Troy Warren for CNT #Celebrations

BACON DAY

On December 30th each year, bacon lovers celebrate one of nature’s favored gifts on Bacon Day! The day reminds us that bacon is not just for breakfast and encourages us to test out various ways to enjoy this culinary marvel.

Everything is better with bacon, so someone said once. And our research shows very little to dispute this assertion.

The United States and Canada make bacon from the pork belly. Other countries around the world use the side and back cuts of pork. The meat is cured in either a salt brine or a salt pack. It is then either dried, boiled, or smoked.

Bacon is a very popular food in the USA. In 2020, over half of the U.S. population said they used a pound or more bacon that year. You can also find many items flavored or scented with bacon, including popcorn, soap, candles, air fresheners, and much more. While these uses fit right into the day, we suggest cooking with bacon.

It’s not just for breakfast anymore, either. Bacon improves everything from beverages to dessert. Some cocktails such as the Bloody Mary and Caesar add bacon to the olives, pickles, and other assorted ingredients. Bacon improves the flavor of many appetizers, sandwiches, and soups. Incorporate bacon into salads as a topping or mix it into the dressing. For dessert, bacon pairs well with maple frosting or maple ice cream. Thanks to bacon’s salty, smoky flavor, it compliments sweet quite well. The possibilities are endless.

HOW TO OBSERVE #BaconDay

The founders of Bacon Day encourage us to eat a variety of bacon while watching Kevin Bacon movies or movies with bacon in the title. Other suggested traditions such as bacon toasts and kissing under pork fat mistletoe are mentioned as well. We make these recommendations for celebrating the day: