Bacon. It’s crispy, salty, smoky, sweet . . . and totally irresistible. Renowned food writer James Villas offers 168 intriguing ways to savor the flavor of everyone’s favorite meat, ranging across America and around the globe. You’ll find familiar favorites like Spaghetti alla Carbonara and Cobb Salad as well as more exotic but equally delectable fare, such as California Hangtown Fry and Portuguese Egg and Bacon pudding. Illustrated with beautiful color photographs throughout and featuring sources for today’s best artisanal and international bacon, The Bacon Cookbook is your guide to a world of bacon possibilities and pleasures.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In this exuberant parade of pork fat, there is no doubting the flap copy when it states that Villas, former food editor for Town & Country, has been beguiled by bacon since he was a boy. However, Villas's statement in his preface that staunch vegetarians and non-pork-eating religious traditionalists are haunted instinctively by the sensuous, irresistible enticement is about as nutty as his Bacon-Almond Cheese Spread (made with cottage cheese and chives). Nonetheless, there's plenty good to be had in these pages. An introductory chapter explains the difference between Salt Pork and Pancetta, Paprikaspeck and Bauchspeck, and provides a thorough list of mail-order sources. Breakfast choices range from a nifty ole Bacon Scrapple to a rich French Cheese and Bacon soufflé. There's a BLT, of course, but most of his other sandwiches go to extremes with ingredients like Jamaican smoked fish. For those who sometimes eat vegetables, there is Lima Bean and Bacon Casserole, and several amalgams mix a menagerie of meats, as in the Spanish Chicken, Bacon, Meatball and Chickpea Stew. Of the six dessert recipes, bacon-wrapped figs work, but Bacon and Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles would be hard-pressed to create irresistible enticement in even the heartiest of carnivores. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
With his typical evocative prose, Villas, author of a dozen other cookbooks (including The Glory of Southern Cooking), asks, "Who, under any circumstances, is not rendered almost helpless by the tantalizing sound of bacon sizzling slowly in a skillet, by the taunting backwoods aroma that permeates the air...?" He opens with a guide to "the international world of bacon" (including pancetta, lard fumé, and other relatives), which is followed by mouthwatering recipes for all courses of a meal, from Lacquered Japanese Bacon to Portuguese Egg and Bacon Pudding. There are, in fact, several other cookbooks devoted to bacon, including Sara Perry's Everything Tastes Better with Bacon, but with its irresistible recipes and wealth of information and lore, Villas's new title is recommended for most collections. (Library Journal, October 15, 2007)
“there is nothing standard about Villas book…shows the versatility of bacon…Vegetarians beware; these dishes could prove too tempting.” (Independent, September 13, 2008)
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More About the Author
I was born and bred in the South, have 3 university degrees in language and literature (Fulbright scholar), and taught in 3 universities before changing careers and becoming Food and Wine Editor of TOWN and COUNTRY (1972-1999). I've published 15 cookbooks and 4 literary books on gastronomy. My first novel, DANCING IN THE LOW COUNTRY, was published in 2008; my second, HUNGRY FOR HAPPINESS, in 2010; and I'm currently working on a dog novel titled THE BEAGLE PLAYS BRAHMS. My cookbook, PIG: KING OF THE SOUTHERN TABLE, won the James Beard Award for 2010, and my newest one, SOUTHERN FRIED, will be published in 2013. I live in East Hampton, Long Island, where I devote my time to writing cookbooks and fiction and pursuing my love of great music.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By C. Marie
Format:Hardcover
In response to the prior review, there's definitely much more here than just instructions on how to cook bacon -- the book includes recipes using bacon in all different kinds of dishes, even dessert, believe it or not! I always find James Villas's books to be thorough and well-written, and this one is no exception -- definitely a great gift for a bacon-lover!
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
First of all: who WOULDN'T like a cookbook dedicated to bacon? Every recipe in here uses bacon. Or pancetta. Or lard fumé. Or salt pork... And the recipes are a good variety, too: appetizers, soups and stews, entrees -- even bacon-wrapped desserts.
A couple quick notes:
(1) Keep in mind that because this cookbook is about bacon, is dedicated to bacon, and is gourmet, it's going to all for some specialty varieties of bacon. Granted the introduction tells you a bit about how to work around this but the recipes will also say that it won't be the same without some specialized type of salt-smoked bacon only made in Western Canada.
(2) While most of the recipes are ones that are sure to please, quite a few of them also call for organs -- liver and kidneys. Be warned.
A couple quick notes:
(1) Keep in mind that because this cookbook is about bacon, is dedicated to bacon, and is gourmet, it's going to all for some specialty varieties of bacon. Granted the introduction tells you a bit about how to work around this but the recipes will also say that it won't be the same without some specialized type of salt-smoked bacon only made in Western Canada.
(2) While most of the recipes are ones that are sure to please, quite a few of them also call for organs -- liver and kidneys. Be warned.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not just a novelty, but a genuinely great cookbook for bacon lovers
July 25, 2009
Format:Hardcover
The Bacon Cookbook is a bacon lover's delight. At first glance it looks like it could just be a novelty cookbook that one might not actually cook from day to day, but after spending time with this cookbook it is clear that this is not the case at all. It's full of interesting, unique, and classic recipes that will allow you to use bacon in all kinds of diverse ways.
