National Bacon Lovers Day

Bacon begins as a simple cut of pork belly, but centuries of curing and smoking have transformed it into an icon. Evidence of salted pork belly dates back to at least 1500 BCE in China, where villagers preserved meat in brine. The Romans borrowed the technique and called it petaso; medieval Europeans perfected dry curing with salt and smoke, producing pancetta, guanciale and streaky bacon. In England’s medieval church of Dunmow, married men who swore they hadn’t argued with their wives for a year were awarded a flitch of bacon—the origin of the phrase ‘bring home the bacon’. In the United States, German and English immigrants brought their curing traditions. By the early 20th century, industrial producers like Oscar Mayer made bacon widely available. During World War I, bacon grease was saved for making explosives; after World War II, it reappeared as a breakfast staple. National Bacon Lovers Day is an ode to the irresistible combination of salt, fat, smoke and crunch. Think of the scent of bacon frying on a Sunday morning, the way it crisps in a cast‑iron pan and the golden fat that renders out. Bacon is a building block in countless dishes: wrapped around dates or scallops, scattered over salads or burgers, stirred into beans or Brussels sprouts. It has inspired everything from maple‑glazed doughnuts to bacon‑infused cocktails. On this holiday, honour bacon’s long journey from farmyard to table. Try making your own by curing a slab with salt, sugar and spices, then smoking it slowly over applewood. Or visit a local butcher and pick up a few slices of artisanal bacon, perhaps from heritage breed pigs, and taste the difference. However you enjoy it, savour each bite—not just for the flavour, but for the story of ingenuity and tradition that it carries.