
12th Century AD
Bacon is a cherished prize
In an effort to encourage peace in households, one English church makes a prize of a side of bacon to any man who does not quarrel with his wife for one year and a day.
1539
Spanish explorer brings bacon to the New World
Hernando de Soto brings a small group of 13 pigs to what would eventually become the United States. This herd grows to more than 700 pigs in 3 years and the pork industry in this region begins.
1997
National Bacon Day is created
Although some disputes exist about the origins of National Bacon Day, one story goes that two friends want a gift-giving day at the end of the year that is unrelated to religion. Naming it National Bacon Day includes paying homage to famous cartoon character Homer Simpson and his love for bacon.
2005
Chocolate covered bacon is created
While no one is quite sure who came up with it, bacon and chocolate meet to create a delicious treat. It seems to have appeared first in the United States, but may have had other origins that are undocumented.
How to Celebrate National Bacon Day
This is easily one of the tastiest days that anyone can celebrate! Consider these ideas to honor the day, or come up with some other creative ideas of your own:
Eat Lots of Bacon
The best way of celebrating this dedication to swine delicacies is by indulging in the delicious treats that come from those favorite four hooved friends. A great start would be by going to an all-you-can-eat breakfast place that has bacon on the menu. These do exist and they are great!
Then, later in the day, head on out to a favorite lunch stop and get a club sandwich or another bacon-y treat. Some might prefer a cheeseburger with extra bacon! Whatever bacon-y goodness is chosen, be sure to share it with friends and loved ones so they, too, can enjoy National Bacon Day!
Try a Unique Bacon Treat
There’s certainly more to bacon than just meat on meat. Bacon is an open-minded kind of food and has already been known for being part of any of the three major meals of the day. But in recent years it has expanded even more! There are bacon chocolate milkshakes, bacon-flavored lubes, bacon-flavored chewing gum, and a million other variations. Bacon-flavored dental floss, bacon jelly beans, maple bacon lollipops, bacon peanut brittle and even bacon mayonnaise (“Baconnaise”) to spread on sandwiches. This day offers no shortage of opportunities for trying something new!
Get Creative with Bacon
For those who love to spend time creatively in the kitchen, this is the perfect opportunity to make some unique bacon creations! Get inspired by these ideas and then come up with some other clever ones too:
Bacon Brownies. The combination of bacon and chocolate might seem strange to some people, but those who have tried it usually fall in love with the decadent contradiction between sweet and savory. This treat is easy to make, just by adding some tiny morsels of crispy bacon to a chocolatey brownie recipe.
Bacon Sushi. Get rid of the raw fish and seaweed and, instead, use this favorite food! Actually, people who want to can keep the raw fish, or just use rice and veggies as fillings. Simply replace the nori with bacon.
Bacon Tacos. Taking the breakfast burrito to new heights, this idea actually weaves bacon into a tortilla to be used as the taco shell. Then fill with normal taco fillings for a delightful departure from the usual Tex-Mex game.
Bacon Cookies. Following along the lines of the brownies above, cookies made with bacon are a strangely more-ish treat. Make a typical chocolate chip cookie recipe and then add in chopped slices of crispy bacon. Divine!
Join the Bacon of the Month Club
The celebration of bacon doesn’t have to be limited to only one day! Take it all throughout the year by joining a Bacon of the Month Club. A few different companies will send a different variety of bacon to your door each month–it’s not even necessary to leave home!
Don Some Bacon Themed Garb
To really get into the spirit of the holiday, a great idea would be to get one of the hundreds of bacon-themed pieces of clothing that are now available. There’s bacon underwear and bras, pants and pajamas, hats, socks, and sunglasses. If it can be worn, it has been made with bacon patterns applied to it. So get out there and celebrate National Bacon Day, and have a delicious day!
Source
