Local legend, meat master, and friend Laurence Mate knows a thing or two about bacon. I’ve written about him before at Smile Politely. Two articles, actually. People like Laurence are a great example of why the coming and going of food trends is meaningless. What matters is the truth, the heart, the soul of it.
“For those of you who don’t give a shit about the fad but care about actual bacon, I am the bearer of glad tidings.” – Laurence
He wrote a post yesterday that talks about how many sources claim that bacon is dead. Or, at least the fad of bacon in everything has passed. I have succumbed in the past to bacon’s siren song. Come on, chocolate bars with bacon and bacon ice cream are delicious.
Bacon as a trend, a fad, a meaningless addition to a sandwich, or as the flavor du jour may be on its way out. Get the cheap, paper-thin, watery, national brand rashers off our plates. Keep bringing on the good stuff–as long as people like Laurence are keeping the tradition alive, taking sublime meat and fat from well-raised animals, bacon deserves to live forever.
Agreed. Feel so lucky to be able to get bacon from Stan’s little piggies!
I love that picture, Jason! I also love Stan’s pork, and at Saturday’s market he paid me the supreme compliment of telling me (as well as his customers!) that the bacon I’m makin’ from his pork bellies is much better than the bacon he has, which is cured by the Schlacht Haus. When the guy supplying your pork bellies starts getting his bacon from you, that’s all the compliment you need!
Thanks, Larbo. That photo is your bacon–maple in front and peppered in the back if I remember right. It’s as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.