Thurg stood over the dying beast, keeping his distance as the animal thrashed. Finally drawing its last breath, Thurg looked to the sky to thank the yellow god for providing him with such sustenance. His family would eat for weeks. He withdrew his cutting stone, and began to carve the flesh from the beast. As he carved the stomach of the great beast, he was preparing to cook up the entrails for his trusty dogs that helped him track the beast. The fire raged. Slicing through the belly, a thin slice of the belly meat landed on a hot rock next to the fire. The smell hit him almost as instantly as the sizzle reached his ears. His neanderthal brain's pleasure center was aroused. Gingerly he picked up the hot slice of meat, pinched between two fingers, and greedily consumed it. A ring of grease around Thurg's lips framed his smile. He threw the cooked entrails to his dogs and sliced more belly and placed it on the stone.
Bacon is one of those foods that just by the mere preparation people stop and smell and just for a second, the pre-historic, primitive part of their brain is activated. They sniff the air; they salivate just ever so slightly. Even vegans and veggies stop and instantly recognize the majesty of the smell. For those of us who utilize their canines, we don't just stop and say "Hey Bacon's frying." We immediately want the bacon. We become that commercial of the dog searching for bacon bacon bacon.
Bacon is indeed the belly of the beast, at least in the States. This is superior to other types of "bacon" found around the world. Other "bacon" is only ham. The bacon, as we state-siders know it, is an almost perfect balance of fat and sinew, whereas "Canadian bacon" is mostly lean. There is no taste comparison. I like ham, but I've never craved ham and I've never wrapped scallops in ham.
A researcher has determined that Bacon has a particular chemical make-up of the fat chains found with-in it. These chains possess several qualities of umami and are highly addictive in nature. Poor little piggies, an actual drug for the human brain.
It can come in apple smoked, hickory smoked, cured, uncured, maple cured, apple cider cured or just plain. I have memories of my grandmother's house, bacon wafting through the kitchen, a stack of thin pancakes with butter and a side of bacon and the smell of bacon brings me there. The aroma transports me to a simpler place, where a boy could dip his bacon in his maple syrup and enjoy his cousins' company while his uncle cooked for him and then sat down to share in the feast. A place where my grandfather was still alive and my grandmother lovingly made her coffee bread to dip in strong coffee or to butter heavily.
Bacon, you wonderfully crunchy time machine! Bringing me back to a time when I didn't have a care in the world.
Thurg smiled, and finished the belly meat before telling of his discovery with his family.
