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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

BACON COOKBOOK

THE BACON COOKBOOK; more than 150 recipes from around the world for
everyone's favorite food (John Wiley, 2007, 276 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-
04282-3, $41.99 hard covers) is by James Villas, who was the food and
wine editor of "Town & Country" magazine for 27 years. He has won 2
Beards for journalism, and has authored innumerable cookbooks. Villas
is a specialist in Southern cuisine. The first principle here is that
bacon makes every meal better. 168 recipes are claimed here, and they
are largely French Provencal, Japanese, and other regions of the world.
All courses are covered, such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, and
desserts. Artisanal bacons are also covered, but there is nothing on
Berkshire pigs, the latest hot hog in North America. Basics are
covered, such as how bacon is produced and different international
styles from Europe, North America and China (lop yuk). The preps are
arranged by course, from apps to desserts. Most use bacon as a
substantial ingredient, not just as a flavouring. Both mail order
sources and measurements are US only.
Audience and level of use: ham and bacon lovers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: zapallo calabaza; tarte a la
flamme; tourtiere; adobo; Serbian bacon, bean, and cabbage soup; Santa
Fe venison sausage and Canadian bacon stew; chocolate truffles and
peameal bacon.
The downside to this book: there are no conversion charts, nor any
mention of Berkshire.
The upside to this book: a single ingredient book is always welcomed.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.

www.deantudor.com

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