The book begins with a comprehensive introduction on bacon that tells you almost everything you would want to know. It discusses what bacon is, the history of it, international styles of bacon, how to buy and store bacon, etc. It also has a pretty extensive list of mail order sources for premium bacon if you want to go beyond what can be purchased in your area. It was pretty exhaustive and enlightening. The only thing I wish it had covered was recipes to make your own bacon. This is what would have taken the cookbook from 4 to 5 stars for me. It would have been especially great to have recipes for some of the artisan and more unique bacons called for in the recipes incase you cannot find them in your area.
The rest of the cookbook covers recipes for appetizers, breakfast, soups and chowders, salads and sandwiches, casseroles and stews, main courses, vegetables and fruit, pasta and rice, breads, and desserts. I was really impressed with the breadth of recipes offered in this book. You'll find some great classic American recipes in here, but there are also dishes that draw from international cuisine as well as fusion dishes. I really appreciated that there were a lot of recipes here that I hadn't seen in any other cookbook (and I have a pretty extensive collection) so even if you have a lot of cookbooks you won't feel like you've seen everything in here before. Some of the recipes that most excited me were the Venezuelan Squash, Potato, and Bacon Pancakes, Hot Bacon-Blue Cheese Dip, Bacon-Cheddar Popcorn and especially the Bacon Truffles. The variety of recipes also means that this book is great for people with different palates. Those who like more traditional dishes will find plenty in here to like as will people who enjoy more adventurous or international cuisine.
The recipes are also very clearly written so they are easy to follow. The one thing worth mentioning is that most of this recipes do take a little prep time so many fall outside the 30 minute window. If you're looking for quick and easy meals many of the recipes won't qualify. However, my feeling is they are worth the time.
Overall this is a great book. I highly recommend it for any bacon fan who wants to learn more about this pork product and find more creative ways to cook with it.
The book begins with a comprehensive introduction on bacon that tells you almost everything you would want to know. It discusses what bacon is, the history of it, international styles of bacon, how to buy and store bacon, etc. It also has a pretty extensive list of mail order sources for premium bacon if you want to go beyond what can be purchased in your area. It was pretty exhaustive and enlightening. The only thing I wish it had covered was recipes to make your own bacon. This is what would have taken the cookbook from 4 to 5 stars for me. It would have been especially great to have recipes for some of the artisan and more unique bacons called for in the recipes incase you cannot find them in your area.
The rest of the cookbook covers recipes for appetizers, breakfast, soups and chowders, salads and sandwiches, casseroles and stews, main courses, vegetables and fruit, pasta and rice, breads, and desserts. I was really impressed with the breadth of recipes offered in this book. You'll find some great classic American recipes in here, but there are also dishes that draw from international cuisine as well as fusion dishes. I really appreciated that there were a lot of recipes here that I hadn't seen in any other cookbook (and I have a pretty extensive collection) so even if you have a lot of cookbooks you won't feel like you've seen everything in here before. Some of the recipes that most excited me were the Venezuelan Squash, Potato, and Bacon Pancakes, Hot Bacon-Blue Cheese Dip, Bacon-Cheddar Popcorn and especially the Bacon Truffles. The variety of recipes also means that this book is great for people with different palates. Those who like more traditional dishes will find plenty in here to like as will people who enjoy more adventurous or international cuisine.
The recipes are also very clearly written so they are easy to follow. The one thing worth mentioning is that most of this recipes do take a little prep time so many fall outside the 30 minute window. If you're looking for quick and easy meals many of the recipes won't qualify. However, my feeling is they are worth the time.
Overall this is a great book. I highly recommend it for any bacon fan who wants to learn more about this pork product and find more creative ways to cook with it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful recipes
This is a great 'bacon' cookbook! It has a lot of tasty sounding recipes and offers many photos too! Thank You!
Published 3 months ago by Tammie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful book
Bought as a gift and it was in perfect shape. The recipes are great and it is easy to follow and read.
Published 4 months ago by Elizabeth Jungk
5.0 out of 5 stars
So good!
I must have gained 10 lbs from all this bacon! BEST COOK BOOK EVER! I gave it to my mother-in-law and I got mad brownie points!
Published 17 months ago by Jon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bought for my collection but use it all the time.
I have a huge cookbook collection and bought this one specifically to display - it is eye catching. But one of my daughters (a Cobb salad lover) thumbed through it one day and... Read more
Published 18 months ago by MED
3.0 out of 5 stars
Points for Creativity & Variety
I enjoyed flipping through this book and look forward to trying a handful of the recipes, but overall I'm not coming away with a lot that's useful or new. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Burgundy Damsel
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the better bacon books out there.
The Bacon Cookbook is one of a whole slew of bacon-related books to hit the shelves in the last (approximately) five years, and I have to say it's very good. Read more
Published 18 months ago by M. Dorsch
5.0 out of 5 stars
Do yourself a favor...
I purchased this book for my husband for Christmas. He loves bacon, obviously. For Valentines' Day, he decided to make an entire meal from the book. Read more
Published on April 4, 2011 by Jacquline Brooke
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bacon Lovers Delight
This was on my son's wish list when I checked before Christmas. The second order that really made his "gift" didn't arrive but weather was a factor where he lives. Read more
Published on January 11, 2011 by Marion J. Schaatt
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's great!
I bought the item looking for a different type of receipt, but the book exceed my expectation. The only concern is regarding the part of desserts... Read more
Published on June 10, 2010 by Eduardo R. P. Godinho
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bacon is the food that makes other foods taste better!
Some recipes use a little bacon for an added punch of flavor; others use a lot. There are elegant appetizers, hearty main dishes, gorgeous breakfasts & brunches, and... Read more
Published on April 21, 2010 by H. Grove
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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